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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.