NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
October 1, 2021 | PAGE 3
2021 OREGON BUILDING TRADES CONVENTION REPORT
From Page 1
whatever the union rate is. They
extended the right to paid sick
leave to construction workers
who are dispatched through
union hiring halls. They made it
clear that it’s legal and acceptable
for cities, counties, and school
districts to sign project labor
agreements (PLAs) on public
construction projects. And they
ensured that upcoming state-
funded higher ed construction
projects will have PLAs.
“We’re setting new expecta-
tions of how we do public con-
tracting here in the state,” Kotek
told delegates.
Kotek wrapped up with re-
marks about the climate crisis
that drew applause from the
building trades union delegates.
“The climate crisis is upon us,
whether it’s the wildfires that
devastate our communities …
or the fact that we have neigh-
bors in our communities dying
from heat waves. It’s here, and
you all know that.”
This year Oregon lawmakers
passed HB 2021, which man-
dates that electric utilities provide
100% clean energy by 2040.
Kotek said she had to fight with
the Oregon Senate to make sure
that investments in renewable en-
ergy come with labor standards
Tina Kotek to
delegates:
“As your next
governor, I will
put working
families first,
and stand by
our values to lift
up everybody.”
requiring health and other bene-
fits to workers on those jobs, and
opportunities for apprentices.
“There are people who say we
can’t take on the crisis around cli-
mate because it’s going to kill
good jobs. Well, I don’t believe
that.… We can have good jobs,
and fight climate crisis together,
and we have to, for our children’s
children, and for the safety of our
planet.”
With Kotek still on stage,
Painters District Council 5 del-
egate Dave Winkler went to the
mic to make a motion to endorse
her campaign for governor. The
vote was immediate and unani-
mous, handing Kotek the first
major endorsement since she
announced her run for governor
on Sept. 1. The move to endorse
wasn’t totally spontaneous: OS-
BCTC’s Executive Board had
discussed the question that
morning and recommended en-
dorsement based on Kotek’s
outstanding record of going to
bat for the trades.
By no means did Kotek ac-
complish all of that alone, and
building trades leaders celebrated
other legislators too, including
three who addressed delegates in
person: State Sen. James Man-
ning of Eugene; Senate Majority
Leader Rob Wagner of Lake Os-
wego; and freshman State Rep.
Jason Kropf of Bend, all De-
mocrats. Lane County Commis-
sioner Joe Berney also advo-
cated for the building trades in the
Legislature, as a fierce advocate
of project labor agreements.
Berney had previously insisted
Lane County use a project labor
agreement, he told delegates, and
it was a resounding success, com-
ing in under budget.
Why politics matters
Delegates also got an earful about
what’s at stake in the political
arena during a panel on the coun-
cil’s history. The panel included
former state building trades lead-
ers Bob Shiprack and John
Mohlis, and Pendleton building
trades leader Jeff Gritz.
“How important is politics to
the building trades?” moderator
Wayne Chow asked the panelists.
Drawing on generations of expe-
rience, panelists poured forth war
stories about the early 1980s,
when newly emboldened anti-
union groups sponsored a ballot
initiative to repeal the state pre-
vailing wage. In response, build-
ing trades unions united as if sur-
vival was at stake, and they
defeated the measure by a wide
margin in every county in the
state. Gritz then shared what
could happen when building
trades unions lose a big battle:
Idaho once had a strong union
movement, but in 1985 it passed
anti-union right-to-work legisla-
tion, followed by repeal of the
state’s prevailing wage law. Idaho
building trades union locals were
crushed. Many ceased to exist en-
tirely. And construction industry
wages there plummeted and
never recovered.
One sign that the building
trades council and its affiliates
have continued to be politically
consequential in Oregon is the
number of elected officials who
drop by to declare their support.
This year, there were fewer than
usual because of the continuing
pandemic, but altogether 14 of-
fice-holders addressed delegates
in person or by video, including
an address via Zoom by state
treasurer Tobias Read and
recorded messages from Oregon
Gov. Kate Brown and U.S. Sen-
ators Ron Wyden and Jeff
Merkley. Read had earlier come
in for praise when national build-
ing trades president Sean Mc-
Garvey applauded his passage of
a policy that requires the use of
responsible construction contrac-
tors on projects that are funded by
Oregon public pension dollars.
Former Multnomah County
Commissioner Loretta Smith
also asked delegates to support
her in her upcoming campaign
for Congress in Oregon’s not-
yet-formed Sixth Congressional
District. Smith is the only can-
didate seeking that seat so far.
[On Sept. 27, the Oregon Legis-
lature approved — and the gov-
ernor signed — two measures to
redraw the boundaries of Ore-
gon’s congressional and legisla-
tive districts.]
The convention is also a
chance for trades leaders to build
community, with evening social
gatherings and a golf tournament
on Day 2. At the close of the con-
vention, the council dispensed
dozens of raffle prizes, and an-
nounced the award of two $1,000
college scholarships: one to
Alexandra Kimberling, daughter
of Plumbers & Fitters Local 290
business agent John Kimberling;
and the other to Maria Luna Var-
gas, daughter of Iron Workers Lo-
cal 29 member Israel Luna Var-
gas. It was Vargas’ second time
getting the scholarship.
BE IT RESOLVED …
Oregon building trades delegates passed five resolutions this
year. Here’s a summary.
LEADING THE TRADES: From left, Brent Stephens, Zack Culver, Geoff Kossak, Lou Christian, Garth Bachman,
Robert Camarillo, Russ Garnett, Randy Carmony, Brian Noble, Matt Eleazer, Dave Winkler, and Jimbo Anderson.
OFFICER ELECTIONS
All nominees were unopposed and were declared elected by acclamation. They’ll serve four-year
terms that run through the 2025 convention.
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
Executive Secretary-Treasurer Robert Camarillo (Iron Workers Local 29)
President Lou Christian (Plumbers & Fitters Local 290)
Vice President Russ Garnett (Roofers Local 49)
Sergeant-at-arms Randy Carmony (Elevator Constructors Local 23)
Conductor Brian Noble (Sheet Metal Local 16)
Trustees Matt Eleazer (Bricklayers Local 1); David Winkler (Painters District Council 5); James ‘Jimbo’ Anderson (Operating Engineers Local
701); Geoff Kossak (Cement Masons Local 555); Zach Culver (Laborers Local 737); Garth Bachman (IBEW Local 48); and Brent Stephens
(Boilermakers Local 242)
▪ SUPPORT STAFF renew and extend support for the part-time political special
projects coordinator position [to add capacity, IBEW Local 48 president Wayne Chow
was hired in 2020.]
▪ INCREASE INVESTMENT IN POLITICAL ACTION empower the heads of each
affiliated international union to convene by Dec. 1 to decide whether and how much
to increase contributions to OSBCTC’s political action committee, Oregonians To
Maintain Community Standards, and then review that yearly. The affiliate leaders will
have the discretion to increase it as much as double the current assessment of $1 per
member per month. The PAC has been funded at $1 per member per month since it
was created in 1993; adjusted for inflation, that would be $1.89 today.
▪ TOOL UP TO FIGHT WAGE THEFT declare that it’s a priority for the council to pass
legislation requiring contractors on public works projects to file formal statements of
intent to pay prevailing wage and affidavits swearing to compliance. Washington has
such an “intents and affidavits” system, and it’s seen as an effective way to reduce
wage misclassification and other violations of prevailing wage law. [Resolution
sponsored by Cement Masons Local 555.]
▪ ENSURE STABLE AND ADEQUATE FUNDING establish a committee to look at
how other state building trades councils are funded, and come back at the 2023
convention with a report and recommendations to ensure strong and stable
financing. Currently OSBCTC is funded with a contribution by affiliates of $1.85 per
member per month.
▪ BUILD A MORE WELCOMING INDUSTRY CULTURE support and sign the “Safe
from Hate” pledge. In the wake of a job site noose incident in Portland last year, local
building trades unions, general contractors, and big construction project owners have
been meeting to talk about ways to improve construction culture so that it’s free from
hate speech and harassment, and more welcoming to women and minority workers.
[Resolution sponsored by Willy Myers of Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council.]