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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2018)
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | WASHINGTON BUILDING COMMUNITY WSLC backs Carolyn Long in race against Herrera Beutler Local 16 apprentices Jose Honesto and Paul Stirneman (right) were first-time SMART Army volunteers. Local 16’s SMART Army helps clean up Vietnam Memorial A week before Memorial Day, members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16’s “SMART Army” volun- teered to spruce up the grounds at the Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Portland’s Washing- ton Park. Fourteen journeymen and apprentices spent the morning of May 19 weeding, bark dust- ing, and doing general cleanup on the grounds. Dozens of other volunteers from various organiza- tion also took part. The memorial consists of a 1,200-foot spiral path within a landscaped bowl containing lawns, flowers, and low hedges, sur- rounded by a mixture of tall trees. Along the path are monuments which list Oregon soldiers killed or missing in the conflict. Each monument is year- specific and contains short expositions on the his- tory of the war. Local 16 volunteers (from left) Paul Stirneman, Logan Doke, Dan Wilbert, Joseph Harris, Dante Gardner, Casey O’Bryan, Fred Sharrill, Bob Riehl, Michael Avery, Stephen Serniotti, Steve McClatchey, Chandler Lael, Darrell Doke, and Jose Honesto. Raymond Thomas Cynthia Newton Melissa Haggerty James Coon Chris Frost Sydney Montanaro If you are hurt on a construction site and another contractor had control over the work that injured you, you may be able to sue that company for your injuries in addition to making your workers’ com- pensation claim. 820 SW Second Ave., Suite 200, Portland, OR 97204 Scott Sell Chris Thomas June 1, 2018 | PAGE 3 www.tcnf.legal Beutler, a Republi- can. Delegates voted to actively oppose Beutler. Delegates rep- resenting unions from across Wash- ington that are affiliated with the Washing- ton State Labor Council, AFL-CIO voted May 19 on early election endorse- ments at the state labor federa- tion’s 2018 COPE (Committee on Political Education) Con- vention at the Machinists 751 Hall in Seattle. Washington uses a top-two primary in which all candi- dates face off, and all voters may vote for any candidate. The two candidates receiving the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the general election. The pri- mary election is Aug. 7. Maria Cantwell was endorsed for re-election to the U.S. Sen- ate. The Democrat from Ed- monds, Wash., is seeking a fourth term. WSLC also endorsed new- comer Carolyn Long to the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat counties in South- west Washington. Long is run- ning against Jaime Herrera Additional endorsement ac- tion will be taken at the WSLC’s 2018 Constitutional Convention July 17-19 in We- natchee. Supreme Court sides with corporations on arbitration 5-4 majority, all of whom were Republican appointees. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled May 21 that companies can re- quire workers to individually arbitrate their wage disputes — and prevent them from tak- ing part in class action law- suits. The case stems from agreements many workers are required to sign, as a condition of employment, that they’ll ar- bitrate any disputes. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in a dis- senting opinion, called them “arm-twisted, take-it-or-leave- it contracts.” The National La- bor Relations Board, siding with workers, had ruled that such company-imposed terms forbidding collective legal ac- tion over unpaid wages run afoul of the National Labor Relations Act, which protects employees’ right to engage in “concerted activities” for the purpose of “mutual aid and protection.” The Supreme Court’s ruling overturns that. Trump appointee Neil Gor- such wrote the opinion for the Other statewide election endorse- ments: STATE SUPREME COURT Position 2 Susan Owens Position 8 Steve Gonzalez Position 9 Sheryl Gordon McCloud HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LD 17 Position 1 Tanisha Harris LD 17 Position 2 Damion Jiles LD 18 Position 2 Kathy Gillepie LD 49 Position 1 Sharon Wiley LD 49 Position 2 Monica Stonier BALLOT MEASURES Initiative 1608 OPPOSE Makes collective bargaining negotiations public meetings. Initiatives 1644 and 981 SUPPORT Repeals I-200, which prohib- ited affirmative action policies with regards to race and gender by state and local government. A union ironworker falls eight stories – and lives On April 30, union ironworker Jesse Ely fell eight stories from a high rise under construction for Amazon in downtown Seattle. Thanks to a safety net set up to catch tools, he sur- vived the fall. But the net was rated for 300 pounds of debris, not a human; Ely was badly in- jured, dislocating an arm and a leg and severing arteries in both. A successful surgery re- paired both arteries. He also faces knee surgery and has a broken jaw. Ely is a journey- man ironworker with more than 10 years’ experience at Iron Workers Local 86, and has a wife and two children. He and his family are facing extraordinary medical bills. Local 86 is raising funds to help through its credit union. Donations can be made at ironworkersfcu.org/memorial.
