NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | May 6, 2016 | PAGE 3
...Instafab hearing on job site safety erupts in shouting match
From Page 1
part of its Worker Rights Board
project. The way the Workers
Rights Board works, a panel of
prominent citizens — typically
labor-friendly elected officials,
academics and faith leaders —
hears from workers about an is-
sue, and then deliberates and is-
sues a written statement. It’s not
a trial but a public forum for
workers to air grievances, and
for members of the community
to help resolve their dispute.
Targets of the testimony
haven’t shown up in the past.
But Instafab owner Bruce
Perkins has actively debated
strikers in the media and even in
the online comment section of
the Northwest Labor Press —
all while refusing to meet them
in person to discuss their griev-
ances. Ironically, Perkins
backed out of a private meeting
with strikers last July because
Portland Jobs with Justice exec-
utive director Diana Pei Wu was
going to be in attendance —
only to meet her and strikers
April 28 in front of a panel that
included Oregon House Speaker
Tina Kotek.
“For the last 14 months I’ve
put up with gross misrepresen-
tation of what my company is,”
Instafab owner Bruce Perkins
said, addressing Kotek and the
strikers. “We’ve been maligned.
We’ve been insulted.… You
guys have an agenda that
doesn’t include my company.”
Wu and other organizers of
the event thanked Perkins for at-
tending, but also said he would
need to limit his time at the
mike.
At that point, Instafab general
manager Will Filbeck started
yelling “this is a joke,” and led
a group of workers to walk out
of the packed hall.
Moderator Zev Nicholson, an
organizer with the Urban
League of Portland, explained
that the hearing was a chance for
strikers to tell their stories.
And they had plenty of sto-
ries. As many as a dozen former
workers spoke up, telling of
dangerously inadequate safety
training, falsified drug test
cards, and long work hours lead-
ing to sleep deprivation that af-
fected safety on the job. Striker
Mike James said he came close
“I think meeting with them and giving
them a second chance is something you
need to consider.”
— Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek
to being injured when a forklift
driven by a coworker ripped
steel off a building and just
missed his hand. He also said
Instafab never checked his cer-
tifications when they hired him,
and that he was shown a safety
video from Australia that spoke
in terms of kilograms and other
unfamiliar measurements.
Most of the testimony was
about safety, but workers also
described flagrantly disrespect-
ful treatment by management —
like being called “dumbass” on
a regular basis. Striker Laramie
Lexow said the breaking point
for him personally was when he
witnessed a manager verbally
abuse a coworker in front of oth-
ers, causing the worker to break
down in tears on the shop floor.
After the strikers, Perkins was
given another chance to speak.
He said Instafab is a growing
company with a good reputa-
tion, a clean safety record, and a
by-the-book safety program.
“I see a lot of people testify in
my line of work,” Kotek replied,
addressing Perkins. “What I’m
hearing is some really authentic
testimony about trying to make
a workplace safer. And I hear
what you’re saying, but there’s
a real disconnect. I think meet-
ing with them and giving them
a second chance is something
you need to consider.”
Kotek referred to a news
story about safety violations at
Instafab. On March 18, the
Washington State Department
of Labor and Industries cited the
company for 17 safety viola-
tions at its Vancouver fabrica-
tion plant and fined the com-
pany $30,400 for the 10 most
serious violations, including
lack of effective training on haz-
ardous chemicals, lack of eye-
wash facilities, and unsafe prac-
tices around flammable vapors.
“Those are some pretty seri-
ous allegations,” Kotek said. “I
don’t think those seem made
up.”
In the end, the panel returned
with a statement recommending
that Instafab management sit
down with striking workers and
communicate. It will also send
letters to Instafab customers in-
cluding Anderson Construction
and Skanska — asking them to
stop working with Instafab be-
cause of inadequate safety con-
ditions.
— Don McIntosh
WHAT’S NEXT FOR INSTAFAB
The National Labor Relations Board
says Instafab broke federal labor law
when it fired the first batch of strikers.
A hearing before a federal judge is
scheduled for Aug. 30.
Building Trades support Wheeler
in crowded Portland mayoral race
The Columbia Pacific Building
Trades Council (CPBCTC) is
backing state treasurer Ted
Wheeler for mayor of Port-
land. Wheeler is vying for the
open seat against 14 other can-
didates. He must win 50 percent
plus one of the vote in the May
primary to avoid a run-off in
November.
The construction union coun-
cil, which covers Multnomah,
Washington, Clackamas, Co-
lumbia counties, and parts of
Hood, Wasco, Yamhill and Clat-
sop counties, made the follow-
ing primary endorsements:
• Steve Novick for re-election to
the Portland City Council.
• Jessica Vega Peterson and
Amanda Schroeder in their re-
spective races for Multnomah
County Commission.
• A dual endorsement for Jim
Bernard and Paul Savas, run-
ning for Clackamas County
Chair. Both are incumbent
county commissioners trying to
unseat chair John Ludlow.
Bernard and Savas will retain
their seats on the County Com-
mission if they lose.
• Re-election of Martha Schrader
to Clackamas County Board.
• Craig Dirksen for Metro coun-
cilor, Position 3.
• Re-election of Dick Schouten
and Roy Rogers to the Wash-
ington County Board of Com-
missioners.
• Mt. Hood Community College
Bond Measure 26-170.
• Centennial School District Bond
Measure 26-175.
• Milwaukie Library general obli-
gation bond Measure 3-477.
Oregon Building
Trades endorsements
Following is a list of primary
endorsements made by the Ore-
gon Building Trades Council:
SECRETARY OF STATE
Val Hoyle; Brad Avakian;
Richard Devlin
Senate District 21
Kathleen Taylor
House District 14
Julie Fahey; James Manning
House District 26
Ray Lister
House District 40
Mark Meek
House District 43
Tawna Sanchez,
Roberta Philips-Robins