NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Portland dock work wanes, but pay doesn’t
PORTLAND — You work, you
get paid. You don’t work, you still
get paid.
It’s a deal that helped longshore
union members at the Port of Port-
land collect more than a million
dollars in salaries last year, even as
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to a halt and workloads fell fast.
The longshore union has
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a port-supported fund that pays
members whether or not they work.
During a lockout at the Port of
Portland’s grain terminal in 2013,
the fund paid $1 million over the
course of a year — while no work
was going on at all.
Terminal 6, Portland’s container
port and the former lifeblood of
the state’s small and medium-sized
exporting industry, now receives a
single ship per month. Between April
and July, the container terminal had
no work at all.
Elvis Ganda, the head of terminal
operator ICTSI Oregon, said the
company hires for just 30 eight-hour
shifts a month now — down from
500 jobs a week before February.
That means longshore workers are
doing 1 percent of the work they
were doing before.
But dock worker pay at the Port
of Portland barely took a hit. The
International Longshore and Ware-
house Union has a pay guarantee
plan that assures many longshore
workers will be paid for nearly a full
week of work at nearly four times
minimum wage, regardless of how
much work there is to do.
Union advocates say the plan
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over time.
But critics of the longshore union
say the plan is why union members
aren’t working with the port oper-
ator to bring shipping lines back to
Terminal 6. “It’s not much incentive
to go back to work,” Ganda said.
Without the union on board, port
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direct ties to Asia and Europe back is
a hard sell. Greg Borossay, a general
manager of the Port’s marine trade
development, said that ongoing liti-
gation between the Port of Portland,
the union and ICTSI Oregon doesn’t
necessarily need to be resolved
to bring interested carriers back,
but a workforce with a history of
slowdowns could hurt Terminal 6’s
chances.
“It would certainly be helpful
if the labor issue could be fully
resolved,” Borossay said at an
BRIEFLY
Oregon Board of Agriculture
meeting in December.
The Portland chapter of the union
has been found guilty by the federal
labor board and judges several times
in the past few years of intentionally
slowing work on the docks at the
container terminal, making threats
WR ,&76, 2UHJRQ RI¿FLDOV DQG
other unfair labor practices. Hanjin
Shipping Co. and Hapag-Lloyd
both stopped calling at Terminal 6
in the midst of a West Coast-wide
slow down, but the Port or Portland
issue started before and likely will
continue long after other ports are
back to normal.
The International Longshore and
Warehouse Union did not respond
to repeated requests for comment.
In 2013, a union spokeswoman said
the pay guarantee plan is necessary
for workers who have families
and mortgages to survive during
disagreements with the port.
7KH 3DFL¿F 0DULWLPH $VVRFLD-
tion, which represents 29 West Coast
container port operators, maintains
the pay guarantee fund and each
port contributes based on the tons of
cargo going in and out. That means
the ports in the Puget Sound and in
Los Angeles are heavily subsidizing
the lack of work in Portland.
Other states already prohibit that
practice.
Public sector employees’ union
SALEM — Oregon is one of more membership averages 17 percent
WKDQVWDWHVWKDWFRXOGIHHOVLJQL¿- in states that ban mandatory fees
cant impacts from a U.S. Supreme compared with 49 percent in states,
Court case that seeks to strip a long- such as Oregon, that allow mandatory
standing power of public sector labor fees, according to an amicus brief by
unions to collect fees from workers a group of social scientists in support
of the labor unions.
who decline to join.
2I¿FLDOV ZLWK 2UHJRQ SXEOLF
The Supreme Court heard oral
arguments Monday, Jan. 11, in a case sector labor unions said the case is an
brought by a group of 10 California attack on the democratic principles of
teachers who say the mandatory fees labor unions and on the middle class,
trample on the free-speech rights ZKLFK KDV EHQH¿WHG HFRQRPLFDOO\
of workers who oppose the union’s from unions’ work better wages and
causes. The court is scheduled to working conditions.
“Our belief is this truly is another
release its ruling in June, according
to the Center for Individual Rights, a attempt by the haves to have more
QRQSUR¿WODZ¿UPWKDWUHSUHVHQWVWKH and to have the have nots just do what
they’re told,” said Hanna Vaandering,
teachers.
If the teachers are successful, the president of the Oregon Education
case could reverse a nearly 40-year Association, which represents 43,000
precedent the court set in 1977 to teachers and support staff at commu-
nity college and K-12 campuses.
allow for the mandatory fees.
“It could have a huge impact “We will survive and will continue to
on public sector unions in that the advocate for public education.”
/DERU XQLRQ RI¿FLDOV UHIHU WR
lifeblood you depend on would effec-
tively dry up, that is union dues,” said mandatory fees as “fair share” fees
Keith Cunningham-Parmeter, a law because the money pays for the cost
professor at Willamette University of collective bargaining and pursuing
grievances. Without mandatory fees,
who specializes in labor law.
Oregon is one of more than 20 workers who decline to join the union
states where public sector employees ZRXOG VWLOO UHDS WKH EHQH¿WV RI WKH
are forced to pay mandatory fees. union without paying any of the cost,
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Periods of rain
An afternoon
shower in spots
46° 34°
44° 34°
SATURDAY
A rain or snow
shower in spots
A bit of morning
snow, then rain
Rain and drizzle in
the morning
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
44° 32°
42° 35°
45° 36°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
44° 33°
45° 33°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
37°
26°
41°
27°
61° (1933) -19° (1909)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.06"
0.12"
0.67"
0.12"
0.25"
0.67"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
35°
41°
64° (1945)
26°
28°
-9° (1937)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.03"
0.08"
0.49"
0.08"
0.15"
0.49"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
First
Full
Jan 16
Jan 23
45° 32°
42° 32°
46° 34°
Seattle
49/39
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Last
7:33 a.m.
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REGIONAL CITIES
Today
SUNDAY
Spokane
Wenatchee
40/29
39/32
Tacoma
Moses
49/35
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 38/27
40/32
48/39
48/35
43/26
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
47/36
47/36 Lewiston
44/33
Astoria
49/37
50/41
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
49/39
Pendleton 38/24
The Dalles 44/33
46/34
44/36
La Grande
Salem
40/28
49/40
Albany
Corvallis 49/39
48/40
John Day
45/30
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
36/24
50/40
43/28
Caldwell
Burns
39/25
38/19
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
Hi
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NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Thu.
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Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
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WORLD CITIES
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Hi
34
67
61
44
60
32
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WINDS
Medford
51/36
Klamath Falls
40/22
(in mph)
Today
Thursday
Boardman
Pendleton
W 4-8
S 6-12
SE 4-8
SSE 6-12
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Periods of rain today.
A passing shower or two tonight. Rain
tomorrow.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Rain today,
but snow and rain in central parts and a bit
of snow in the south.
Western Washington: Rain at times today.
Eastern Washington: Rather cloudy today. Morning
ice, then ice in the mountains; snow in the north. A
little rain across the south and near the Idaho border.
Cascades: Periods of rain today. A little
snow tonight, accumulating a coating to
an inch.
Northern California: Showers today; heavy
snow, accumulating 3-6 inches in the
interior mountains.
0
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1
family of a worker who died
IURPDIDOOKDV¿OHGD
million lawsuit against the
University of Portland, alleging
its faulty equipment caused the
accident.
According to the suit,
Thomas Smith was working
at the university arena in 2014
when the lift he was using to
reach speakers and lights tipped
over. The 55-year-old struck
KLVKHDGRQWKHDUHQDÀRRUDQG
died from his injuries three
months later.
The lawsuit contends the
lift was in poor repair, and the
university allowed it to be used
without outrigger supports that
could have prevented tipping.
The suit also faults Genie
Industries, the Washington-
based company that designed
the lift.
A university spokeswoman
declined to discuss the
lawsuit when reached by The
Oregonian. The company also
declined comment.
Corrections
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FRIDAY
PORTLAND (AP) — A
Multnomah County Circuit
Court judge has ruled that a
blind woman must give up
ownership of her guide dog as it
has bitten three strangers.
The Oregonian reports
that last week Judge Thomas
Ryan agreed that the hearings
RI¿FHU¶VGHFLVLRQWRUHPRYHWKH
German shepherd mix “Noni”
from Connie Walker’s home
was correct.
Walker’s attorney said they
will appeal the case to the
Oregon Court of Appeals, and
Ryan agreed to let Walker keep
Noni until the appeals court
rules. Until then, Noni must be
muzzled while out in public
RUFRQ¿QHGWRWKHEDFNRI
Walker’s home when caregivers
or others visit.
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THURSDAY
Judge rules Gresham
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Copyright © 2016, EO Media Group
TODAY
PORTLAND — Oregonians
have a few more weeks to get
their health insurance plans
locked down for 2016.
Sign ups, renewals and
changes to existing plans
through Healthcare.gov can be
made until Jan. 31, the last day
of open enrollment. Friday is
the deadline for those seeking
coverage to start on Feb. 1.
Roughly 133,770
Oregonians have selected
plans through the federal
exchange website as of Jan. 2,
up nearly 20 percent from last
year, the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services said
Tuesday. Oregon has been
using the federal exchange
website since last spring after
ditching its problem-plagued
Cover Oregon portal.
Individuals without health
insurance face high penalties
— 2.5 percent of household
income or $695 per adult plus
$347.50 per child, whichever
LVJUHDWHU²ZKHQ¿OLQJWKHLU
2016 taxes.
BEND — A new lawsuit
argues that state and federal
agencies are harming the
Deschutes River and its native
Oregon spotted frogs.
The Bulletin reports that
:DWHU:DWFKRI2UHJRQ¿OHGWKH
suit Monday. It says the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation and
three state irrigation districts are
treating a portion of the river as
an irrigation ditch rather than a
natural resource.
The conservation group
ZDQWVFKDQJHVLQULYHUÀRZV
to improve frog habitat. It
also wants the Bureau of
Reclamation to consult with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, which listed the frog as
threatened in 2014.
A Boise-based spokesman
says the Bureau doesn’t
comment on pending litigation.
The Deschutes Basin Board
of Control president says the
lawsuit will impede cooperative
efforts to improve frog habitat.
The Board of Control
ODERURI¿FLDOVVDLG
Oregon’s public sector workers are
under no obligation to join the union,
but they often have to take action to
opt out of paying full dues in favor
of paying lower “fair share” fees,
Cunningham-Parmeter said. While
dues might cover the cost of some of
the union’s political activities, “fair
share” fees are restricted to paying for
collective bargaining, grievances and
other non-political services, the law
professor said.
Depending on the contract, some
workers who decline to join the union
still have to pay full dues upfront and
then apply for a rebate for amount of
the dues that would have gone toward
the union’s political activities.
The Oregon Education Associa-
tion, for instance, provides rebates
usually within a month of when
workers apply for a rebate, said
VSRNHVZRPDQ/DOLD+LUVFK¿HOG
About 10 percent of eligible
workers seek the rebate, she said.
While labor unions are focused on a
worst-case scenario in which the court
would prohibit all mandatory fees, the
court also could make a more limited
ruling, Cunningham-Parmeter said.
The court could choose to ban
the opt-out process and require that
workers opt into paying the full dues,
he said.
Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
represents the irrigation districts
named in the lawsuit.
Fatal fall at
University of
Oregon conservation Portland leads to
group sues on behalf $13M lawsuit
of spotted frog
PORTLAND (AP) — The
Oregon labor unions fear setback in Supreme Court case
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
Oregon nears health
insurance deadline
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8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016
-10s
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showers t-storms
0s
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rain
20s
flurries
30s
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snow
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cold front
70s
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warm front stationary front
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National Summary: Very cold air will extend from the northern Plains to the Northeast
with areas of heavy snow from the Great Lakes to northern New England today. Rain and
mountain snow will fall from California to Washington.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 74° in Corona, Calif.
Low -34° in Embarrass, Minn.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
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Today
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Tucson
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Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
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