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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2020)
PAGE 8 | January 3, 2020 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS UNION DEMOCRACY Salem area Labor Chapter gets in the spirit New leadership at Ironworkers Local 29 SALEM, Oregon—The Marion- Polk-Yamhill Counties Labor Chapter hosted its 79th annual holiday party for children and their parents and grandparents (some of whom attended when they were kids) on Saturday, Dec. 21 at the Elsinore Theatre in downtown Salem. They sang hol- iday songs with the Norman Sylvester Band, watched a movie, met Santa and Mrs. Claus, then headed out with a goodie bag filled with union-made products purchased at the local unionized Fred Meyer store. Santa is played by Jack Rusen of Albany Steel- workers Local 6163 (Mrs. Claus is Members of Portland-based Iron Workers Local 29 chose new leadership in a Dec. 5 vote: Challenger Jason Fussell out- polled incumbent Joe Bowers, becoming business manager ef- fective Jan. 2. Fussell ran on a slate alongside vice president candidate Shane Nehls, with the support of retired former busi- ness manager Kevin Jensen. Fussell, 50, is a 22-year mem- ber of Local 29. After graduating from Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver in 1987, he went to work for the railroad as a fire- man/oiler, but joined Local 29’s apprenticeship program in 1998 on the suggestion of a friend and found a career and a calling. Fussell showed early aptitude for the work, and won 5th place in the union’s nationwide appren- tice skill competition. He spent his first 15 months “busting rods,” laying rebar for C&J Rebar out on the Intel D1C project. In 2009, he was invited to become an instructor at the Iron Workers Training Center. In 2015 he be- came coordinator of the appren- ticeship training center. As business manager, Fussell will be responsible for repre- senting members, secure work for union contractors, and nego- tiating the local master agree- ment that expires July 2020, Local 29 represents iron- workers in construction in Ore- gon and six southwest Washing- ton counties. With construction continuing to boom, the local is at or near full employment, at wages of $38 an hour. Member- ship has grown, reaching 1,461 as of June 30. And the union’s four-year apprenticeship pro- gram is thriving, with about 265 apprentices currently enrolled. Also elected: President Rodney Sprinkle Vice President Shane Nehls Business Agents Shane Nehls and Rodney Sprinkle Recording SecretaryTyler Smith Executive Committee Eric Cole, Travis Taylor, Jade Worthington, Charles Riggs, Chantz Payne Examining Committee Eric Cole, Jade Worthington, Joseph Fields Trustees John Hilstead, Dean Viers, Robert Donovan Conductor Chantz Payne Sergeant at arms Eric Cole District Council delegates Shane Nehls, Rodney Sprinkle his wife). The emcee is Jeff Ander- son, secretary-treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555. The event is funded by local unions and unionized busi- nesses in the tri-county area.
