C O M M E N T A R Y
OPEO’s Metamorphosis:
A New Political Power?
M etam orphosis: Any m arked
change, as in character, appearance,
or condition.
—Webster's New World Dictionary
The term seems to fit the Oregon
Public Employes Union, the state's
second-largest public employe
union.
A year ago, the organization—then
known as the Oregon State Employes
Association—was rocked by the
indictment of its executive director on
federal mail fraud charges. Member
ship was sagging, internal strife was
embarrassingly evident, and rival
unions were making inroads on the
association's turf.
nipping the hand that fed it.
One would hardly call the still
fledgling OPEU a powerhouse in the
Oregon labor movement or a force at
the state legislature. Yet there are
signs that OPEU, in shedding its skin,
is actually beginning to sound, smell
and act like a union.
During its annual convention last
week in Portland, OPEU delegates
approved five actions they hope will
increase their clout and help boost
membership.
• A voluntary $1-a-month check
off to finance a special campaign
chest with which to support candi
dates for legislative and local office.
“ OPEO is on track in rebuilding its public image, shoring up its
membership rolls and strengthening its flanks against raids by
other unions.”
OSEA's public image was badly
stained and its bargaining clout was
perceived as minimal. Staff members
admit now they doubted whether the
association could survive, especially
with wage negotiations approaching
against a backdrop of a tight state
budget.
A year later, OSEA has done more
than just change its name.
It has cleaned house by electing a
new slate of officers headed by
• Establishment of a committee to
study the idea of a strike fund.
• Reduction of membership dues
for workers who earn less than $500 a
month.
• Continued funding of a com
mittee to study ways of educating and
re cru itin g clerical w orkers—the
group of workers who traditionally
are the lowest paid and least
represented in the union.
• Holding of general business
p re s id e n t
G re e n , a s ta te
con ve n tio n s in o d d -num bered years
Highway Division worker in Salem.
And it has picked a new executive
director, soft-spoken Thomas Gal
lagher, to succeed the flamboyant
Morton Shapiro.
More important, OPEU is on track
in rebuilding its public image, shoring
up its membership rolls and strength
ening its flanks against raids by other
unions.
It’s too early to say the union has
succeeded on all fronts. Problems
remain, especially those related to
money, membership and morale. But
it’s fair to say the 14,287-member
union is making progress.
The changes have come largely as
a result of a pivotal decision last
November to end the association’s
independent status and affiliate with
the Service Employees International
Union, one of the 10 largest unions
within the national AFL-CIO.
From its founding in 1943 until last
year, OSEA had largely been re
garded as something of a toothless
tiger. It had a reputation of rarely
only instead of annually. Aside from
saving money, the change could
result in bonafide political con
ventions during even-numbered
years, during which candidates of
both parties would come to court the
union’s support.
S te ve
Systems Division and Water Re
sources Department—voted to reject
the imposition of “fair share" dues.
Oregon's collective bargaining law
allows unions to collect monthly fees,
in lieu of dues, from non-members
who belong to a bargaining unit the
union represents. However, such
arrangements can be vetoed by
majority vote of the bargaining unit.
OPEU won a victory on fair share in
the central bargaining contract
recently hammered out with the state.
The agreement allows OPEU to
collect fair share payments at each of
the 44 state agencies covered by the
contract unless workers in those
agencies decide otherwise.
However, state law also gives
workers a 90-day period, which
expires Nov. 1, to "deauthorize" the
agreement for their agencies.
Three agencies—Veterans' Affairs,
Justice and Agriculture—will be
voting on the Fair Share issue this
month. Together, they employ about
1,000 non-management workers. The
three agencies that have already
voted out fair share represented
about one-third as many.
From OPEU’s standpoint, a vote to
deauthorize fair share amounts to a
slap in the face for the union. More
critical to the union is an agency's
vote to "decertify” OPEU as its
bargaining agent.
Decertification means that workers
in that particular unit are free to hook
up with another union or opt for no
representation at all.
Decertification votes can’t be held
until the last 90 days before expiration
of a contract. That means OPEU
won’t take its real litmus test until
‘If OPEO is serious about becoming a political force at the
Legislature, and in local campaigns, it must first reverse the
string of losses on fair share votes.”
Clearly, the potential is there for
OPEU to join the ranks of Oregon
political heavyweights. But such
clout won't be achieved overnight,
despite the euphoric feeling that
infected delegates to the Portland
convention.
Anyone who thinks otherwise need
only look at the results of three
“ d e a u th orization" elections held
during August and September.
Workers in three state agencies—the
Public Utility Commissioner, Data
March or April of 1983.
If the union is serious about
.becoming a political force at the
Legislature, and in local campaigns, it
must first reverse the string of losses
on fair share votes.
Failing that, one can’t help but
w onder w hether m etam orphosis
works both ways.
George Rede
Reporter, Salem Statesman-Journal
7Ws article first appeared in the Oct. 4 edition
o f the Salem Statesman-Journal.
State law requires OPEU to
represent a ll em ployes in the
bargaining unit. OPEU, or more
accurately, we who pay dues, have
been footing the bill for everyone.
Everyone receives the benefits of the
improved wages, insurance and
working conditions negotiated by our
team. They also receive legal
assistance in pursuing grievances
and other union services.
Anyone who would sign a petition
to rescind “ fa ir share” should
consider the following: We (OPEU
PRESIDENT
Steve Green
6663 Doral Dr. SE
Salem 97302
VICE PRESIDENT
John Clapp
9501 NE 91 Ave.
Vancouver, WA 98662
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Carol Laizure-Jelllson
2505 Phipps Circle
Salem 97303
DIRECTORS
1. KEI QUITEVIS-SMITH
5890 SW 176
Aloha 97007
STEVEN TETERS
3641 SW Halcyon Rd.
Tualatin 97062
2. KELLY CLEMENCE KATHRINER
472 Chemawa Rd. N.
Salem 97303
BARBARA PALMER
670 Chemawa Rd. N.
Salem 97303
3. REBECCA BRAGG
1555 Coburg Rd. #63
Eugene 97401
GERALD ELLIOTT
RL 2 Box 466B
Monroe 97456
4. TERRI ANDERSON
542 Morion St.
Ashland 97520
RUTH MONTGOMERY
P.O. Box 213
Medford 97501
5. CHARLES ADKINS
920 W. Duanne
Hermiston 97838
RONALD TAYLOR
1129 SW Second St. #9
Ontario 97914
6. RICHARD FRASER
P.O. Box 504
Westport 97016
STAFF
THOMAS J. GALLAGHER
Executive Director
ALICE DALE
Assistant to the
Executive Director
F. PETER DE LUCA'
Attorney
CHUCK MENDENHALL
Government Relations Director
RALPH JULL
Business Manager
DOUGLAS CROOKS
Editor
ELEANOR M. MEYERS
Personnel and
Classification Analyst
GORDON WEBB
Director of Field Services
Something For Nothing
There is a movement afoot to
rescind “ fair share.” That is, to reject
the portion of the OPEU contract
which requires union fees to be paid
by all members of the bargaining unit,
by all members of the bargaining unit.
Those that protest the require
ments call it “taxation without their
fair share.” The fact of the matter is
these employes have been free-
loading off the rest of us, and would
be doing so once again if deauthori
zation succeeds. A better description
of the situation would be called
"representation without taxation.”
OFFICERS
members) have already been rep
resenting everyone. It would be to
their benefit to become a member and
have a voice in the union. And we will
all benefit from a bigger, stronger
union. I urge employes to support
“fair share” by not signing a petition
to deauthorize "fair share,” to remove
their signatures if they have already
signed and by voting “ No” if a
deauthorization election is held.
Nancy Garvin
Univ. of Oregon
BUSINESS AGENTS
PHIL SEAS
FAITH DUBIN
CAL HACKLER
FRED HASLE
MARIA KELTNER
DIANE LOVELL
JEAN MOYER
LARRY OGLESBY
JOE ROCHE
JEFF SCHRADER
GAIL WASHINGTON
CINDY PARRISH
Insurance Administrator
DENISE HARMS
Membership Administrator
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