NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | November 18, 2016 | PAGE 5
... Labor reactions to Trump’s election
From Page 1
“More than anything, this elec-
tion is an indictment of politics
as usual. For too long, the politi-
cal elites have embraced eco-
nomic policies that hold down
wages, increase inequality, di-
minish opportunity, and ship
American jobs overseas. Voters
in both the primary and general
election have delivered a clear
message: Enough.”
There are things that organ-
ized labor and Trump agree on,
like NAFTA. Trump has called it
the “worst trade deal in history.”
As president, Trump will have
the authority to withdraw the
United States from NAFTA – af-
ter giving six months notice. But
he has said he would only with-
draw if he can’t renegotiate the
terms of the agreement to get a
better deal.
“The President-elect made
promises in this campaign—on
trade, on restoring manufactur-
ing, on reviving our communi-
ties,” Trumka said. “We will
work to make many of those
promises a reality. If he is willing
to work with us, consistent with
our values, we are ready to work
with him. But make no mistake,
we can never back down from
our values. The presence of
racism, misogyny, and anti-im-
migrant appeals caused damage
in this campaign and we must all
“It’s 30 years of getting
screwed by both parties,
Democrats and Republi-
cans. They were willing
to take a chance on
anything.”
— North America’s Building
Trades President
Sean McGarvey
try to repair it with inclusion, de-
cency and honesty.”
Trump won’t be sworn in until
Jan. 20, but his election has al-
ready had an impact on trade pol-
icy. Earlier this year, President
Obama and the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce had hopes of ratify-
ing the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP) during a lame-duck post-
election session of Congress.
Now, Republican leaders of the
House and Senate say they won’t
hold such a vote. There’s more:
Obama had also conducted se-
cret negotiations with the Euro-
pean Union on a trade deal called
Transatlantic Trade and Invest-
ment Partnership (TTIP) that he
saw as a companion to the TPP.
After the election, the EU trade
minister admitted the talks are
likely moot for now.
It’s hard to know yet what a
Trump presidency will mean,
because his campaign pledges
so often lacked detail or consis-
tency. He said both that he was
for and against a minimum
wage increase. He called for tax
cuts, particularly on investment
income, but never published a
detailed plan. He’s also said he
supports right-to-work, and the
Republican Party platform calls
for a national right-to-work law.
But since the election, he ap-
pears to have backpedaled on
some of his pledges: His Mexi-
can border wall now might be in
part a Mexican border fence
(which already exists.) And he
now says he’d keep some popu-
lar parts of Obamacare.
“The fundamental duty of
America’s president, symbol-
ized by swearing to uphold our
Constitution, is to protect and
preserve our democracy and the
institutions that make it real,”
Trumka said. “We hope to work
with President Elect Trump to
help him carry out this solemn
responsibility.”
THOMAS, COON,
NEWTON & FROST
THOMAS, COON,
NEWTON & FROST
PEOPLE
Merkley hires new labor liaison, field rep
Dan Mahr has been hired as a Portland. The American Dream.”
field staff representative and la-
Working America had created
bor liaison for Oregon
a full time position in
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley.
Portland, and in 2009
He succeeds Ed Hall, a
Mahr was hired as the
retired firefighter who
Western Regional Di-
stepped down in May
rector, covering Ore-
after serving seven
gon, New Mexico, and
years in that position.
Colorado.
Mahr, 36, was intro-
In 2013, Mahr was
duced to the labor
hired as the enrollment
movement in 2005
director for the Oregon
Dan Mahr
when he took a job as
State Council of the
national field rep for Working Service Employees Interna-
America, a community affiliate tional Union. In that position he
of the AFL-CIO that reaches out helped build a program to enroll
to people who don’t have a individuals into health care
union at work, but share the plans through Oregon’s health
same economic principles that care exchange, Cover Oregon.
unions stand for. Working And even though the state’s ex-
America has enlisted 3 million change website never func-
people nationwide.
tioned, 10,000 people were able
After opening offices in New to enroll in health care plans.
Mexico, Virginia, and Ken-
Mahr served as campaign
tucky, Mahr was assigned to manager for the 2014 Ballot
Portland in 2008 to work on the Measure 91, which legalized
No on 64 campaign. Measure marijuana in Oregon. He also
64 was Bill Sizemore’s attempt managed the 2013 Portland Chil-
to limit the ability of unionized dren’s Levy renewal campaign.
public employees from partici-
A native of rural Iowa, Mahr
pating financially in politics. graduated from the University
The measure failed.
of Iowa with a degree in politi-
In that same election, Merkley cal science.
defeated incumbent U.S. Sen.
As labor liaison, Mahr will be
Gordon Smith, and Barack Merkley’s point person commu-
Obama was elected president.
nicating with organized labor.
“I loved it here (Oregon), so I He also will serve as Merkley’s
decided to stay,” Mahr told the field rep in Clackamas County.
Labor Press. “I loaded all my
Mahr can be reached at 503-
stuff in the back of a truck and 326-3386 or at Dan_Mahr@
moved from Philadelphia to merkley.senate.gov .
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Labor’s Community Service Agency puts
out call for holiday party donations
Labor’s Community Service
Agency (LCSA) and the North-
west Oregon Labor Council
(NOLC) are accepting donations
of toys and cash for the 20th an-
nual Presents from Partners Holi-
day Toy Party now through Dec.
13. The event—for families of un-
employed union members and
those facing temporary hard-
ships—will be held in mid-De-
cember. Entrance is by ticket only.
Members must be referred by
their union local. Referral forms
will be sent to unions and must be
returned to LCSA by Dec. 13. Un-
wrapped toys for kids up to 18
years of age can be dropped off at
the following locations:
IBEW Federal Credit Union, Northwest
Oregon Labor Council (Suite 305), or LCSA
(Suite 211). All are located in the same build-
ing at 9955 SE Washington St., Portland.
Oregon AFL-CIO, 3645 SE 32nd Ave., Portland.
OPEIU Local 11, 3815 Columbia St., Vancouver.
AFT-Oregon, 10228 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland.
Portland Federation of School Profes-
sionals Local 111, 1110 SE Alder, Suite
205, Portland.
Laborers Local 483, 1125 SE Madison, Suite
206, Portland.
Painters District Council No. 5, 11105 NE
Sandy Blvd., Suite A, Portland.
Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health
Professionals Local 5017, 1500 NE Irv-
ing, Suite 575, Portland.
IBEW Local 48, 15937 NE Airport Way, Port-
land.
Sunrise Dental Beaverton, 14425 SW Allen
Blvd.
Sunrise Dental Gresham, 13908 SE Stark,
Space B.
Sunrise Dental Hillsboro, 627 SE Baseline,
Suite C.
Cash donations can be sent to
LCSA, 9955 SE Washington,
#211, Portland, Ore., 97216.