In solidarity —
Labor, business to raise funds to knock out cancer
Organized labor and several busi-
ness associations have come together
in solidarity to help raise money to sup-
port Oregon Health & Science Univer-
sity’s (OHSU) plan to make its Knight
Cancer Institute one of the top cancer
research centers in the country.
Last September, Nike co-founder
Phil Knight and his wife, Penny,
pledged $500 million for cancer re-
search if OHSU raised an equal
amount by February 2016.
To date, the Knight Cancer Chal-
lenge has raised $431,481,272, which
includes $200 million in bonds ap-
proved by the Oregon Legislature to
construct research facilities. That’s just
under $70 million shy of the goal.
At a press conference Sept. 23 at
OHSU’s Collaborative Life Sciences
Building, seven labor and business
groups announced formation of the
“United for the Knight” coalition.
Leaders have pledged to reach out to
their memberships to encourage them
to donate to the fundraising drive.
“Business and labor have their dif-
ferences from time to time, but on this
issue we thought it was important to
come together collectively to make sure
this match is met as it comes down the
home stretch,” said John Mohlis, exec-
utive secretary of the Oregon State
Building and Construction Trades
Council, and co-chair of the coalition.
The other co-chair is Brian Gard, presi-
dent of Gard Communications and past
chair of Oregon Business Association.
Also joining the coalition are the
Oregon AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council
75, Associated Oregon Industries, the
Portland Business Alliance, and Ore-
gon Business Council.
Ken Allen, executive director of
Oregon AFSCME, serves on the
OHSU Board of Directors and was in-
strumental in creating the Unite for the
Knight coalition.
“In the fight against cancer, we’re all
on the same side,” OHSU President Joe
Robertson said. “With this group’s sup-
port, we will continue moving closer to
our goal of ending cancer as we know it.”
Over the next year, labor and busi-
ness organizations will encourage
broad participation among their mem-
bers and the larger community in a
friendly competition of who can turn
out the most people. A dollar amount
wasn’t set, but their motto basically is
that 1,000 contributions at $100 each
are just as valuable as 100 contributions
of $1,000.
Mohlis said in addition to rank and
file members, the Building Trades
Council also will reach out to its signa-
tory contractor associations, trust fund
professionals, and third party adminis-
John Mohlis (at podium), executive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, joins
leaders from labor and business associations at a press conference Sept. 23 in the atrium of the OHSU Collaborative
Life Sciences Building in Southwest Portland to announce formation of the Business & Labor United for the Knight
coalition. OHSU is undertaking an unprecedented $1 billion campaign to find smarter, faster ways to detect cancer
earlier when the disease is most curable. Nike co-founder Phil Knight pledged to donate $500 million if OHSU can
raise $500 million in gifts and pledges in two years.
trators.
“This is the right thing to do for the
Cancer Challenge,” Mohlis said. “We
feel this will open the door for future
opportunities for business and labor to
collaborate on other issues.
To donate, go to the campaign web-
site at www.unitefortheknight.org.
An investment of this magnitude will serve as a catalyst for
economic activity in the form of immediate jobs, as well as long-
term industry growth. Preliminary analysis by ECONorthwest
estimates that a $1.2 billion capital and operations investment in
the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute will generate:
During the two-year construction phase:
• $892 million in total economic output
• 6,835 full-time jobs for one year
• $35.3 million in tax revenue
Ongoing annual impact once fully operational:
• $134 million in total economic output
• 860 total jobs
• $5.6 million in tax revenue
P ROUDLY S ERVING
P ORTLAND W ORKERS
F OR O VER 32 Y EARS
OCTOBER 3, 2014
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
PAGE 5