Labor history mural to be unveiled at PCC

By DON McINTOSH

Staff Reporter

A labor history mural is set to be unveiled Sept. 13 on the outside wall of the offices of two local affiliates of the American Federation of Teachers - the Portland Community College Faculty Federation and the Portland Community College Federation of Classified Employees.

The mural was a collective project, with input from PCC staff, students, community, and administration. PCC art instructor Bill Garnett led a group of students in the design and production of the 8-foot by 32-foot mural; funding came from the PCC Faculty Federation, the American Federation of Teachers, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 290, the PCC Diversity Committee, and the Regional Arts and Culture Council.

The mural is intended to educate the public about local labor history and to raise the visibility of unions at a college where labor and management have frequently been at odds in recent years. The people and images in the mural come from local labor history, such as Forest Grove mill workers being arrested in a 1923 strike; Longshore workers picketing during a coastwise 1934 strike; Dr. Marie Equi, a prominent labor activist and supporter of the Industrial Workers of the World; and Cipriano Ferrel, immigrant rights activist and co-founder of the farmworkers union PCUN.

The labor music group General Strike will perform at the unveiling, which will take place from 1 to 1:30 p.m. outside Room ST1, PCC Sylvania Campus, 12000 SW 49th Ave.