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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2018)
PAGE 10 | February 2, 2018 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS POLITICS ... A union-backed challenger to Greg Walden From Page 1 no viable alternative,” Burnette told the Labor Press, “and he wasn’t coming home to hear what people had to say.… He wasn’t in touch with his con- stituents.” Burnette decided to run, and take early retirement from his job as executive director of Ore- gon Board of Maritime Pilots to be able to campaign full-time. Winning a race against Walden would seem to be a long shot. Oregon’s Second Congres- sional District hasn’t elected a Democrat since 1978. The dis- trict covers all of Oregon east of the Cascades, two-thirds of the state, and includes some of Ore- gon’s most Republican areas. Republicans hold a 36 percent to 27 percent voter registration edge over Democrats in the Sec- ond Congressional District, and 57 percent of the District’s vot- ers went for Trump last year, compared to only 39 percent statewide. More to the point, Walden has won election in the District 10 times in a row, garnering more than 70 percent of the vote against the last two Democratic challengers. How could a Democrat win in that landscape? “This election is different,” Burnette says. “The stakes are high and immediate.” Burnette says Walden’s con- stituents know he was willing to do them a disservice on health care, and now that hangs like an Northwest Oregon Labor Council backs Loretta Smith, Lynne Peterson, and incumbents in local races “He’s dedicated and committed, and he very much understands and cares about labor.” — Kevin Billman, UFCW Local 555 albatross around his neck. Moreover, Burnette points out, the District’s voters do vote for Democrats: Majorities in the District have voted for incum- bent U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, and he’s a Democrat. Burnette isn’t the only one to think Walden may be vulnerable. As many as seven other candi- dates are running in the May Democratic primary for the chance to run against Walden this November. Two years ago, there was only one: Attorney and for- mer oil executive Jim Crary ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, and lost to Walden by more than two to one. But Burnette says he wants to campaign differently than the District’s past Democratic can- didates. He thinks the Demo- cratic Party has pursued the wrong strategy in rural America — fielding candidates who are ‘Republican lite.’ “I think ‘red’ America’s al- ready got a Republican party,” Burnette said. “They like it. So if we want them to do some- thing different, we’re going to have to offer them something different.” It’s stances like that that make ■ Greg Malinowski for Washington County Commission. They also voted to endorse: ■ Lynn Peterson for Metro President Delegates to the Northwest Ore- ■ Kathryn Harrington for Washington County Chair gon Labor Council (NOLC) voted without debate ■ Pamela White for Jan. 22 to approve the Clackamas County Clerk Executive Board’s en- ■ Loretta Smith for Portland dorsement recommen- City Council dations for local races Not all votes were in the May 2018 pri- unanimous, and dele- mary. Endorsed candi- gates from several dates included incum- unions abstained from bents: endorsement votes be- ■ Nick Fish for Portland City cause their unions Loretta Smith Council haven’t yet deliberated on who to endorse. ■ Deborah Kafoury for a final term as NOLC, which covers Mult- Multnomah County chair nomah, Clackamas, Washing- ■ Paul Savas and Sonya Fischer for ton, and Columbia counties, will Clackamas County Commission vote on other local endorse- ■ Shirley Craddick for Metro Councilor ments at its Feb. 26 meeting. Burnette a good match for Ore- gon’s largest private sector labor union. United Food and Com- mercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 has pursued a political strat- egy that takes the fight to overtly anti-union Republican incum- bents even in districts where they’re considered safe. Because it represents grocery store work- ers, Local 555 has members all over the state. Local 555 is backing Bur- nette because he alone among the contenders calls for re- unionizing America’s workforce as a central part of his campaign. He also wants health care for all, more federal investment in rural areas, and policies to promote renewable energy and a sustain- able environment. As a third mate in the mer- chant marine from 1989 to 1994, Burnette was a member of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots union. After that career was brought to a close with what later proved to be a faulty diag- nosis of asthma, he worked for the Port of Portland as a water- way planner, responsible for making sure channels were dredged. AFSCME Local 88 makes endorsements in Multnomah County races Members of AFSCME Local 88 got a chance to ask questions of candidates for County and City races at their Jan. 17 meet- ing, and afterward, voted on en- dorsements. The local repre- sents about 3,400 employees of Multnomah County. Two first-time candidates got the local’s endorsement: ■ Jennifer McGuirk for Multnomah County Auditor (she’s in a crowded race to succeed Steve March, who’s term-limited) ■ Susheela Jayapal for Multnomah County District 2 (the seat is currently occupied by Loretta Smith, who is term- limited and seeking a position on Portland City Council.) Members also endorsed two incumbents up for re-election: “Eric is highly energized,” says Local 555 Legislative Di- rector Kevin Billman. “He’s dedicated and committed, and he very much understands and cares about labor.” Kallie Kurtz, Burnette’s cam- paign manager, thinks President Trump has made Walden vulner- able in a way he’s never been vulnerable before — creating di- vision among Republicans, while motivating a lot of non- Republicans to get active who’ve never been politically in- volved before. Kurtz, a school counselor and member of Service Employees International Union Local 503, ran Mark Reynolds’ 2016 state House campaign against Hood River incumbent Republican Mark Johnson. Reynolds lost by several thousand votes, but a year later, Johnson decided not to run again, instead leaving to head up the state’s business lobby. “For a long time these dis- tricts have been considered like there’s no chance, so [Democ- rats] aren’t even trying in them,” Kurtz says. “But as we’re run- ning real campaigns, and as unions like the UFCW are mo- bilizing and making infrastruc- ture available to run campaigns, you’re seeing a huge shift. There’s a lot more to be gained.” MORE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN More about why Eric Burnette is running at burnette4congress.org ■ Deb Kafoury for Multnomah County Chair ■ Mike Reese for Multnomah County sheriff Backed by Oregon labor, Measure 101 passes overwhelmingly Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 101 by a strong margin in a Jan. 23 special election, with over 60 percent of voters ratifying a package of taxes on hospitals and insurance compa- nies that was approved by the Legislature last year. Those rev- enues will attract federal Medi- caid matching funds to pay for the Oregon Health Plan. The taxes — 6 percent on hospital net revenue, and 1.5 percent on health insurance premiums — are forecast to raise $670 mil- GREG WALDEN’S LABOR RECORD Overall: In 20 years, he has voted in accord with AFL-CIO recommendations just 22 percent of the time. Prevailing wage: He’s not a total union foe: He voted against several attempts to repeal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements. He also voted against a measure to defund the NLRB. Last year he spoke at the Oregon State Building Trades convention. Free-trade: He wasn’t in Congress when NAFTA passed, but he voted for every NAFTA-style trade deal since taking office, including permanent normal trade with China, deals with Korea, Colombia, and Central America (CAFTA), and the “fast track” procedure that helps deals like this pass. Weakening labor: Last year he voted to undermine state-sponsored retirement savings plans like one that’s launching in Oregon. And last month he voted for a bill that exempts tribal casinos from the requirement to recognize unions. Affordable Care Act: He voted dozens of times to repeal Obamacare, and led a failed effort to replace it. lion in the next two years, main- taining access to health care for one out of four Oregonians, in- cluding children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-in- come individuals. The measure was endorsed by multiple labor organizations, including Oregon AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teach- ers-Oregon, Oregon AFSCME, IATSE Local 488, IBEW Local 48, Oregon Education Associa- tion, Oregon Federation of Nurses and Healthcare Profes- sionals, Oregon Nurses Associ- ation, Oregon School Employ- ees Association, Professional and Technical Employees Local 17, National Association of Let- ter Carriers Branch 82, Service Employees Locals 49 and 503; United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555.
