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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2016)
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | May 6, 2016 | PAGE 11 ...Portland 10-cent gas tax measure gets some labor support From Page 9 tive Secretary John Mohlis says law- makers will try again next year. “At the end of the day, if the roads are crumbling and your car is getting torn up, or kids can’t safely walk down the street or cross the street, you have to suck it up,” said Bob Tackett, executive secretary-treasurer of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council (NOLC). “It’s got to be paid for. It’s not going to magically hap- pen.” If passed by voters in May, the new gas tax could not be imple- mented until September 2016, and would expire in four years. Besides NOLC, the Portland gas tax ballot measure is backed by Port- land Fire Fighters Association, Pro- fessional & Technical Employees Local 17 (formerly COPPEA), AF- SCME Local 189, Portland Associa- tion of Teachers, and all five mem- bers of Portland City Council. Ironically, the union that would be most directly affected is staying neu- tral. Laborers Local 483 represents PBOT workers who do the work of repaving and filling potholes. The union’s political action committee contributed $500 to the measure, but the union itself remained neutral. Lo- cal 483 Business Manager Wesley Bucholz said the measure does too little to solve the problem, and union members are still cooling off after years of conflict with city managers. ONE POTHOLE DOWN, AND 7,500 MORE TO GO At left, Steve Novick, the City Commissioner in charge of the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), helps a street maintenance crew fill a pot- hole at NW 12th and Everett April 19. Behind him (from left) are Jeff Peterson, Cory Long, Billy Spires, and Mark Bartholomew, members of Laborers Local 483 (and manager Suzanne Kahn directly behind). PBOT crews have filled over 7,500 potholes in the last year. Verizon gives striking CWA-IBEW members ‘last, best, and final’ offer Verizon has given 39,000 striking workers what the company says is its final offer on a new labor contract. Workers — mem- bers of Communications Workers of America and the Interna- tional Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, plus Washington, D.C. —struck on April 13 after 10 months of bargaining. The previous contract expired on Aug. 1, 2015. The highly profitable telecom is demanding cuts in health care insurance and the unlimited right to offshore call center jobs, and is offering only small raises over a five-year pact. “Verizon is becoming the poster child for everything people in this country are angry about,” said CWA District 2-13 Vice President Edward Mooney. “This very profitable company wants to push people down. And it wants to push communities down by not fully repairing the (wire) network and by not building out FiOS.” Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam was paid $18 million last year, more than 200 times the compensation of the average Verizon employee, the unions pointed out. The company’s top five exec- utives made $233 million over the last five years. And last year alone, Verizon paid out $13.5 billion in dividends and stock buy- backs to shareholders. “But they claim they can’t afford a fair contract,” Mooney said. IBEW’s Myles Calvey told Workers Independent News that Verizon barely moved from its hardline concessions position. CWA said it plans to spread picketing to Verizon wireless stores across the country. (Editor’s Note: Press Associates Inc. contributed to this report.) FREE CLASSIFIED ADS PLEASE NOTE: Classified ads will be discontinued after this issue Thanks for Helping Fix Our Streets! Northwest Oregon Labor Council, AFL - CIO Portland Association of Teachers {ŅųƋĬ±ĹÚ8ĜųåĀčĘƋåųŸeŸŸŅÏĜ±ƋĜŅĹØFe88XŅϱĬĉƐ Portland Police Association PTE Local 17, COPPEA Chapter AFSCME Local 189 2003 FIFtHWHEEL HItCH, reese 15k, good condition, $250. 503-544- 9340 sxs, 30” barrel. good shape, $300 or trade. 503-349-8180 ’90 suZukI 250 Quad 4wd, 2600 miles, Warn winch – snow plow, $1,995/ 541- 544-2030 HOUSING CLEvELAnd LH precision forged 588 black pearl wedges, 62, 56, 50 deg, demo clubs, $150. 503-522-6542 AUTOMOTIVE rOCkAWAY OCEAn FrOnt rental http://rockawaybeachrental.com; sleeps 13. Call 503-777-5076 3 BdrM, 1 ba, new tub, shower, newer roof, ext paint, $105,000/offer, 1015 Wil- low st., kelso, Wash. 360-577-5231 SPORTING GOODS ‘03 HArLEY dAvIdsOn softail springer, always garaged,clean,many extras, clear title. $10,000. 707-725- 3664 WInCHEstEr MOdEL 24,12 gauge WANTED OLd WOOdWOrkIng tools, planes, levels, chisels, handsaws, slicks, adzes, wrenches, folding rulers, axes, hatch- ets, 503-659-0009 CAsH PAId, old fishing tackle, wood plugs, reels, creels, salmon fishing pho- tos, etc. 503-775-4166 COLLECtOr PAYs cash for older toys, oil paintings, American art pottery, and costume jewelry. 503 703-5952 Low Prices! FixOurStreetsPortland.com #PATCHPDX 140 Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9:30-5:30, Sun 12-6
