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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 2016)
SERVING ORGANIZED LABOR IN OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON SINCE 1900 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS VOLUME 117, NUMBER 16 IN THIS ISSUE WAKING UP TO BIAS At a seminar. | Page 26 LOCAL LABOR MOVEMENT AT A GLANCE See how union locals stack up by the numbers . | Page 23 Washington Primary Results p.3 Meeting Notices p.15 PORTLAND, OREGON AUGUST 19, 2016 A DAY FOR PICNICS Every year on Labor Day, union members come together to celebrate family and community. Here are this year’s events. PORTLAND — The region’s largest Labor Day picnic takes place at Oaks Amusement Park in Southeast Portland, sponsored by the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, AFL-CIO. FOOD-DRINK-FUN Members and their families from dozens Deluxe ride bracelets $10 Food/drink scrip 50¢ of unions – up to Burger + chips 3 scrip 20,000 people – turn Hot dog + chips 2 scrip out for barbecue, Chili 1 scrip games, carnival rides, Beer 4 scrip raffle drawings, Pop 2 scrip music, and a chance Water 1 scrip to hear from local politicians. The picnic runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Politicians take the stage at 1 p.m. See Page 5 for details of the blood drive challenge, kids scavenger hunt, and free scrip for out-of-work union members. For more information, call the Northwest Oregon Labor Council at 503-235-9444. Best way to get there: Parking can be scarce in and around Oaks Park on Labor Day, the park’s busiest day of the year. But there’s plenty of parking five miles LABOR DAY Monday, September 5 north at OMSI, the McLoughlin Overpass, McCoy Millwork, and the Portland Opera. The Oregon Pacific Railroad shuttles between OMSI and Oaks Park from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. — $5 round trip for adults, free for kids 12 and under. The train boards at Southeast 4th and Caruthers. ASHLAND — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Emigrant Lake, Picnic Shelter D, 5505 Highway 66, Ashland. Lunch will be served at noon. Sponsored by the Southern Oregon Central Labor Chapter. BEND — 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Pioneer Park, NW Wall St., Bend. There will be food, drinks, and music. Please Union-busting bakery accused of wage theft in class-action lawsuit Portland Specialty Bakery, which bakes for Starbucks and Franz, is accused of wage and hour and sick leave violations. By Don McIntosh Six months after the lopsided de- feat of a union campaign at Port- land Specialty Baking, a group of workers there have filed a lawsuit accusing the company of violating Oregon wage and hour and sick leave laws. Working with the non-profit Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, attorneys Corinna Spencer-Scheurich, Michael Dale, and Phil Goldsmith filed the suit Aug. 8 in Multnomah County Circuit Court on behalf of seven workers at Portland Specialty Baking. The company operates an industrial bakery in Gresham, where about 175 workers — overwhelmingly im- migrants and refugees — make bring dessert; everything else is provided. Bring your family! Invite your friends! Sponsored by the Central Oregon Central Labor Chapter. COWLITZ-WAHKIAKUM COUNTIES — Toutle River RV Resort, 150 Happy Trails, Castle Rock, Washington, Exit 52 off I-5. Grilling hamburgers and hot dogs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring your favorite side dish to share. There will be music, swimming, kids’ games, a bouncy house, a giant croquet tournament, and more. Please bring a school supply or two to donate to the local school district. EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD — Willamalane Park Shelters, 6100 Thurston Road, Springfield (behind splash pool). Starts at noon. Please bring a side dish to share. Sponsored by the Lane County Central Labor Chapter. NORTH BEND/COOS BAY — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ferry Road Park, North Bend. Music, games and fun for the whole family. Please bring a donation of non- perishable food items. Sponsored by the Southwestern Oregon Central Labor Chapter. SALEM — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Waterfront Park. A barbecue, side dishes and soft drinks will be provided from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost: two non- perishable food items per person, or $2 per person for the Marion/Polk Food Bank. Sponsored by Marion- Polk-Yamhill Central Labor Chapter. Upcoming ballot measures In the last month, the signatures were counted and the ballot initiatives certified. Here’s what Oregon and Washington voters get to decide in the Nov. 8 general election. OREGON Measure 97 - Solve Oregon’s revenue problem by raising taxes on the biggest corporations Establishes a 2.5 percent tax on the Oregon sales of C- corporations that exceed $25 million.The projected $3 billion a year raised would fund education, healthcare, and senior services. Measure 98 - Expand career and technical education Requires state funding for dropout prevention and career and college readiness programs in high schools. Measure 99 - Outdoor School for All Creates “Outdoor School Education Fund,” continuously funded through Lottery, to provide outdoor school programs statewide. Measure 100 - Save endangered animals Prohibits purchase or sale of parts or products from 12 endangered wildlife species. WASHINGTON Current and former workers at Portland Specialty Baking — with attorneys and supporters — announce a class action wage theft lawsuit Aug. 8 pretzels, cakes, donuts, bagels, and muffins for Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Walmart, Costco and Winco for wages of around $10 an hour. According to the lawsuit, the company has systematically failed to pay workers the proper overtime wages. The suit says Portland Specialty Baking is vi- olating an Oregon law which says that workers in manufactur- ing establishments must be paid overtime for hours worked more than 10 in a day, and that they may not work more than 13 hours a day. In part, the case hinges on a Turn to Page 11 Initiative 732 - Carbon emission tax Imposes a tax on fossil fuels of $25 per metric ton of carbon dioxide – and reduces state sales tax by 1 percentage point, eliminates taxes on manufacturers, and provides a $1,500 a year tax credit for working families. Initiative 735 - Restoring “We the People” Calls for a federal constitutional amendment that limits constitutional rights to people, not corporations. Initiative 1433 - Raise Up Washington Increases the state minimum wage to $13.50 by 2020, and provides up to seven days of paid sick and safe leave per year. Initiative 1491 - Gun responsibility Allows court orders to temporarily remove access to firearms for dangerous and mentally ill individuals. Initiative 1501 - Protect the Vulnerable Increases penalties for identity-theft and senior fraud, exempts info about in-home caregivers from public disclosure. Initiative 1464 - Public campaign finance Lets residents direct state funds to candidates, restricts former public employee lobbying, ends non-resident sales-tax exemption.
