Labor Press eagle awards land

PORTLAND, OR -- Ron Fortune, who is retiring next month as executive secretary-treasurer of the Portland-based Northwest Oregon Labor Council, was named "Union Member of the Year" by the Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co., owner of the Northwest Labor Press.

State Representative Dan Gardner, a member of Portland Electrical Workers Local 48, was honored as "Politician of the Year," while Rogue Valley Transportation District of Medford was tapped as "Employer of the Year."

The presentations for the fourth annual awards ceremony took place prior to the annual meeting of the labor-owned publishing company April 8 at the Portland Hilton Hotel. Each winner received a bronze eagle trophy with the inscription, "Leaders Are Like Eagles, They Don't Flock, You Find Them One At A Time." More than 80 nominations were received, primarily from rank-and-file union members.

Fortune, a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, is retiring after 13 years heading the labor council, which covers Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas and Columbia counties. He has been a union member for nearly four decades.

"This award is very unexpected and maybe undeserved," Fortune said. "There are a lot of people in the labor movement more qualified to receive this award than me."

Gardner, of southeast Portland, has been a member of Local 48 for 20 years and is the union's recording secretary. He was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1996 in District 13. In his first term at Salem he was an outspoken advocate for organized labor -- both in the Democratic minority caucus and on the House floor. He had a 100 percent Committee on Political Education voting record.

Last session Gardner sponsored a workers' compensation bill that raised the benefits of workers with permanent partial disabilities. The bill passed the Republican-controlled Legislature unanimously -- reportedly the first workers' comp bill to pass unanimously in the past 15 years and the only bill to get 90 votes in 1997.

Gardner also was cited for his "unwavering involvement" with labor on picket lines, at rallies and organizing drives when called upon by local unions.

"I didn't know you could be rewarded for something that you love doing," he said. "I've had a lot of help from labor the last couple of years, and I look for more in the years to come."

Rogue Valley Transportation District General Manager Sherrin Coleman accepted the award as Employer of the Year.

An 18-month dispute with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, which represents its bus operators, nearly destroyed the transportation district in1996. Workers were fired, bus routes were dropped and the public lost confidence in the system.

In 1997 a new board was elected and Coleman was hired from within the transit district. As general manager she has added bus routes, hired more drivers, downsized a top-heavy administration.

Shop Steward Jim Sunseri praised Coleman's and supervisor Gary Nelson's work in improving the transit system and getting it "back on track." Along with the improved bus service have come improved morale and public support, the union said.

"We've gone through some really tough times," Coleman said, "And I can't tell you what an honor this is. ATU and RVTD are now truly a partnership and we have a bright future ahead of us."

The Labor Press is a non-profit corporation whose shares are owned by AFL-CIO labor organizations. It was formed in 1900.

© Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc.