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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2020)
Page 4 | October 16, 2020 | noRthWeSt LaboR PReSS novembeR 2020 geneRaL eLection OREGON STATEWIDE BALLOT MEASURES FEDERAL OFFICE u.S. Senate Jeff merkley (d) is seeking a third six-year term. It would be challenging to find a stronger labor ally in the U.S. Senate than Merkley. He also works harder than any other Oregon member of Congress to stay in touch with Oregon’s labor movement. The national AFL-CIO gives him a 99% lifetime voting record in Congress. AFL-CIO, OBTC, IAFF, UFCW JeffMerkley.com u.S. houSe Congressional District 1 (Portland/NW Oregon) Suzanne bonamici (d) has been a reliably pro-labor Democrat. The AFL-CIO gives her a 95% lifetime rating over her five terms in the House. AFL-CIO, IAFF, IUPAT, OEA, ONA, UFCW, WFP Bonamiciforcongress.com Congressional District 3 (Portland/E.Multnomah Co.) earl blumenauer (d) has been a reliably pro-labor Democrat. The national AFL-CIO gives him a 93% lifetime rating over his seven terms in the House. AFL-CIO, AFSCME, IAFF, IBT, IUPAT, OEA, SEIU, UFCW EarlBlumenauer.com Congressional District 4 (Eugene/ SW Oregon) Peter deFazio (d), in Congress since 1987, voted against NAFTA and has remained a fierce critic of NAFTA-style deals. He’s also a big proponent of infrastructure investment, and serves as the chair of the House Trans- portation Committee. This year he faces a challenge from Alek Skarlatos, a 27-year-old Army National Guard veteran who became fa- mous for stopping a terrorist on a train in France in 2015. Skarlatos wrote a book about the experience and later played himself in a Clint Eastwood movie about it. Though he’s never held public office before, he’s raised $1.3 million as of July 1; almost two-thirds of his contributions are coming from outside Oregon, including from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R- Texas). DeFazio has defeated well-funded challenges before, but organized labor doesn’t want to risk losing him in the House, and considers his re-election a priority. AFL- CIO, AFT, CWA, IAFF, IBT, IUPAT, LiUNA, OEA, UA 290, UFCW, WFP DefazioForCongress.org Congressional District 5 (Salem/Clackamas/Coast) Kurt Schrader (d), a five-term incumbent, has one of the worst labor records of any De- mocrat in the House. It’s not just that Schrader has voted for every NAFTA-style trade treaty. He also voted to restrict workers’ right to unionize on Indian reservations, sponsored a bill to ban slowdown job actions by longshore workers, and this February was one of only seven Democrats to vote against the PRO Act, a bill to eliminate anti-union “right to work” laws and make it easier for workers to union- ize. Only one union appears to be endorsing him this election. With a $2.6 million cam- paign war chest mostly from moneyed inter- ests, there’s little doubt Schrader will beat the Republican nominee — former Keizer city councilor Amy Ryan Courser. Courser, who had less than $4,000 on hand as of July, calls Schrader a “antifa-loving radical Democrat” and says Joe Biden and Kate Brown represent Satan and socialism. OEA KurtSchrader.com about thiS guide Ballots can be confusing and crowded. To help union members make an informed decision, this guide lists all candidates who have at least one union endorsement, except candidates who are unopposed. Each entry ends with a web site where you can find out more. Legend Labor organization acronyms refer to a union’s statewide or regional body unless a local number is listed. In each entry, AFL-CIO, NOLC, OBTC, and CP- BCTC appear first because they’re coordinating bodies made up of multiple labor unions. AFL-CIO state federation most unions belong to AFSCME State, County, and Municipal Employees AFT American Federation of Teachers-Oregon or lo- cal affiliate ATU Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 CPBCTC Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council CWA Communications Workers of America Local 7901 IAFF Fire Fighters or local affiliate IBEW Electrical Workers 48 Portland 280Tangent IBTTeamsters ILWU Longshore/warehouse Insulators - Insulators Local 36 IUOE Operating Engineers Local 701 IUPAT Painters District Council 5 IW Ironworkers Local 29 LCCLC Lane County Central Labor Chapter LiUNA Ore. and S. Idaho District Council of Laborers NOLC NW Oregon Labor Council, AFL-CIO OBTC Oregon State Building Trades Council OEA Oregon Education Association or local affiliate OFNHP Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals ONA Oregon Nurses Association OSEA Oregon School Employees Assoc. PAT Portland Association of Teachers PCCFFAP/PCCFCE faculty and classified locals of AFT at Portland Community College PROTEC 17 Professional & Technical Employees at City of Portland SMART Sheet Metal Local 16 UA 290 Plumbers and Fitters UFCW United Food & Commercial Workers Local 555 UBC Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters WFP Oregon Working Families Party, a union- backed minor party measure 107 (Limit campaign contributions) yeS Oregon ranks #1 in the country in corporate political donations to candidates, thanks to how the Ore- gon Supreme Court has interpreted the free speech provisions of the state Constitution. Measure 107 would amend the Oregon Constitution to al- low laws that limit political cam- paign contributions and require dis- closure of those contributions. It was referred to voters by an overwhelm- ing bipartisan vote of the Oregon Legislature. AFL-CIO, AFSCME, OEA FairAndHonestElections.org measure 108 (Tobacco Tax) yeS Measure 108 taxes e-cigarettes and vaping products for the first time, and increases the existing $1.33 per pack cigarette tax by $2 per pack. That brings Oregon cigarette taxes in line with those in Washing- ton and California. Revenues will fund health care coverage for low-in- come families and public health pro- grams including tobacco prevention. The measure was referred to voters by a two-to-one majority of the Ore- gon Legislature. AFL-CIO, AFSCME, OFNHP, ONA, SEIU 503 YesOn108.org measure 110 (Drug treatment) yeS Addiction is a serious crisis in Oregon, which ranks nearly last among states in access to drug treat- ment. Measure 110 is meant to make drug treatment and recovery avail- able to any Oregon resident who re- quests it. It would increase funding for drug treatment by about $60 mil- lion a year by diverting marijuana tax revenue over what was forecast when voters first passed marijuana legalization and dedicated the tax revenue to schools. Currently over 8,000 people are arrested in Oregon each year for simple drug possession. Convicting them criminally costs $15,000 per case, more than drug treatment. Measure 110 decriminal- izes simple possession of illegal drugs like heroin, cocaine, and metham- phetamine and devotes the money saved from the criminal justice sys- tem toward drug treatment. Manu- facture and distribution would still be criminal, but possession would be- come a Class E violation, subject to ei- ther a $100 fine or a required sub- stance use disorder screening by a certified alcohol and drug counselor. AFL-CIO, CWA 7901, IAM, IBEW 48, ONA, SEIU 503, SEIU 49, UFCW, WFP VoteYesOn110.org
