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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1982)
Page 2 Portland Observer, January 7, 1982 WHO ARE THE UNEMPLOYED? July 1981 Protests planned El Salvador troops train in US This week plans are being made to hold a protest d em onstration in Portland January 11th, 1982 in con ju n ctio n w ith dem onstrations throughout the n ation regarding counterinsurgency training for El S alvadorian troops in the U n ited States. Reported in the New York Times on December 15th and in the C h i cago Tribune on December 24th , 1981, the first 1,000 El Salvadorian troops w ill a rrive at Fo rt Bragg, North Carolina for (raining on Jan uary 11th. Another 600 troops will begin training at Fort Bragg, Geor gia. Cost o f the training has been es timated at $18 million but is thought to be more politically acceptable to the sending o f additional U .S . ad visors to El Salvador. Over 32,000 people have been killed in the last several years in El Salvador as fight ing continues due to repression and the dissatisfaction with the military junta there. Religious groups along the East coast o f the United States arc travel ing to Fort Benning to conduct dem- onstrations o f conscience on Jan uary 10th and I Ith and to express support o f the El Salvadorian peo ple. Th ro u gh o u t the nation local groups w ill be conducting protest demonstrations at local recruiting offices. For additional information on the January I Ith demonstration in P o rtlan d contact the P o rtlan d C o m m ittee in S o lid a rity w ith the People o f E l S alvador (P o rtla n d CISPES) at 235-9388. For addition al n atio n al in fo rm a tio n call San Francisco at 1-415-861-0425. Un»ni|>loym«nl Rale« is . i% is ta.s% ,o- - a.7% a.2% 5- - ■I ■ H - ► tf « 20 a Woman, 20 a over Taan- »o«r» 1S-1S While ■lack 1 other Source: Bureau ol Labor S o litile « . Reagan budget brings job losses Local Kwanza Celebration held at the Black Edu catio n C e n te r fe a tu re d m usic and dance w ith Bruce Sm ith and Ruby Burns. They also showed slides of their recent trip to Africa. (Photo: Richard J. Brown) Street Beat \* ihv lin ai seconds ol 1981 licked awax ihex led iheir im print on th e people »»I P o rtla n d . As s I iomii in (lieu answ ers to: “ How did u n i la te in ’8 1 ? " . etnploc inent is mi ilie minds ol mane entering the sevond seat o l ilu s dec ade. U nem ploym ent in O regon has reached 11 per cent, but the cycle has only begun. Direct jo b losses from 1982 fed eral budget cuts have been estimated at well over one m illion and addi tional job losses will occur through the “ ripple effect” as programs are slashed. The I9 8 2 budget cuts to ta l $40 billion, mainly in social programs. Then I982 budget cuts are only the beginning. There are proposals for unspecified reductions o f $30 billion in fiscal 1983. $44 billion in 1984, $39 billion in 1985 and $42 billion in 1986. The negative aspects o f the bud get reductions are magnified by in flation which in the last two years has decreased the earning power o f the average worker’s paycheck by I0 per cent. In the meantime the nation's real gross national product — the total output o f goods and services— .i!.<Pi>cd at an annual rate o f 9.9 per «.nt during the second quarter o f I9 80 . the largest quarterly decline since the end o f W orld W ar II. A l though the economy gained in fol lowing quarters, there was a 2.4 per cent decline in the second quarter of 1981. In 1980 there were 25 to 30 m il lion persons out o f work for periods o f time. The jobless rate is highest fo r Blacks and other m inorities, but also rose for white men. The increase in unemployment re sults from layoffs and from failure to establish new jobs for the increas ing p o p u latio n . Between July o f 1979 and July o f 1981 the total num ber o f jobs increased by 1.9 million, the smallest rate o f growth in the last 25 years except for the 1974- 1975 recession. Rising prices have cut deeply into the buying power o f the U .S . family. After inflation and taxes the buying power o f the average pay- check decreased by 9.7 per cent be tween July o f 1979 and July o f 1981. Average hourly wages increased from $6.08 in M ay 1979 to $7.17 in M ay 1981, but due to inflation the real value o f those waged dropped by 7 per cent. Union members have fared a little better than unrepresented workers — with wage increases in 1980 o f 10.9 per cent as compared to 8 per cent for the n on-union w orker. However, gains do not meet the 12.5 per cent increase in prices. Apply now for financial aid Applications for financial aid and scholarships at Portland Communi ty College for the 1982-83 academic- year will be available at the school’s financial aid offices at all campuses beginning January 4. Students and prospective students wishing to apply for financial aid are urged to do so at the earliest pos sible date. C u t-o ff date fo r p ro cessed applications must be received at PC C by A p ril I and it takes about four weeks to process applica tions. It is recommended that appli cations be mailed to the College Scholarship Service in B erkeley, C alifo rn ia, no later than March I, 1982. ''S Jim Flynn, Carpenter— " I plan to spend more tim e w ith my fam ily. 1981 wasn't that bad. I ’ve been busy at work. I expect '82 to be better. It can’t get much worse.” Sherry James, Housewife— “ 1981 was real good to me. W e have our health, Christmas, and all my fam ily was together for the first time in I life . I have a daughter and a hus-l band. I'm not too sure about 1982. j M y New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking.” Anthony McKinley, Custodian— I will remember 1981 as a very ex citing year. I was able to pay my bills. 1 think 1982 w ill be scary. They’ re cutting out everything and times are getting tough. I would like to see some jobs come up in 1982. Most o f my friends are getting laid o ff and arc out o f jobs.” - LET S TALK CONSERVATION Kim Allen, Unemployed— ” 1981 »as bad. You just couldn’ t find a job. A lot o f my friends are unem ployed and I hope 1982 is better in the job-finding area. This is my first year out o f school and I want to be a secretary but I have to find a job so I can get into college.” » Jerry Sm ith, U n em p lo yed — “ 1981 wasn't that good because I was unemployed most o f the year This is the longest I've been out of work in 25 years. I wonder if Rea gan is rig h t. I hope so to get our country back on track.” by Lenite Duka and Richard Brown U V , Stephen Chiappetta, Unemployed — ” 1 just hung in there during 1981 and for ’82 I'm just going to do the same. W e’ re going to have to wait and see." Kenneth Raschal, Unemployed_ “1981 was a good year I had a little baby and I took my G .E .D . I ’m try ing to make something out o f myself. A lot o f things happened in '81 and the incident that happened in A t lanta really hurt me because I love all kinds o f kids. I plan to go into the service in 1982. M y New Year’s resolution is to do better.” We invite your comments on proposed long-term energy conservation contracts between Bonneville Power Administration and qualifying electric utilities Comment at a public meeting or submit written comments The Regional Power Act gives cost effective energy conservation top priority over all other ways of providing needed electricity So. as much as possible we plan to meet new needs no* by purchasing new supplies of electricity but by making better use of the energy we already have That s what the proposed contracts are all about They will enable Northwest utilities to offer consumers a variety of energy conservation as sistance with regional financing from Bonneville Five different programs are already available under short term contracts orxJ will continue under the long term contracts Others may be add ed The existing residential programs provide free shower flow restrictors free wafer heater wraps and either interest free loans or cash rebates for weatherization work Also in operation ore pro grams to improve the efficiency of street and area lighting and to conserve energy in com mercial lighting and water heating Because all of the programs are conducted by local utilities their availability may vary from area to area Locations and dates of public meetings on the proposed contracts are: Seattle - 7 p m Thursday. January 7, In Room A, Center House. Seattle Center. First North and Republican Street Registration begins at6:30 p m Portland - 7 30 p m Tuesday, January 12 in the BPA Auditorium. 1002 Nf Holladay Street Registration begins at 7 p m Boise - 7 30 p m Tuesday. January 12, In the Bonneville Room. City Hall, 55 W Fort Street Registration begins at 7 p m .'?r'"’^ C° ' nmen,s wHI bo f»ceived until January A19®2 bv ,ho Pub"c ,nv°*vement Coordinator BPA PO Box 12999. Portland, Oregon 97212 All comments received will be considered during the final controct negotiations For further information call our Public Involve mentCcxMdinator. (503) 23° 4261 Persons out side the Portland calling area may call toll free m Oregon. 1 800 452 8429 In other Northwest states. 1-800-547 6048 Remember What you say counts Admtabtratton
