Northwest labor press., April 07, 2017, Page 3, Image 3

NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
April 7, 2017 | PAGE 3
Oregon AFSCME executive Frontier Communications to close dispatch
center in Beaverton, laying off 57 workers
director Seville resigns
“Michael made a de-
cision based on the
needs of his family.
With that said, we are
extremely excited and
Michael Seville resigned
thankful to have some-
March 14 as executive
one as qualified and
director of Oregon AF-
skilled as Stacy Cham-
SCME Council 75 after
berlain stepping in as
less than a year on the
interim Executive Di-
job. He is returning to his Michael Seville rector, “the statement
hometown of San Fran-
read. “Our focus mov-
cisco, where he has been
ing forward is to con-
hired as executive direc-
tinue working hard on
tor of AFSCME Council
behalf of our members
57 in Oakland.
and working people
AFSCME Council
across Oregon.”
75’s Executive Commit-
Chamberlain has
tee appointed Associate
worked for Council 75
Director Stacy Chamber-
since 2005, first as a
lain as interim director
representative and later
until the full Executive
as collective bargain-
Board can appoint a per- Stacy Chamberlain ing director and associ-
manent one in July.
ate director. She is the
Council 75 hired Seville in daughter of Oregon AFL-CIO
April 2016 to replace longtime president Tom Chamberlain.
executive director Ken Allen,
Seville was the research di-
who retired at the end of July rector for the International Fed-
2016. Chamberlain was a finalist eration of Professional and
for the job.
Technical Engineers (IFPTE)
In an email statement to the Local 21 — a 10,000-member
NW Labor Press, Council 75 public-sector union representing
said its Executive Committee employees at the City and
will recommend to the full Ex- County of San Francisco and
ecutive Board in July that Cham- other local governments in the
berlain be hired as the new exec- Bay Area.
utive director.
Executive Committee
taps Stacy Chamberlain
as interim director
Dispatch center will close
April 11, impacting members
of IBEW Local 89
Frontier Communications Corp
is closing its dispatch center in
Beaverton, Oregon on April 11
and laying off 57 workers — all
members of IBEW Local 89.
The company, which pro-
vides internet, TV, and phone
service in the Portland metro
area will move those operations
to facilities in Ontario and Mon-
rovia, California. A Frontier
spokesperson told KGW-TV
there will be no service changes
for customers.
Frontier issued a WARN
(Worker Adjustment and Re-
training Notification) letter Feb.
10 that stated the company was
undergoing “a significant re-
structuring and reorganization
of its business across the U.S.”
As part of the restructuring,
Frontier is consolidating its dis-
patch centers. Since January the
company has laid off nearly
1,000 workers in 29 states and
closed call centers in Ohio and
New York.
In February, Frontier an-
nounced the permanent closure
of the Beaverton dispatch center.
“It was a total surprise,” said
THOMAS, COON,
NEWTON & FROST
Vick Leving, business rep for
IBEW Local 89, which repre-
sents about 1,000 Frontier em-
ployees in Oregon, Washington,
and Northern California.
Labor’s Community Service
Agency’s Rapid Response team
was called in to assist the im-
pacted workforce. Forty-four
union members attended a meet-
ing in early March to talk about
their options, and get help with
résumé building. Workers at the
Beaverton dispatch center earn
between $22 to $30 an hour,
with benefits, Leving said.
Frontier has not offered to re-
locate any of its employees to
other facilities. Seven soon-to-
be-laid-off workers have put in
to transfer to California, and the
international union is assisting
to find jobs at other locations.
Fortunately, all of the union
workers have a decent sever-
ance package under their collec-
tive bargaining agreements.
Four employees work under a
Buried Surface Wire national
contract. The remainder are un-
der the IBEW core contract.
The Beaverton closure an-
nouncement came just as IBEW
Local 89 was preparing to bar-
gain a new contract at Frontier.
“We are in negotiations as we
speak,” Leving said.
The current three-year con-
tract expires May 26. That agree-
ment took 14 months of bargain-
ing and was settled through
binding interest arbitration.
The first round of bargaining
on a new contract was held
March 30-31. Additional talks
will be held later this month.
NW Oregon Labor Council to
host recognition dinner May 20
The Northwest Oregon Labor
Council’s 20th annual Labor Ap-
preciation and Recognition Night
will be held Saturday, May 20, at
the IBEW Local 48, 15937 NE
Airport Way, Portland.
The dinner and awards cere-
mony serve as a fundraiser for La-
bor’s Community Service Agency.
This year is a Hawaii theme —
“Lei’d Back Luau.” Dinner tickets
are $25 per person. Raffle tickets
also will be sold. The labor coun-
cil is currently accepting cash and
prize donations for the raffle.
The labor council also is ac-
cepting nominations for persons to
be recognized for their service to
and with the labor community.
The top award is the The Del
Ricks Community Service Award,
recognizing one individual for
their exemplary service.
Nominations should be sent to:
Northwest Oregon Labor Council,
9955 SE Washington St., Suite
305, Portland, OR 97216. The
deadline is April 28.
For more information or to or-
der tickets, call 503-235-9444.
Low Prices!
THOMAS, COON,
NEWTON & FROST
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