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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2014)
UFCW Local 555 emerging as a political force in Oregon By DON McINTOSH Associate Editor Oregon’s largest private sector union has worked to build up its political muscle in recent years, after years of punching below its weight. The union, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555, represents 19,000 workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington, most at chain grocery stores like Fred Meyer, Safeway, Al- bertsons, and QFC. Secretary-treasurer Jeff Anderson says Local 555 used to stick to negoti- ating and enforcing collective bargain- ing agreements, and didn’t see politics as central to its mission. But after his 2008 election to union leadership — on a slate with president Dan Clay — Lo- cal 555 worked to increase political en- gagement in order to win through leg- islation what it had trouble gaining in contract bargaining. Member donations to the Active Ballot Club (ABC) — UFCW’s politi- cal action committee — totaled $329 a month when Anderson and Clay took office. Today, Anderson says Local 555 members contribute over $30,000 a month, all of it in voluntary contribu- tions of as little as a $1 a week from roughly 6,800 members. That’s on top of a 50-cent per member per month as- sessment that pays for political educa- tion efforts among union members. The surge won recognition from Local 555’s parent union as Local 555 be- came one of its top five most politically active locals. Cash and in-kind contri- butions by Local 555 to Oregon politi- cal campaigns totaled close to $380,000 this year. Local 555 has put its war chest to work in distinctive ways, and has had a string of successes. It was the only union to back mari- juana legalization in a big way, con- tributing $75,000 to the successful campaign to pass Oregon’s Ballot Measure 91. That’s in sync with UFCW’s national policy of support for opening up (and unionizing) new hemp and cannabis industries. Though Local 555 isn’t affiliated with the Oregon AFL-CIO, it’s active in local AFL-CIO affiliated central la- bor councils, and it’s big supporter of a union-led minor political party, the Oregon Working Families Party. The Working Families Party’s door-to-door canvass is a key part of Local 555’s po- litical effort. In two hard-fought but successful paid sick leave campaigns, the canvass, backed by funds from Lo- cal 555, helped mobilize public sup- port. For years, Local 555 had tried to ne- gotiate “first day” sick leave into its gro- cery contracts — which offer paid sick leave only after workers have been out for two days. But it was unable to wrest that concession from giant corporations like Kroger — in a low-profit-margin industry with low-cost nonunion com- petition like Walmart. So when an Au- gust 2012 poll commissioned by Local 555 showed strong support among Port- land voters for paid sick leave, union leaders sensed it was possible that a community coalition could win politi- cally — for all workers — what Local 555’s employers had refused. Local 555 backed Charlie Hales for mayor, and Amanda Fritz for commissioner. Both won election in November 2012. The following March, the Fritz-sponsored ordinance passed unanimously, making Portland the fourth local jurisdiction in the United States to require paid sick leave. Eugene passed a similar ordi- nance in July 2014. And in the February 2014 short ses- sion of Oregon Legislature, Local 555 won another reform important to its members: After many years of trying, it got a law passed that ended criminal penalties against cashiers for mistak- enly selling alcohol to minors, replac- ing it with civil fines instead. Local 555 has pursued unconven- tional electoral approaches, like back- ing long-shot candidates in areas of the state not traditionally favorable for pro- union candidates. It’s a strategy suited to Local 555’s geographically diverse rank-and-file: About half of its 17,000 Oregon members are in less populous areas of the state. “I’m sick of being on defense,” An- derson told the Labor Press. “I want to take our organizations and go on of- fense.” This election cycle, Local 555 went after the two most iconic tea party can- didates for Oregon Legislature. When conservative talk radio host Bill Post ran for the House District 25 (Newberg/Keizer) seat vacated by Kim Thatcher, Local 555 gave heavy sup- port to Independent candidate Chuck Lee. The Working Families Party can- vassed over 17,000 doors in the district, and Local 555 contributed $50,000 in cash and close to $30,000 in-kind con- tributions. In the end, Post won with nearly 55 percent of the vote. In House District 23 (Dallas), Local 555 defended incumbent Republican Jim Thompson against a primary chal- lenge from far-right conservative Mike Nearman. After Thompson lost, Local 555 backed Democrat Wanda Davis to the tune of $15,000. Nearman won with close to 52 percent to 37 percent for Davis. “We wrestled with the tail of the tiger,” Anderson said. “They won, but strategically, we won, because all this money that would have gone elsewhere came in to defend the two Tea Party candidates.” Anderson said taking the fight to new territory led anti-union funders to spend heavily to clinch the two races. Over $230,000 was spent to elect Post, and just under $200,000 to elect Near- man. “We believe that taking our message to the red counties, in a populist envi- ronment, can win.” Broadway Floral for the BEST flowers call 503-288-5537 1638 NE Broadway, Portland 140 IRS PROBLEMS? • Haven’t filed for ... years? • Lost records? • Liens - Levies - Garnishments? • Negotiate settlements. • Prepare offer in Compromise. Call Nancy D. Anderson Enrolled Agent NPTI Fellow/America’s Tax Expert LTC-1807 www.nancydanderson.com 503-244-2577 PAGE 8 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS NOVEMBER 21, 2014
