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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 2016)
Page 4 May 25, 2016 HEALTHCAREERS Gender Barriers Hold True C ontinued fRom f Ront Reo’s Ribs New Location: Now in Hollywood District, 4211 NE Sandy Blvd $ 00 6 Phone: 503.310.3600 menu at reosribs.com Coke Special: BBQ Chicken Sandwich or Pulled Pork Sandwich, with French Fries or Coleslaw & a Soft Drink. Homemade Soul Food, Mississippi Style Fried Fish: Catish, Buffalo, Gasper Goo Ribs: Pork Spareribs, Baby Back Ribs, Beef Ribs Speciaity Soul Side Dishes: Hush Puppies, Fried Okra, Collard/Mustard Greens, Red Beans & Rice, Yams, Cornbread. Desserts: Sweet Potato Pie, Banana Pudding Friendly Great Staff Everybody Welcome “Best Soul Food in Town, Hollar if You Hear Me.” “If it’s Smokin’, We’re Open” majority [of the workers] are white guys…a lot of times I’ve been on the job, I’ve been the only black guy on the job. So that makes you nervous going into a situation like that. But I just keep strong and I’m here to work, learn and try not to think about it,” he said. Oregon is one of the only states that utilize federal highway fund- ing towards incorporating more women and people of color into highway construction trade jobs, but it’s also evident more action is needed to improve the job retention rates. A new effort to bring diversity to construction work has been tak- en by the nonproit support group Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., which is working with BOLI and ODOT on a program that aims to increase the apprenticeship retention rates of women and people of color in highway construction. “I am really excited about this project, said Tiffany Thompson, the advocacy program manager at Oregon Tradeswomen. “ It has an innovative approach that incor- porates workers driving cultural change in the industry while also providing more education about avenues for formal complaints.” Thompson said the effort has the potential to make signiicant shifts in the way co-workers and manag- ers treat each other. “We are also doing evaluation research throughout the project, so we know if it actually effective. I feel so grateful that BOLI and ODOT are invested in this and that our partners on the project are ded- icated to inding a solution,” she said. The pilot program is part of a two year contract for improving workplace culture. Both workers and supervisors will be trained in having a higher cultural awareness by recognizing abusive language and behaviors. Training will also be give on how to handle bystander harass- ment and other aspects of disre- spect and discrimination on the job. School Board Turmoil Exposed C ontinued fRom P age 2 “What stands out most for me is that women of color are only completing their apprenticeship programs at a rate of 19 percent. This number should horrify us! We are failing women of color that enter the industry. These women want these jobs,” said Thompson. She lamented at how a hostile worksite can be the turning point among many factors that drive women and minorities out of con- struction. “When they leave, they and their families lose out on a career that provides real, family wage jobs. And, the industry loses out on ap- prentices that they have invested a lot of time and money in. They lose out on strong, capable, intelligent workers at a time when they are in desperate need of new workers to replace their retiring workforce,” she said. The irst test of the new pro- gram will be made on the Dundee Bypass, a trafic reduction and in- frastructure enhancement project along Highway 99W in Newberg and Dundee. hler later had Brown take over Buel’s chair of the teaching and ing ovation from everyone except learning committee. Prior to the school board members Steve Buel changeover, she was the only board member without a commit- and Mike Rosen. School Board Chair Tom Koe- tee chair.
