NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
December 6, 2019 | PAGE 3
BUY UNION
UNION-MADE GIFT IDEAS
Buying any gifts this holiday sea-
son? If you buy union, you help
keep good jobs in the commu-
nity, and vote with your dollars
for enterprises that pay your fel-
low workers a living wage with
benefits. Union-made can be
hard to find. Here are some ideas.
BOOTS
Danner got its start in 1936 making boots for
loggers. Eighty years later, their boots are still
built to last, whether for work, hunting, hiking,
or around town. Danner makes about half its
products at its Northeast Portland factory,
where workers are represented by UFCW Local
555. Check the label: If the boots are U.S.-
made, they were made here with union labor.
SMART PHONE
The smart phone itself is most likely
assembled in China, but the workers who
maintain the cellular network will be
members of Communications Workers of
America (CWA) if you choose AT&T or
Cricket. When you visit a company-owned
AT&T store in Oregon and Southwest
Washington, you’re talking with a member
of CWA Local 7901. And union members
can get a 15% discount on some cell plans. To download a discount coupon, visit
unionplus.org/benefits/home/att-discounts.
WINE
BLANKETS
KITCHENWARE
Store shelves may be crowded with
foreign-made goods, but you can
still find gifts for the home cook that
are union-made in America. All
Pyrex products are made in
Charleroi, Pennsylvania by 310
members of United Steelworkers
(USW) Local 53G. Other USW
members in Pennsylvania and New
York make All-Clad Stainless Steel
Cookware and Cutco cutlery. And
U.S.-made Fiesta brand
dinnerware is made by over 500
members of Glass, Molders, Pottery,
Plastic and Allied Workers Local
419M at the Homer Laughlin China
Co. in Newell, West Virginia.
Nothing says Pacific Northwest pride like a Pendleton Woolen Mills blanket.
Warm and durable, Pendleton blankets (but not apparel) are made in Washougal,
Washington, and Pendleton, Oregon, by 210 members of the Service Employees
International Union (SEIU) Local 49. Their
union contract means wages of $16.43 to
$19.70 an hour, plus overtime after eight
hours, and health and pension benefits. You
can see how the blankets are made with free
tours at both locations.
MOVIES
Portland’s last unionized movie projectionist was laid
off by Cinema 21 in 1997. But most Hollywood films
themselves are still overwhelmingly union
productions, from the stars in SAG-AFTRA to the
gaffers in IATSE. Who wouldn’t love to get a gift card
to Regal Cinemas, or nonprofit Hollywood Theater, or
even Living Room Theaters across from the unionized
downtown Powell’s Books?
MUSIC
Oregon Ballet Theater, the
Portland Opera, the Oregon
Symphony: All of them employ
members of American Federation of
Musicians Local 99, IATSE Local 28
crews, and IATSE Local B-20
members, who work as ushers, ticket
takers and elevator operators. The
biggest employer of union musicians
is the Oregon Symphony, with 76
full-timers. Session players earn
$200 per two-hour appearance, plus
pension and healthcare
contributions.
Unions are rare in the wine industry,
but Washington’s award-winning
Chateau Ste.
Michelle is an
exception. It
employs members
of United Farm
Workers in its
vineyards, and
members of
Teamsters Local 117
in the barrel room,
warehouse,
production,
shipping and
maintenance
departments at its
Woodinville facility.
Company labels include Columbia
Crest, Chateau Ste. Michelle
wines, Domaine Ste. Michelle,
and Snoqualmie, and others.
December dinner gift cards offered to those in need
Raymond Thomas
Labor’s Community Service Agency has announced a December Dinner
Gift Card Program for unemployed union members and those facing dif-
ficult times. Referral forms are available for local union staff to fill out
and send in. The agency will send those union members a grocery store
food card (from a union grocer) that can be used to buy a holiday meal
for the family. The deadline to send a referral is 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16.
Members should contact their union for a referral to the program.
James Coon
Cynthia Newton
Chris Frost
Sydney Montanaro
Scott Sell
When your
Workers’ Comp
Benefits end,
it may be
time for
Social Security
Disability
benefits.
820 SW Second Ave., Suite 200,
Portland, OR 97204
Chris Thomas
www.tcnf.legal