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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2008)
T3? P2 OR NEWSPAPER PRO J. UO LIBRrtRV SVSTEM PRE 1299 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EUGENE OR 97403-1205 fl.!Ml,f.l..l!...lf,..,lf..!.fl(...,f.i.f.l..!.l.....i!! () N NOVEMBER 1, 2008 - A Publication of the Grand Ron.de Tribe I V, Vtei'.g WWW.grandrOnde.org ca MOLALLA n ROGUE RIVER a KALAPUYA a CHASTA PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM. OR PERMIT NO. 178 'riK i?K. .' vj Ik 7 V ' y -1 v,' - ' 11 - Above, Tribal Elder Ruby Christensen, drtsscd as a housewife, grabs an apple while bobbing for apples during the Elders' Halloween Party at the Tribal Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 25. At right. Tribal Elder Linda Brandon, left, dressed as a good witch, takes her prize off a prize board that Tribal Elder Juanita Schlappie, right, put together for the party. Photos by Michelle Alalmo Graphic by George Valdez Council adopts new labor law By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Starting Nov. 1, Tribal em ployees are guaranteed by Tribal law the right to work on the Grand Ronde Reservation without mandatory requirements that they join a labor union or pay dues, fees or other financial sup port to a labor union. Tribal Council adopted the new right-to-work ordinance on Oct. 8 with a 6-0 vote. It went into effect on Oct. 31. "The Tribal Council has deter mined that it is in the best interest of the Tribe to maximize individual freedom of choice in the pursuit of employment opportunities and to promote an employment climate conducive to economic growth," the ordinance says. "No employee shall be forced to join or be penalized for not joining a union or other collective bargain ing organization, and should be able to make that choice freely and voluntarily." Assistant Tribal Attorney Kim berly D'Aquila researched the or dinance and drafted the law. "You can't be forced to join a union, or pay union dues, in order to have a job on the reservation," D'Aquila says. "And you also can't be fired because you decide to join a union if one comes about. "The purpose is to let employees decide for themselves whether they wish to join a union and whether the union deserves their money." Union organization of workers in both Tribal and nonTribal casinos is a growing trend. Inbor unions are battling declin ing membership nationwide and, consequently, reduced income from See LABOR LAW continued on page 7 Tribal efforts to improve Oregon's water quality By Ron Karten Smoke Signal fluff u-riler The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission told the state Department of En vironmental Quality on Oct. 23 to pursue rule revisions to substan tially clean up state waterways. The unanimous decision will usher in new rules that will allow Oregonians, as well as Tribal mem bers, to safely consume 10 times the amount of fish that is currently considered safe to eat. Current policy aims to allow individuals to safely consume 17.5 grams of fish per day; only two eight-ounce fish meals per month. The new rules will increase the al lowance to 175 grams per day, or 23 eight-ounce fish meals per month. "It is truly a victory for Tribes and without your work it could have had a different outcome. Keep up the great work!" said Tribal Chairwoman Chcryle A. Kennedy in an e-mail thank you to Tribal staff members Mike Karnosh and Brandy Humphreys, who partici pated in the process. Karnosh is Tribal Ceded Iinds Coordinator and also is the Grnnd Ronde Trilw's point man for the fed See WATER rontlnued on page 6
