PAGE 12 | June 19, 2015 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Union Entries Shine in Starlight Parade
Organized labor was represented in the Portland General Electric/SOLVE Starlight Parade
May 30 in downtown Portland. The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)
Branch 82, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 48, and
Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757 each had entries.
The parade is one of the most popular events during Rose Festival, with nearly 325,000
people lining the 2.25-mile route through the streets of downtown Portland to see funky,
eclectic, glow-in-the-dark floats, as well as traditional marching bands. ATU 757 deco-
rated and illuminated its union bus (photo below left). Fifty IBEW members were dressed
in matching T-shirts with lighted hardhats and safety vests, and carrying banners and plac-
ards lit with Electro Luminescent Tape declaring themselves Union members and com-
munity supporters (below right). And NALC Branch 82 went with an Alice in Wonder-
land-themed float, with members dancing on the float, and walking the parade route
decked out as playing cards. After the parade, radio station Z100 conducted a text-to-vote
contest, and NALC Branch 82 won the People’s Choice Award.
This year’s Grand Marshal was ‘PeeDee’ the PDX Carpet. The PDX
Carpet’s unique popularity can be seen on social media with collections
of foot selfies that honor the nearly 30-year old carpet that is being re-
placed this year with a new design.