PAGE 30 | August 16, 2019 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
UNION DEMOCRACY
Who’s on our side?
By Tom Chamberlain Oregon AFL-CIO President
Thank you!
This will be my last Northwest Labor Press column as president of
the Oregon AFL-CIO. As many of you are aware, after 14 years, I
have chosen not to seek re-election.
Graham Trainor, our current chief of staff, has my support and
confidence for the next presidency of the Oregon AFL-CIO. Gra-
ham has the skills, dedication, relationships, and institutional knowl-
edge to move our federation to the next level. Christy O’Neil of AF-
SCME has my support for secretary-treasurer. Christy has leadership
experience, and as a Medford resident, she will bring a unique per-
spective on issues and programs for our federation.
The staff of the Oregon AFL-CIO is without a doubt the best in
the country. They are truly amazing at developing cutting-edge pro-
grams, with the ability to activate statewide mobilization. Thanks
for always being there for me.
Oregon AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byrd has pro-
vided guidance and leadership that has made our state better. Thank
you.
I want to thank Northwest Labor Press editor Mike Gutwig for
providing space in this publication for my monthly column. My first
column was printed on September 22, 2010. That column was a
contrast between gubernatorial candidates John Kitzhaber and Chris
Dudley.
Over the past nine years, we have addressed issues that impact
the lives of working people, from fair trade to the housing crisis,
criminal justice reform, the gig economy and, of course, elections,
legislation and collective bargaining. I have thoroughly enjoyed
writing about all these topics. I have always believed that we need
to hold elected representatives responsible for their actions, as my
June 2019 article described the legislature’s PERS betrayal. I have
written columns holding our federal delegation accountable for trade
agreements that did not include strong labor and environmental stan-
dards as well as funding for enforcement. I have called out Con-
gressman Kurt Schrader for his continuing record of voting against
the needs of workers. On July 15, 2019, Schrader once again
showed his corporate colors and voted against raising the federal
minimum wage. I am always hopeful that a strong pro-worker can-
didate will emerge from Oregon’s 5th Congressional District so we
can show Schrader the door to retirement.
The mission of our union movement is to advance a pro-worker
agenda; to expand and strengthen the middle class; and to create
greater opportunity for the next generation of workers. We under-
stand that workers come in all shapes and sizes. They have different
backgrounds and colors. We have workers that are straight and
LBGTQ+. We must ensure they have the power to identify them-
selves as they choose. We also know that a workers’ movement must
include union and non-union workers. Our movement must develop
and advocate on every and all issues that workers face. These issues
include immigration reform, housing, criminal justice, harassment-
free workplaces and freedom to form and participate in unions. It is
impossible to achieve these goals without a strong and vibrant work-
ers movement.
The only means to counter a corporate capitalist agenda is
through a strong and vibrant union movement. We need to reform
current labor law to expand our membership and to address automa-
tion and the runaway “gig” economy.
I predict that there will be such reform in my lifetime. I base this
prediction on what I am seeing and experiencing today. Workers are
in the streets fighting for a better life. They see the corporate elite
nose-deep in a profit and tax-cut feeding frenzy that picks the pock-
ets of every single wage-earning worker. At the same time, we see
that workers’ lives are getting harder and harder. Workers no longer
are willing to sit back and watch.
All too often, political parties, corporations, lobbyists, and elected
representatives will try to play one union off another union. Do not
buy into traps that will only weaken us. Stand strong — stand for
and with one another. Remember, our movement is the only hope
for the American worker. Thank you for a great 14 years.
The Oregon AFL-CIO is a 138,000-member-strong federation of labor unions.
Operating Engineers Local 701 Business Manager
James Anderson wins second term
Members of Operat-
cused much of his ef-
ing Engineers Local
fort during his first
701 have returned
term on revamping the
James Anderson a sec-
local’s organizing pro-
ond three-year term as
gram and building up
business manager. In
the local’s training
officer
elections
program.
scheduled for July,
Local 701 had
Anderson and all other
3,562 members as of
Local 701 officers ran
the end of 2018, up
James Anderson
unopposed and were
from 3,362 three years
elected by acclamation.
earlier. The union is working
Headquartered in Gladstone, hard to recruit new members to
Oregon, Local 701 represents replace those who retire. Cur-
about 2,200 heavy equipment rently about 125 apprentices are
operators in building and road working their way through Lo-
construction as well as 840 sta- cal 701’s four-year training pro-
tionary engineers who operate gram.
and maintain building equip-
Anderson said he’ll now turn
ment such as boilers. Its juris- attention to renegotiating the
diction covers Oregon and master labor agreement which
Southwest Washington.
covers most members; it comes
Anderson, 57, says he fo- up for renewal late this year.
He’ll also work to make sure the
union-sponsored health and
welfare and pension plans re-
main in good shape.
Besides Anderson, the re-
elected Local 701 officers in-
clude:
■ President Darren Glebe
■ Vice President Darrel Hickman
■ Treasurer Kim Johansen
■ Recording Secretary Lonnie Land
■ Conductor Nolan Carter
■ Guard Kenneth Clair
■ District 1 Representative Clark Mattox
■ District 2 Representative Chris Perry
■ District 3 Representative Ronald
Preston
■ District 4 RepresentativeTerry Casey
■ District 5 Representative Richard
Lauderback
■ District 5 at-large Representative
Dylan McComiskey