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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2018)
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | Northwest Oregon Labor Council adds more primary endorsements Delegates to the Northwest Oregon Labor Council (NOLC) added more political endorsements for the May 15 primary election. NOLC has jurisdiction in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Columbia counties. At its monthly meeting March 26 the labor council endorsed Susheela Jayapal for Multnomah County Commis- sioner, District 2, and Jennifer McGuirk for Multnomah County auditor. Jayapal is running against three other candidates for the seat being vacated by Loretta Smith. Smith, who is term limited, is seeking a seat on the Portland NOLC has so far endorsed: City of Portland Nick Fish, City Council, Pos. 2 Loretta Smith, City Council, Pos. 3 Metro Lynn Peterson, President Shirley Craddick, Councilor, Dist. 1 Christine Lewis, Councilor, Dist. 2 Multnomah County Deborah Kafoury, County Chair Susheela Jayapal, Commissioner Mike Reese, Sheriff Jennifer McGuirk, Auditor City Council. Her campaign was endorsed by NOLC ear- lier this year. McGuirk, senior performance auditor at Mult- nomah County, faces two op- ponents in her bid to succeed auditor Steve March, who is not seeking re-election. Both County seats are nonpartisan. In nonpartisan races with more than two candidates, if no one wins a majority, the top two finishers advance to the November general elec- tion. Ballots for the May 15 pri- mary will be mailed April 25. The last day to register as a new voter or to change party affiliation is April 24. Clackamas County Paul Savas, Commissioner, Pos. 2 Sonya Fischer, Commissioner, Pos. 5 Pamela Clark, County Clerk Ann Lininger, Judge Washington County Kathryn Harrington, County Chair Greg Malinowski, Commissioner, Dist. 2 Kimberly Culbertson, Commissioner, Dist. 4 Columbia County Henry Heimuller, Commissioner, Pos. 2 April 6, 2018 | PAGE 5 PEOPLE Unger named to top post at SEIU Local 503 Oregon’s largest union has a gon House Democrats in 2011, new top officer. Melissa and then directed SEIU’s Ore- Unger, 38, was sworn in gon State Council before be- March 10 as executive director coming Local 503 political di- of Service Employees Interna- rector in June 2014. tional Union (SEIU) Local 503 is one Local 503. She’ll of Oregon’s most oversee 140 union politically active staff serving more unions, and has been than 58,000 union a major force behind members — state and ballot measure cam- local government paigns in recent workers, and non- decades. Unger is profit and home care also the sister of for- workers. mer state representa- Unger was serving Melissa Unger tive Ben Unger, who as Local 503’s political direc- now leads Our Oregon, a tor. She succeeds Brian Rudi- union-backed group that fights ger, who announced his resig- for economic and social justice nation in November. Unger via ballot measure campaigns. was appointed by the local’s At Local 503, Melissa executive board to serve the re- Unger led a 2011 effort to so- minder of Rudiger's elected licit ideas from state workers term of office, which runs about how to save taxpayer through September. dollars and make government A native Oregonian, Unger more efficient. That resulted in grew up on a wheat and clover several pieces of legislation, farm in western Washington including a law setting goals County. After attending the for the minimum number of University of Oregon, she led workers per manager at state the Oregon Student Associa- agencies. tion for five years. She went to In 2013, Unger helped set work for Local 503 in 2007 as up the Oregon Homecare a political organizer, left for a Worker Supplemental and six-month stint with the Ore- Benefits Trusts. The Trusts now provide paid time off, dental, vision, and supplemen- tal health benefits to over 20,000 home care workers. Unger comes into leader- ship at a critical moment for Local 503 and public sector unions in general, with the U.S. Supreme Court about to decide whether to prohibit mandatory union fees for all public sector unions nation- wide. A decision in the Janus v AFSCME case is expected by the end of June, and it’s con- sidered likely that a 5-4 major- ity will side with the anti-union National Right to Work Legal Foundation. But Unger says Local 503 has experience get- ting ready for an “open shop” workplace with voluntary dues, because its home care worker members have oper- ated in that environment since a 2014 Supreme Court deci- sion in a cased called Harris v Quinn. “We’ve learned that the thing you’ve got to do to make sure people want to be mem- bers is talk with them and have one-on-one conversations,” Unger told the Labor Press. Glazier Apprenticeship Accepting Applications The Oregon & SW Washington Glaziers, Architectural Metal & Glass Workers Joint Apprenticeship & Journeyman Training Program will be open to accept applications to create a pool of eligible applicants. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Must apply in person and furnish a copy of a high school diploma and grade transcript or GED and test scores at time of application. Applications will be taken Jill Alcantar 360.787.6975 12/31/18 May 14 through May 25, 2018 Monday through Friday, 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Glaziers Training Center Mt. Hood Community College Room GE 108 26000 SE Stark St., Gresham, Oregon 2018 Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Veterans’ GI Benefits may apply
