Page A9 APRIL 8, 1998 (Elje ^Jortlanh (Dbsrrurr Oregon Farmworker Union Signs First Contract “ W e will win m ore contracts and have PCUN as our union,” asserted Job Pozos Jr. on C esar C havez Day, T uesday, M arch 31 st. He spoke as a m em ber of the negotiating com m it­ tee as the O regon farm w orker union, Pineros y C am pesinos U nidos del N oroeste (PC N N , w hich is trans­ lated as N orthw est Treeplanters and F arm w orkers U nited) and an o r­ ganic grow er signed the first collec­ tive bargaining agreem ent in the history o f O regon agriculture. This is only the second collective bar­ g a in in g a g r e e m e n t b e tw e e n farm w orkers and grow ers to be signed in the Pacific N orthw est. W orkers representing the com m ittee w hich negotiated the term s o f the contract signed the tw o-year bindi ng a g r e e m e n t a lo n g w ith R a m o n Ram irez, the President o f PCU N , and Scott Frost o f N atu re’s Fountain Farm, a transitional 26-acre organic farm. Ram on Ramirez, the P resident o f Pineros y C am pesinos U nidos del Noroeste, eloquently stated; “ W hen w e em barked on this w ork o v er tw enty years ago, w e knew it w ould be long and difficult. M any o f the rights and protections enjoyed by w orking people in this country are not afforded to the farm w orkers. THE LAM EST MOST COMPLETE RET AIL EABRK STOKE IS THE WEST March 31 through April 14,1998 ALL PRINTS G row ers have resisted o u r efforts to bring about fair treatm ent and ju stice in the fields. In order to m ake co llec­ tive bargaining a reality w e have had to take o u r struggle to the fields, to the courts, to the legislature, to the m edia, to people o f conscience, and lastly to the co nsum er.” Juanita Cox-Valdez, Director o f the United Farm WorkersofAmerica, AFL- C IO ’ Centro 16 de septiembre in Texas, read a statement from UFW President Arturo Rodriguez which said, “PCUN’s determined efforts miirorthe UFW ’s 36- year struggle to bring a measure o f dig- Hosting Opportunities in the Portland metro area AFS, the A m erican Field Ser­ vice international student exchange program , has announced plans to expand hosting opportunities in the greater Portland area. T he goal is to provide 10 addi­ tio n a l f a m ilie s in P o rtla n d , Beaverton, and H illsboro with a chance to w elcom e a foreign ex­ change student into their hom es for the com ing school year. AFS cur­ rently hosts 20 students in the P ort­ land M etro area. The students are placed with host parents w ho have volunteered to m ake them a part o f their fam i­ lies for the year. H ost children p artic i^ a te jn jd H a m ri^ a c tiv itie S " and are treated as natural children during their stay. Strong bonds are often form ed and m any host fam ily relationships last a lifetime. Said on host m other, “ H erm an (our son from Paraguay) cam e into our lives with that first hug and has never left it. H e ’ll be our son forever.” T o support the expansion in itia­ tive, A FS is seeking a very special to help recruit host fam ilies. For inform ation about hosting or help­ ing to recruit host fam ilies for ex ­ change students, call A FS at 241- 1578. For inform ation about going abroad with AFS, call 1-800-AFS- INFO. Oregon Auto Insurance Rates Remain Well Below U.S. Average O n ly 16 sta te s h ad lo w e r a u to in su ra n c e p re m iu m s th a n O re g o n in 1996. A c c o rd in g to th e re c e n t c o m ­ p a ris o n re le a s e d by th e N a tio n a l A s s o c ia tio n o f I n s u ra n c e C o m ­ m i s s i o n e r s ( N A I C ) , th e s ix - m o n th c o m b in e d a v e ra g e a u to ­ m o b ile in s u r a n c e p re m iu m ( in ­ c lu d e s lia b ility , c o llis io n an d c o m p re h e n s iv e c o v e ra g e s ) in O r­ e g o n fo r 1996 w as $ 6 6 0 .7 6 v e r ­ su s th e c o u n try w id e a v e ra g e o f $ 7 7 4 .1 2 . “ T h e 11.7 p e rc e n t ris e in a u to c r a s h e s in O re g o n in 1996 w as te m p e re d b y th e 12.5 p e rc e n t rise You are 2 m o n th s o ld . Y o u r lu n g s a re th is tiny. You sp en d day a fte r d ay a ro u n d s e c o n d h a n d c ig a ­ r e t t e s m o k e . Y ou b r e a t h e it in. Y ou c o u g h . Y ou h a c k . Y ou w h e e z e . Y o u r lungs clog u p w ith s tic k y flu id a n d th ic k m u c o u s. You get b ro n ­ c h itis . O r Tobacco Prevention Education Program Oregon Health Division nity and security for farm workers in our country. Announcement ofthis fust col­ lective bargaining agreement in ( )regon is a milestone for both o f our unions. W e rejoice with our sisters and brothers in PCUN. Their victory is also our own.” Senator Ron Wyden, in a written statement o f support, echoed the senti­ ments o f the UFW. “ In the future, 1 expect we will look back on today’s agreement as a key moment from which both workers and growers began to progress toward a cooperative atmo­ sphere to the benefit o f themselves and indeed all o f Oregon. in re g is te r e d v e h ic le s a n d th e 1 1 p e rc e n t ris e in lic e n s e d d r iv e r s ,” sa y s M a ria n n e M a c in a , C P C U , re g io n a l m a n a g e r fo r th e W e s t­ e rn I n s u ra n c e I n fo rm a tio n S e r ­ v ic e (W H S ). “ A s th e p o p u la tio n g ro w th le v e ls o ff, w e n ee d to k e e p th e n u m b e r o f a u to m o b ile c ra s h e s d o w n i f w e w a n t to c o n ­ ta in th e ris in g c o s t o f in s u r a n c e .” “ T h e a u to m o b ile in s u ra n e e in ­ d u s try in th e U .S. h a s o n e o f th e lo w e st re tu rn s o n e q u ity (R O E ) w h en c o m p a re d w ith o th e r p ro fit m a k in g in d u s trie s - o n ly a six p e r c e n t R O E in 1 9 9 6 ," s a y s M a cin a. p n e u m o n ia . 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