NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
September 1, 2017 | PAGE 5
United Way/Labor guests in Port-
land for a conference Aug. 15-17
were treated to a walking tour,
where they heard about the city’s
rich labor history. One stop was at
United Way of the Columbia-
Willamette (left). United Way and La-
bor’s Community Services Agency
have worked in partnership for 42
years, making a positive impact for
Oregonians in need. Below left, Be
Marston of UNITE HERE provided a
history of the union and the
progress that Pride@Work has done
in the community with LGBTQ
rights. Holding the speaker is labor
historian Jim Cook, a retired Letter
Carrier who helped plan the tour.
(Photos courtesy of Carlos Carvalho,
CLC Labour Participation Depart-
ment, United Way of the Lower
Mainland, Burnaby, BC.)
Through the streets of downtown Portland
United Way’ers, labor partners from across the country enjoy ‘Labor Walk’
United Way-Labor Partnership
Conference attendees enjoyed a
“Labor Walk” through the streets
of downtown Portland Aug. 16.
The conference was held at the
Benson Hotel in Portland Aug.
15-17.
Nationally, the AFL-CIO and
United Way have worked to-
gether for the past 76 years. In
Portland, Labor’s Community
Service Agency and United Way
of the Columbia-Willamette
have worked together for the
past 42 years.
The annual Labor Partnership
Conference brings together labor
liaisons and leaders, and staff
and leadership from United Way
organizations across the country.
This year’s theme, “United We
All Win,” underscored the
power of community, and the
importance of continuing to fos-
ter the relationship between the
labor movement and United
Way. Oregon AFL-CIO Presi-
dent Tom Chamberlain partici-
pated in a special panel of labor
leaders and United Way leaders,
speaking about the importance
of the partnership and how the
work they do impacts our com-
munity.
United Way of the Columbia-
Willamette was the catalyst for
the Labor Walk. When Portland
popped up on the schedule for a
national conference, United Way
approached Labor’s Community
Services Agency. Executive Di-
rector Eryn Byram then reached
out to Jim Cook, who heads up
the Northwest Oregon Labor
Council’s Labor History Com-
mittee, and is a vice president of
the Pacific Northwest Labor
History Association. Cook
jumped on board immediately
to help make it happen.
So, on the evening of Aug. 16
a bunch of unionists and United
Way’ers marched 1.7 miles
through downtown Portland,
hearing about its labor history
from special guest speakers.
Laborers endorse Hoyle
The Oregon and Southern Idaho
District Council of Laborers, La-
borers Locals 737, and Laborers
Local 483 have endorsed Val
Hoyle for Oregon labor commis-
sioner in 2018. Incumbent Brad
Avakian is not seeking re-elec-
tion. Hoyle served for seven
years in the Oregon House,
where she compiled a strong la-
bor voting record. Her grandfa-
ther was a founder of the Labor-
ers Union local in New York.
CORRECTION:
The Northwest Labor Press in-
advertently placed the wrong
Labor Day ad for Sheet Metal
Workers Local 16 in the Aug.
18, 2017 edition. Here is the ad
that was supposed to run. The
Northwest Labor Press apolo-
gizes for the error.