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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 2015)
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | December 4, 2015 | PAGE 3 PEOPLE Challenges ahead at AFSCME Local 88 AFSCME Local 88 — which paying union dues. represents 3,000 Multnomah Heilbrun will also have to County employees — has new prepare for the so-called “Cadil- leadership. Jason Heil- lac tax” — an excise tax on high-cost brun, a senior IT spe- health benefits. It’s cialist at Multnomah due to take effect in County, ran unopposed 2018 under the Af- for president, and was fordable Care Act, sworn in for a two-year unless Congress acts term Nov. 18 along to repeal it. Heilbrun with 19 other officers. said the local will Heilbrun will pre- look at wellness pro- side over what could be a pivotal period: Next Jason Heilbrun grams and other meas- ures to reduce health year the U.S. Supreme Court could ban any require- care costs with a minimum of ment for public sector workers impact on benefits. Lastly, Heilbrun and his fel- to pay union dues, in a case it’s hearing called Friedrichs vs. low union members face California Teachers Associa- choices over who to endorse for tion. That means Local 88 may Multnomah County Commis- have less than seven months to sion, the board that oversees Lo- shore up members’ commitment cal 88’s biggest employer. Three to their union before all bets are seats are up for election next off. If a similar Supreme Court year. District 1 commissioner Jules decision covering home care workers is any guide, union op- Bailey was expected to run un- ponents may follow the court’s opposed, but let it be known decision with a well-funded Nov. 25 that he’ll be running for campaign to get workers to stop Portland mayor. That throws his seat wide open. The candidate filing deadline is March 8. Meanwhile, District 3 Com- missioner Judy Shiprack is term-limited and can’t run again; Democratic State Rep. Jessica Vega Pederson is the only candidate who has filed to run to replace her so far. And District 4 Commissioner Diane McKeel is also term-lim- ited. Three candidates are vying to succeed her: Gresham City Councilor Lori Stegmann, American Federation of Gov- ernment Employees Local 2157 President Amanda Schroeder, and retired Teamsters leader Lynn Lehrbach. Heilbrun said Local 88 ex- pects to make its endorsements in January or February. Besides Heilbrun, Local 88’s new officers are Vice President Matt Davis; Treasurer Deirdre Mahoney-Clark (formerly pres- ident); Secretary Korie Erickson; trustees Gordon Long, Gary Sin- nen, and Nellie Stearns; plus 13 Executive Board members. Laborers’ Ben Nelson new Oregon AFL-CIO organizer The Oregon AFL-CIO For Nelson, the has hired seasoned new position is a re- union organizer Ben turn: in 1999, newly Nelson to lead its effort graduated from to help affiliates organ- Willamette Univer- ize nonunion work- sity with a degree in places. political science, he Nelson, 38, started worked at the Oregon work at the state labor AFL-CIO as an in- federation Nov. 23, fol- tern under then-pres- Ben Nelson lowing a 15-year career ident Irv Fletcher. Nel- with the Laborers Union. He son then went through the fills a vacancy created in Sep- national AFL-CIO’s Organizing tember when lead organizer Institute training program, and Chris Hewitt went to work for spent time in Montana helping Oregon Nurses Association. the hotel union HERE as an un- Nelson was most recently the derground union organizer, or business manager of Laborers “salt.” Local 737, which was formed In May 2000 he was hired as Sept. 21 from the merger of La- an organizer by Laborers Local borers locals 121, 296, and 320. 483 business manager Jim But the newly-created local re- McEchron, and in 2003 he went mains under the supervision of to work organizing construction the international union, which workers with the Laborers removed Nelson as business Northwest Organizing Fund. In manager on Oct. 28. For now, 2013 he was appointed assistant the local will be under the direc- business manager of the Wash- tion of supervisor Bob Abbott ington and Northern Idaho Dis- and assistant supervisor Zach trict Council of Laborers. Culver. Thank you for your commitment to the B.U.L.L. Session and the charities it supports. n 2 5 th A I n v it rsary nive 1991 - 2015 ational Charity Events 25 Years of Giving Premier Sponsors Arctic Sheet Metal Pac/West Communications Plumbing & Mechanical Contractors Association Skanska Major Sponsors Global Partners LP Milliman Prudential Retirement Union Bank United HealthCare Special Event Sponsors B.U.L.L. Benefiting Charities Albertina Kerr Children’s Develop- mental Health Services Gales Creek Camp March of Dimes Swindells Resource Center of Providence Child Center Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel Shriners Hospitals for Children Portland® Auction Bid Cards Kaiser Permanente Awards Cocktail Party Oregon S. Idaho District Council of Laborers Golf Cart Postal Prescription Service Hit the Fairway Zenith American Solutions Hole In One A&I Benefit Plan Administrators, Inc. Ice Cream Parlor General Sheet Metal Longest Putt Howard S. Wright Constructors Lunch Milwaukee Tool Monday Cocktail/Tuesday Breakfast The Union Contractors of Associated General Contractors Pin Flags Skanska Bakery Hoffman Construction Putting Green Harder Mechanical Contractors Beverage Cart Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 290 Scoreboard SMACNA Dinner/Auction William C. Earhart Company, Inc Scorecard The Standard Driving Range Snyder Building more Tee Markers Charter Mechanical Corporate Sponsors Regence BCBSO Columbia Hydronics Company Umpqua Bank Lindquist LLP PermaCold Engineering Inc. Quest Investment Management JE Dunn Construction Apollo Sheet Metal Cigna Taft Hartley Clifton Larson Allen LLP Columbia Pacific Building Trades Manor Management Services Perlo Construction Spectra Contract Flooring Specht Development Performance Contracting Inc. Streimer Sheet Metal Operating Engineers Local 701 McMorgan & Company Maxor National Pharmacy Services Gold Sponsors VSP JH Kelly, LLC Fortis Construction Inc. Grosvenor Capital Management Ullico ATG Invesco Platt Electric Silver Sponsors Sheet Metal Workers Local 16 Providence Health Plan The Segal Company/Segal Advisors Washington Capital Management RVK Mass Mutual Miller Kaplan Arase LLP Acme Construction Supply WEDGE Capital Management Morley Financial Portland General Electric Jordan Cove Energy New England Pension Consultants (NEPC) AQR Capital Management, LLC Bronze Sponsors TCM Innovative Care Management NuWest Insurance Global Care Wheel to Walk Foundation Charities received $300,000 from this year’s B.U.L.L. Session (Business, Union and Labor Leaders), making the 25 year total over $5.5 million. For information on the 2016 B.U.L.L. Session Invitational Charity Events, contact Ed Ellis at 503-970-5136
