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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 2009)
R-G LOSES LABOR CASES Two labor fights involving The Register-Guard and the Eugene Newspaper Guild dating back to 2000 were resolved in a July 7 appeal ruling by the National Labor Relations Board. The Guild prevailed in the cases, according to a story by Andy Zipser, editor of the national Guild Reporter. See his full story at http:// newsguild.org Zipser wrote that the ruling upholds the appeal of the Eugene Guild “which had concluded that two emails sent by then Guild presi- dent Suzi Prozanski violat- ed The Register-Guard’s email policy. At the same time, the appeals court rejected a company peti- tion that objected to two related NLRB opinions, both decided 5-0, that the company had committed unfair labor practices by Suzi Prozanski at the R-G offi ces on Chad Drive disciplining Prozanski for a third email, and by barring Ronald Kangail, a circulation department district man- ager, from wearing a union armband.” Famed union-busting Tennessee lawyer L. Michael Zinser spearheaded the unsuccessful appeal on both counts. Prozanski, no longer employed by the paper, said this week that R-G manage- ment “chose to pursue this case all the way to federal Appeals Court, seeking wins on all counts. Instead, they lost on all counts. But here's the kicker: As long as the company was appealing the case, the R-G did not have to change its policy against union email. Management also was able to keep intact the ‘unwritten policy’ that prohibits wearing union insignia on the job, a right that has been protected in U.S. workplaces for decades. So for the last nine years, the R-G successfully prohibited workers from exercising their legal rights to express pro-union views. The irony of a newspaper muzzling free speech still boggles my mind.” Prozanski says the newspaper also “paid big money to L. Michael Zinser (he doesn't come cheap) to pursue the case when the newspaper industry is facing extraordinarily difficult financial times. Could some R-G workers' furloughs have been avoided if the R-G had that money in hand instead of forking it over to Zinser?” R-G Editor and Publisher Tony Baker did not return a message by press time asking for comments on the rulings. — Ted Taylor NEW LATINO PUBLICATION TAKES SHAPE Three successful first-generation immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador are starting up a new bilin- gual monthly newspaper in the south- ern Willamette Valley called Adelante Latino. The three founders are Nelson Rosales, president of the Latino Business Network of the Eugene Chamber; Lorenzo Herrera, vice pres- ident of the Latino Business Network; and Carlos Sepulveda of Mid-Earth Design. Rosales is also owner of the Rodeo Steak House in Junction City; Herrera and Sepulveda also work for SELCO Credit Union. The first issue will be in September and the publication plans to print and distribute 10,000 copies, mostly in the Eugene-Springfield area, but also around Linn and Benton counties. “Our intention is to help the minorities succeed within the community,” says Sepulveda. “Our articles talk about success stories from people within the com- munity. We have a sports column, financing tips, free classified ads, directory information and events information.” The publication comes out of the Latino Business Network, which is part of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. “We found out that there were not a lot of media channels that really target the Spanish-speaking population,” says Sepulveda. “The Spanish-speaking popula- tion in this area is underserved in many different services like financing, housing, education, legal aid and counseling.” Demographics and other information about the publication are available from Adelante’s account executive Jo Schechter, josuccess@comcast.net and Sepulveda can be reached at 788-3186. — Ted Taylor 8 AUGUST 13, 2009 EUGENE WEEKLY news briefs NEW POLL SAYS OREGONIANS BACK MEASURES Oregonians by a 2-1 margin approve of the Legislature’s recently enacted tax increases on corporations and the wealthy, according to a new poll released last week by the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP). Opponents of the tax measures have begun collecting signatures to repeal them at the ballot box. The poll by Grove In a response to last week’s New Briefs Insight showed that if the election were item, “Gates Case Compared to Gainer,” held today, 62 percent of likely voters former UO professor Ajuan Mance said, would vote “yes” to uphold the tax hikes, “the Skip Gates case immediately brought 26 percent would vote "no" and 11 percent back memories of John Gainer's experi- are undecided. ences with the Eugene Police Department.” “Oregonians clear- Gainer, founder of the UO’s ly favor protecting gospel choir, moved to San funding for educa- Francisco in 2000, due in tion, health and pub- part to multiple confronta- lic safety,” said OCPP tions with Eugene police. policy analyst Joy EW asked Mance, one of Margheim. “On the UO’s few black scholars, whole, they appear to why she left Eugene after believe that the only a short time. “Strictly Legislature came up speaking, I did not leave with a balanced and Eugene because of racial Ajuan Mance fair solution to the issues. Race was a part of state's fiscal crisis brought on by the reces- my decision, but so too was the draw of a sion.” larger metropolitan area. The UO was kind Grove Insight conducted the poll to me, and I had wonderful colleagues in between July 29 and Aug. 2, interviewing the English department. 500 Oregon registered voters likely to “I must say, though, that I found the participate in next January's election, absence of African-American community should it take place. The poll carries a rather daunting and, in the end, I was com- margin of error of 4.4 percent. pelled to leave because of the dearth of Lawmakers voted to balance the bud- black people both on the UO campus and get in part by raising $733 million dollars in the larger Eugene community.” in new revenue. That move avoided even Mance said the campus was “a rela- deeper cuts to public services than those tively welcoming atmosphere,” but “the already set to take effect. More than 90 city of Eugene was sometimes a challeng- percent of Oregon's budget funds educa- ing place. I never experienced any harass- tion, health and human services and public ment by police, but I did find myself turn- safety. ing heads when I entered certain stores One measure raises the state's corpo- and restaurants, and I did experience a rate minimum tax from $10 to a sliding couple of instances of overt hostility.” scale that ranges from $150 for small busi- Mance moved to the San Francisco nesses to $100,000 for corporations with Bay Area 10 years ago. She teaches at annual sales in Oregon above $100 mil- Mills College and edits the Black on lion. It also temporarily raises the top tax Campus blog. “I look back on my experi- rate from 6.6 percent to 7.9 percent for ences in Eugene with an appreciation for corporations with taxable income over many of the wonderful qualities of that $250,000 in 2009 and 2010, decreasing to city,” she said. “It can, however, be a 7.6 percent in 2011 and 2012. lonely and difficult place for someone The top corporate tax rate increase whose ethnicity marks them as a perpetual expires in 2013, returning the rate to its oddity and, occasionally, as a threat.” pre-recession level for all except the larg- — Ted Taylor BEING BLACK IN EUGENE Lane Area Herbicide Spray Schedule • Next to Triangle Lake School: Weyerhaeuser Company (744-4684) will ground spray 600 acres near Low Pass, Horton, Blachly, Triangle Lake School, and Greenleaf near Long Tom, Michaels, Hayes, Fish, Congdon, Swartz, and Lake creeks with Garlon 4, Arsenal, and Chopper herbicides plus Moract adjuvant starting Aug. 15 (#50456). • Western Helicopter Services (503-538-9469) will aerially spray 166 acres for Giustina Land & Timber Company (345-2310) with Garlon 4, Oust, Arsenal, Escort, Chopper, Razor and Foresters herbicides near Gillespie Corners near Doak, Coyote, Broad Tree, and Fox Hollow creeks starting Aug. 20 (#50459) Compiled by Jan Wroncy, Forestland Dwellers: 342-8332, forestlanddwellers.org WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
