PAGE 2 |
August 4, 2017 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
NORTHWEST
LABOR
PRESS
(International Standard Serial Number 0894-444X)
Established in 1900 in Portland, Oregon as a voice of the la-
bor movement. Published on a semi-monthly basis on the
first and third Fridays of each month by the Oregon Labor
Press Publishing Co. Inc., a non-profit mutual benefit corpo-
ration owned by 20 unions and councils including the Ore-
gon AFL-CIO. Serving more than 120 union organizations in
Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Office location:
4275 NE Halsey St., Portland, Oregon
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 13150, Portland, OR 97213
Phone: (503) 288-3311
Web address:
http://nwlaborpress.org
Editor & Manager: Michael Gutwig
Associate editor: Don McIntosh
Office manager: Cheri Rice
Printed on recycled paper, using soy-based
inks, by members of Teamsters Local 747-M.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Individual subscriptions are
$14 a year for union members, $22 a year for
all others. Pay by credit card online at
nwlaborpress.org/subscribe, or send a check
to our mailing address (above) along with
your name, address and union affiliation, if
any. Group rates of $10.08 a year per person
are available for 25 or more subscriptions; call
503-288-3311 for details.
CORRECTIONS: See an error? Please let us
know at editor@nwlaborpress.org or by
phone at 503-288-3311.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID
AT PORTLAND, OREGON.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS: If you move, let us
know at nwlaborpress.org/subscriber-services
or by mail at our mailing address (above). Be
sure to provide your old and new addresses
and the name/number of your local union.
Please allow three weeks for the change to
take effect.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
P.O. BOX 13150
PORTLAND, OR 97213-0150
140
Paula
Tentative City of Portland agreement delivers
sizable raises for members of Laborers Local 483
By Don McIntosh
Laborers Local 483 has reached
tentative agreement with the
City of Portland on a pair of
contracts that will raise wages
for over 1,000 city workers. One
contract covers about 600 labor-
ers at city bureaus that maintain
roads and sewers. The other
covers a seasonally fluctuating
workforce of 400 to 700 work-
ers at city recreation centers, in-
cluding several hundred newly
unionized workers.
City laborers win longevity,
shift differential, other raises
The city laborers agreement
would raise wages in multiple
ways:
▪ All members get annual cost-of-living
increases based on the consumer price
index, with a minimum of 1 percent and a
max of 5 percent.
▪ Workers who’ve been at the City more
than 10 years get a 2 percent longevity
raise.
▪ Members working swing or graveyard
shift get increased “shift differential” pay
for the first time in 20 years: Swing shift
will now pay a $1.50-an-hour premium
(up from $0.84), and graveyard shift will
izes members if they don’t
schedule one medical checkup
every two years; members who
fail to do so would pay 10 per-
cent of health care costs, com-
pared to 5 percent currently.
Rec center pay will top $15
Under the recreation center con-
tract, starting wages will rise to
$15 and more, and shift differ-
entials will match the city la-
borer group. The contract also
provides cost-of-living raises,
plus raises of 3 or 5 percent on
top of that for several classifica-
tions. Those who work at least
30 hours a week on average for
six months will get employer-
provided health insurance. Em-
Members of Laborers Local 483 turn out at Terry Schrunk Plaza at a May 25
ployees will also get “just
rally for a fair contract at the City of Portland.
cause” discipline and grievance
day off, but “essential” workers, rights after 3,120 hours and
pay a $2-an-hour premium (up from
such as those who operate snow three years of work.
$1.16). Those premiums will rise with
plows, haven’t. The new con-
inflation from now on.
▪ Workers in 12 classifications get one-time tract would give them a paid day
Members are voting on both
off, to be taken later.
increases ranging from 1.5 to 10 percent
agreements by mail, with ballots
Local 483 did make several due Aug. 7. The union bargain-
— to bring them more in line with their
concessions, including an end to ing team is recommending rati-
counterparts at comparable cities.
Up to now, when the city a requirement that the City hire fication. If approved, the con-
closes for extreme weather, first from among existing em- tracts will run four years,
“non-essential” workers like of- ployees when hiring for new po- through June 30, 2021.
fice workers have gotten a paid sitions. The contract also penal-