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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 2014)
Tacoma voters may get to decide $15 minimum wage Getting books into the hands of kids Portland Federation of School Professionals (PFSP) Local 111 sponsored a book giveaway for students of North Portland’s Boise- Eliot School Dec. 9. Each student at the K-8 school got to take home a brand-new book, choosing from piles arrayed on tables in the school library. The event is part of a campaign by the non-profit group First Book to encourage reading by getting books in the hands of kids. PFSP, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, represents classified support staff at Portland Public Schools, including Boise-Eliot library assistant Carol Whiteside, who oversaw the giveaway. Pictured left is first grade teacher Diana Peters. The activist group 15 Now Tacoma filed a local initiative last month to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and index it to inflation. If they collect at least 3,160 valid signatures by mid-June, voters would decide the issue next November. Under the proposed ballot measure, small businesses making gross revenues of under $300,000 per year would be exempt. But employers who violate the law would face tough penalties: Employers who withhold more than $5,000 from an employee would be charged with felony first-degree theft, facing possible jail time and fines of $100 per day per employee. Season’s Greetings from the THE KORPI LAW FIRM PLLC Michael H. Korpi Attorney at Law Representing employee benefit plans in Oregon and Washington for more than 20 years 135 Second Avenue North, Suite 202, Edmonds, WA 98020 (425) 582-8935 Email: mikek@korpilaw.com At annual holiday gathering Trowel trades recognize longtime members Victor Marquez (pictured) received a 50-year Gold Card and plaque from Cement Masons Local 555 at the lo- cal’s annual holiday Christmas Party Dec. 6. Local 555 and Plasterers Local 82 presented pins and Gold Cards to long- time members, and they recognized graduates of their respective appren- ticeship training programs at the event. Local 555 member John Garnek also was recognized for his 50 years of membership. He was unable to attend. Forty-year cards were awarded to Abner Childress, Larry Richardson, Jeff Thorgerson and William Wynn. Thirty-year recognition pins went to Robert Childers, Mark Farley, James Hagler, Jeff Morrison and Greg Peter- son. Twenty-Five-year pins were pre- sented to David Barnd, Dennis Brown, William Burdick, Ron Chambers, Mike Fultz, Kenneth Johnson, T. Lynn Jones, Bud Peter- son and Ivan Tay- Victor lor. Marquez Shane Jennings was rec- ognized as a new journey- m a n , having completed the Cement Masons apprenticeship training program. Plasterers Local 82 recognized James McCarty and Mike Phengsy- nath for 30 years of membership. Twenty-five year pins went to Rance Danielson, Tony Jackson, Joe Rask and Mike Whitney. Graduates of the 2014 apprentice- ship class and new journeymen are Mario Espinoza and Bryant Mikkola. This year marks the 150th anniver- sary of the Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Associa- tion of the United States and Canada. Lewis & Clark grad joins Portland labor law firm Sydney Monta- naro has joined Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton as an associate repre- senting injured workers in work- ers’ compensation claims. Montanaro graduated from Lewis & Clark law school in Portland in May 2014. During law school she fo- cused on public interest law and clerked for various non-profit organi- zations and offices dedicated to repre- senting low income people and advo- cating for employment rights. PAGE 20 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS DECEMBER 19, 2014
