PAGE 16 | October 5, 2018 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Labor Roundtable pays
tribute to allies in
Southwest Washington
VANCOUVER — A record 310 union members, politicians, fam-
ily, and friends attended the 34th annual Labor Roundtable of
Southwest Washington awards banquet, held Sept. 28 at the Van-
couver Hilton Hotel and Convention Center. Awards were pre-
sented to individuals and organizations whose leadership has
made a significant impact on organized labor and the community
at large. Some two dozen teachers from Southwest Washington
who attended the banquet gave a standing ovation to the labor
community for its support in the teachers’ recent strikes, which
resulted in large raises for the educators. Keynote speakers were
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and state Attorney General Bob Fergu-
son.
Cantwell talked about a new federal policy she helped create
which gives financial priorities to cities and counties and states
that move freight; states like Washington, counties like Clark, and
cities like Vancouver. Since the policy change, Cantwell said
Washington has received some of its largest grants ever. She
called on the Port of Vancouver and the Southwest Washington
region to apply for freight dollars that can be invested in building
a new I-5 bridge, which “will pay dividends for growing a
stronger regional economy.”
Cantwell also guaranteed to not let the Trump Administration
sell the Bonneville Power Administration. “It’s not happening. We
are keeping our cheap hydro,” she said.
Ferguson talked about his agency’s victory to change unsafe
working conditions at the Hanford nuclear waste facility by filing
a lawsuit against the federal government. He also told of his success
in starting to eliminate “no poach” clauses in the fast food industry
with the mere threat of a lawsuit. A no poach clause is an agreement
amongst franchise owners (for example, a franchise owner of a Mc-
Donald’s restaurant) to never hire an employee from another Mc-
Donald’s restaurant.
“I do not care who I have to sue to make things right for workers
in this state,” he said. “But I’m going to do it, and we’re going to
win while we’re doing it.”
In closing, Ferguson said: “The way I look at it is, each worker
is entitled to every penny that they earn. They’re entitled to a good
living, fair wage. They’re entitled to a safe work environment.
They’re entitled to respect for the work that they do. They’re enti-
tled to be a part of a system that is not rigged against them by pow-
erful interests that do not play by the rules. My job is to make sure
that powerful interests that don’t play by the rules, and harm work-
ers, are held accountable, and change their practices.”
PHOTO ABOVE: Winners,
front row from left: Didi Gray,
Paul Stuckenschneider, Eryn
Byram, State Sen. Annette
Cleveland, and Deken Le-
tinich. Back row: Clark
County Treasurer Doug
Lasher, Mark Dale Rauchen-
stein, and Laborers Local 335
Business Manager Shannon
Stull.
PHOTO LEFT: Labor Round-
table Chair Ed Barnes (right)
introduces keynote speaker,
Washington Attorney Gen-
eral Bob Ferguson.
Award Recipients
Phil Parker Public Service Award for Excellence:
Deputy Sergeant Kevin Allais, Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Union Member of the Year:
Deken Letinich, Laborers Local 335
Labor Leader of the Year:
Didi Gray, Washington State Nurses Association
Labor Union of the Year:
Laborers Local 335
Community Service:
State Sen. Annette Cleveland
Lifetime Achievement:
Paul Stuckenschneider, retired Federal Mediator
Washington U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell was a keynote speaker at the 34th an-
nual Labor Roundtable of Southwest Washington awards banquet held
Sept. 28 at the Vancouver Hilton.
Labor Service Award:
Labor’s Community Service Agency
Business of the Year:
Thompson Metal Fab Inc.
Leader of the Year:
Doug Lasher, Treasurer, Clark County
In Solidarity Award:
(Presented by the SW Washington Central Labor Council)
Anne McEnerny- Ogle
Mayor, City of Vancouver
Citizens Honored for Military Service:
Terry Ogle, US Army, June 1969 - Jan. 1972
Mark Dale Rauchenstein, US Air Force, Jan. 1976 - Aug. 1981