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