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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2015)
PAGE 4 | April 3, 2015 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS Port of Portland to vote on improvements for airport workers The Port of Portland Commis- sion is expected to vote April 8 on a package of measures to im- prove conditions for low-wage service workers at the Portland International Airport — includ- ing a mandate that future airport concessions contractors provide at least $13 an hour compensa- tion. UNITE HERE, Service Em- ployees International Union, and Portland Jobs with Justice are mobilizing to show support for the package, which the Port crafted in response to a year- long union campaign. Support- ers will gather at 9 a.m. at the airport baggage claim area near the MAX station entrance, and march to the Port Commission meeting that starts at 9:30 a.m. BUILDING COMMUNITY ‘Solidarity for Charity’ launched to benefit Labor’s Community Service Agency Labor’s Community Service Agency announced its first an- nual spring fundraising cam- paign to run through May of 2015. The “Solidarity for Char- ity” campaign is asking for do- nations from the greater labor community to help sustain and grow the charitable organization. “In the past, Labor’s Commu- nity Services has held seasonal fund drives for specific pro- grams, like Helping Hands for temporary hardship assistance,” said Vickie Burns, executive di- rector. “Resources and opportu- nities have changed over the years. We must find new ways to generate support so that we can continue to offer great pro- grams and services while grow- Union members volunteer at kids’ fishing derby VANCOUVER — Union volun- teers will be out in force Friday and Saturday, April 10-11, for the annual Klineline Pond Kids Fish- ing Derby at Salmon Creek Park in Vancouver, Wash. Several unions donate money to the event, and members volun- teer to help kids bait hooks, untan- gle lines, and catch fish. The derby is put on by the Klineline Kids Fishing Nonprofit and the Washington State Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife. It’s goal is to get more kids involved in fishing. More than 3,000 kids ages 5 to 14 and their parents at- tend. Registration is $5 per child and includes a Zebco rod and reel and T-shirt. Friday is for kids with special needs. Fishing starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and continues until 3:45 p.m. For more information, call 360-608-7973 or go to Facebook a t : h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . com/KlinelineKidsFishingEvent?f ref=ts. ing the agency.” One way, says Burns, is to hold an annual fundraising cam- paign offering the opportunity to donate at the click of a button. The LCSA’s newly launched website, www.lcsaportland.org, provides that opportunity. The Solidarity for Charity campaign kicked off at the March 23 delegates meeting of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council. The campaign will wrap up at the Northwest Oregon Labor Council’s annual “Labor Appreciation Night” banquet on June 6. To learn more about Labor’s Community Service Agency and its programs, visit the web- site or the agency’s LCSA-Port- land Facebook page. To donate online, go to www.lcsaport- land.org/donate, or send dona- tions to Labor’s Community Service Agency, 9955 SE Wash- ington, Suite 211, Portland, OR 97216. Recognition dinner June 6 Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 6, for the Northwest Oregon Labor Council’s annual Labor Ap- preciation and Recognition Night. The event is two-fold; it’s a special evening honoring men and women identified by their peers for outstanding contributions to la- bor and their community, and it’s a fundraiser for Labor’s Commu- nity Service Agency. The banquet will be held at Mil- waukie Elks Lodge, 13121 SE McLoughlin Blvd. Dinner tickets are $20 per person. Raffle tickets also will be sold. The labor council is currently accepting cash and prize donations for the raffle, and nominations for persons to be recognized. For more information or to or- der tickets, call 503-235-9444. UNITE AGAINST CANCER. Unite for the Knight, a coalition of unions and businesses working together to raise money for Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute, got a $21,000 boost from the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council on March 25. The funds were contributed by firefighters from 18 locals throughout the state. It is the largest donation among unions, which have helped raise nearly $1 million for the United for the Knight campaign. The Knight Cancer Challenge was launched last year when Nike co- founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, pledged to donate $500 million for cancer research if OHSU raised an equal amount in two years. “Our members have a significantly higher incidence of cancer than the general population,” said Kelly Bach, president of the Fire Fighters Council, pictured above with Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., associate director of basic research at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, and firefighters from Station #4 near Portland State University. “This is an issue that hits close to home for many of Oregon’s firefighters,” Bach said. A 2014 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that firefighters are susceptible to mesothelioma at twice the expected rate. Mesothelioma is an aggressive and rare cancer affecting the lining of the lungs and abdomen. OHSU will use the money to try to find smarter, faster ways to detect cancer earlier, when the disease is most curable, Coussens said. To make a contribution, go to www.unite- fortheknight.org.
