NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
March 1, 2019 | PAGE 7
READER POLL RESULTS
In our Feb. 15, 2019 issue we asked:
SHOULD U.S. SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY RUN FOR PRESIDENT?
Teachers extend contract at
Portland Public Schools
ON THE JOB | How to read a rigger’s hieroglyphics
Using a laser distance measurer, lead rigger Joel Gbu-
rek arrives at the Moda Center before the other rig-
gers and makes chalk markings on the floor (or,
“deck”) of the arena. The marks tell other riggers how
and where to set up each point where a piece of
equipment will be hung. Most of the numbers refer
to the lengths of braided wire ropes (known as air-
craft cable) that have an eye at each end. The eyes are
color coded: red for a 5' cable, white for 10' and blue
for 20'. Within the chalk diagram, the upper numbers
are for the ‘baskets’ — the cables that will wrap
around the beam above and then be connected to
themselves by fastening the eyes together with a
“shackle” (technically, a screw-pin anchor shackle —
those little metal objects on the right). The middle
numbers are for the ‘bridle legs’ which attach to the
baskets and join at the apex (or shackle junction) of
the bridle. The lower number is the ‘stinger’ length
which connects the bridle apex to the chain hoist, the
motor that will lift the object. Meanwhile, the chalk
X on the right is the actual point on the floor that rig-
gers will aim for. If the X is within a diamond, as
above, that means it will need a hoist capable of lift-
ing a quarter ton; a triangle means a half-ton hoist, a
circle means one-ton, and a square two-ton. The
black chain is a STAC chain (special theatrical alloy
chain) or simply "deck chain”; it’s used for fine adjust-
ment of the bridle legs: “3L” means that riggers will
want to add 3 links to the bridle leg. It’s at the top of
the leg so that if the point needs to be adjusted, the
rigger on the beam above can add or subtract links
to move the rigging point on the floor.
Portland Association of Teach-
ers reached tentative agreement
with Portland Public Schools
Feb. 22 on a one-year contract
extension that includes a 3 per-
cent cost of living increase for
the 2019-2020 school year. PAT
represents 4,000 teachers, coun-
selors and other faculty who
serve over 49,000 students at the
state’s largest school district. If
ratified by teachers, the collec-
tive bargaining agreement will
extend through June 30, 2020.
Lafer runs for school board
University of Oregon labor ed-
ucator Gordon Lafer is running
for Eugene School District
Board. Lafer is a professor at
UO’s Labor Education and Re-
search Center (LERC). His
daughter is a seventh grader in
the district. Thus far, he’s run-
ning unopposed, but candidates
have to March 21 to file. Eugene
School District 4J serves 16,000
K–12 students. Ballots will be
mailed out May 2 and are due
back May 21. Find out more at
laferfor4j.com
