Nesbitt, Witt win AFL-CIO election on white ballot

NORTH BEND - The slate of Tim Nesbitt and Brad Witt has been elected by acclamation to the posts of president and secretary-treasurer, respectively, of the Oregon AFL-CIO.

As this edition of the Northwest Labor Press went to press, nominations were held at the 44th annual convention of the state labor federation. Nesbitt and Witt, the incumbent secretary-treasurer, were the only candidates nominated for the two full-time posts.

For much of the year the two were campaigning against the team of Joe Devlaeminck and Rick Sawyer. But two weeks ago Devlaeminck, president of Oregon Council 75 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, announced that he was dropping out of the race for president. Sawyer, director of collective bargaining for United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555, later decided to end his bid for secretary-treasurer.

Nesbitt, executive director of the Oregon State Council of Service Employees, is a member of Oregon Public Employees Union Local 503. He succeeds Irv Fletcher, who is retiring after 18 years as president of the state labor federation.

Witt is returning for his third term as secretary-treasurer.

Because the Northwest Labor Press was on deadline and the official election was not scheduled until Wednesday, Sept. 15, comments from the two officers were unavailable, as were election results for first and second vice presidents and Executive Board seats.

More than a dozen persons ran unopposed for board seats. Those nominated on a white ballot were: Judy O'Connor, Northwest Oregon Labor Council, District 1, Position 1; Gary Kirkland, Office and Professional Employees Local 11, District 1, Position 2; Bob Williams, UFCW Local 555, District 1, Position 3; Richard Schwarz, American Federation of Teachers, District 1; George Kiepke, PACE Local 8-1097, District 2; Lloyd Carver, Machinists-Woodworkers-246, District 3; Carl Tyner, Steelworkers Local 6163, District 5; Rick Henson, Service Employees Local 49, District 6, Position 1; Pat Riggs-Henson, AFSCME Local 2831, District 6, Position 2; Mike Cole, Machinists-Woodworkers, 261, District 7, Position 1; Roger Bissonnette, Carpenters Local 2949, District 7, Position 2; Barbara Kellogg, OPEU Local 503, District 8; Gil Hays, Steelworkers Local 9170, District 9; Marty Demaris, Machinists-Woodworkers Lodge 12, District 11; Ron Schill, Machinists -Woodworkers-12, District 12; Cliff McKee, AFSCME 3940, District 13; and Diane Rosenbaum, Communications Workers Local 7901; Pat Davis, Carpenters District Council; and Jim Gorley, PACE 8-1189 were elected at-large.

For complete convention coverage, see the Oct. 1 issue of the Labor Press.