Some Oregon unions endorse Ballot
Measure 91 to legalize marijuana
Oregon’s Ballot Measure 91, which would legal-
ize, regulate, and tax marijuana, has attracted sup-
port from several local labor unions.
American Federation of State County and Mu-
nicipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 88 on Sept. 24
became the third union to endorse the measure. Lo-
cal 88 represents employees of Multnomah County.
Jason Heilbrun, Local 88 vice president and Politi-
cal Action Committee chair, said the measure will
generate new revenue — and public sector jobs —
in things like public safety, schools, and senior serv-
ices. Local 88 also supported the measure on the
grounds that marijuana enforcement wastes police
resources, and because criminal sentences create
barriers to employment, housing and education
loans for those convicted.
AFSCME Local 328, representing employees of
Oregon Health and Science University, also voted to
endorse Measure 91.
And United Food & Commercial Workers
(UFCW) Local 555, the state’s largest private sector
union, is energetically backing the measure, in line
with the union’s national policy. Local 555 Secre-
tary-Treasurer Jeff Anderson said the union is con-
tributing $35,000 to the campaign, and is working to
register and educate voters and its own members.
Anderson said participants at Hempstalk — an
PAGE 6
annual festival calling for marijuana legalization —
were surprised and pleased Sept. 28 when he came
on stage in Portland’s Waterfront Park to announce
his union’s support for the measure. UFCW repre-
sents about 600 cannabis workers in other states
thus far, Anderson said, and passing Measure 91 is a
priority for the national union.
“We look at this as a jobs issue,” Anderson said.
“Our union is in a position to organize growers, re-
tailers and medical dispensaries.”
One other labor organization — Northwest Ore-
gon Labor Council — voted a resolution in favor of
the measure, in the form of a recommendation that
the Oregon AFL-CIO endorse it, but the board of
the state labor federation declined to take action.
Twenty-three states including Oregon have legal-
ized medical use of marijuana, and two states —
Colorado and Washington — have legalized recre-
ational use by adults. Full legalization is also on the
ballot this year in Alaska.
The Oregon measure would allow the posses-
sion, manufacture, sale of marijuana by and to
adults, subject to licensing, regulation, and taxation
by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Of the
tax revenues generated, 40 percent would fund K-12
education, 20 percent would go to mental health and
alcohol and drug treatment, 20 percent would go to
local law enforcement, 15 percent to state police,
and 5 percent to the Oregon Health Authority. Driv-
ing under the influence would still be against the
law, and cities and counties would be allowed to
prohibit retail sales.
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
Oregon minimum
wage will rise 15
cents Jan. 1, 2015
Nearly 142,000 employees earning
minimum wage in Oregon will see a
raise of 15 cents an hour this January,
with the state’s lowest legal wage rising
to $9.25 in 2015 to keep pace with in-
flation. The minimum wage increase is
the result of labor-sponsored Ballot
Measure 25 passed in 2002, which ties
the wage to the Consumer Price Index.
The Oregon Bureau of Labor & In-
dustries announced the 2015 increase
last month.
The wage will increase from the cur-
rent $9.10; that means a full-time em-
ployee will earn roughly $6 more a
week, good for $370 a week in gross in-
come. Over the course of 2015, that em-
ployee can earn $19,240 in gross annual
income — if he or she works a full shift
every week of the year.
Oregon offers the second-highest
minimum wage in the nation, behind
Washington. Minimum wage in Wash-
ington also is tied to inflation.
Gradine Storms,
Principal Broker
Member of CWA Local 7901
7886 SE 13th, Portland, OR•Cell/Text 503-784-8326
gstorms@equitygroup.com Linkedin/GradyStorms
OCTOBER 3, 2014