News briefs


Laborers Local 483 endorses Nick Fish for City Council

Municipal Employees Local 483, an affiliate of the Laborers Union, voted overwhelmingly Dec. 19 to endorse Nick Fish for Portland City Council.

Local 483 is the second major union of city employees to support Fish. The first was Local 189 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

“Nick Fish will bring a much-needed fresh perspective to the City Council,” said Wayne Marine, business manager for Local 483. “He understands labor issues, cares about working people and shares many of our ideals. While we won’t always agree on everything, Nick has the experience we need to work together.”

“I am proud to have the city’s workers behind me as I run for the Portland City Council,” Fish said. “Together, we can get the City of Portland back on the right track, for our families, our neighborhoods and our local economy.”

Local 483 represents approximately 860 employees, including 600 working for the City of Portland. Members work in the bureaus of Maintenance, Environmental Services, and Parks and Recreation. In addition, the Local represents employees at the Port of Portland, Metro, the City of Mt. Angel and the Portland Habilitation Center.


Central Oregon Head Start workers vote 2-1 for OSEA

Redmond—Early childhood and family advocate professionals at Central Oregon Community Action Agency Network (COCAAN) Head Start voted 25 to 13 to join the Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA).

Over 92 percent of the employees voted in the National Labor Relations Board election, which was conducted by mail. COCAAN manages Head Start programs in Bend, LaPine, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters.

Job security, a voice on the job and health care for dependents were among the key issues that drove the union organizing effort. Collective bargaining for a first contract is expected to begin in January.

“COCAAN maintained a healthy degree of neutrality during the organizing campaign, largely because of strong community support for the workers,” the union’s organizing committee said.

Managers and supervisors were instructed not to express opinions about union representation, and employees were able to make their decision without employer interference.

Representatives of the Human Dignity Coalition, Deschutes County Democrats, Interfaith Ministries of Central Oregon, Jobs with Justice organizing committee, Central Oregon Labor Council, Central Oregon Building Trades Council and several unions held rallies and spoke up for the right to organize at a COCAAN board meeting.

Ballots were counted Dec. 19 at the NLRB office in Portland.

 

Bargaining begins Jan. 6 at Northwest Natural

Bargaining between Office and Professional Employees Local 11 and Northwest Natural opens Tuesday, Jan. 6. The current seven-year Joint Accord expires March 31.

Portland-based Local 11 represents approximately 900 employees at the gas company — office workers, meter readers, service technicians, outside gas workers, customer service representatives and others.

“It’s our largest bargaining unit,” said Local 11 Executive Secretary-Treasurer Debbie Sluyter, who has been preparing for the interest-based bargaining by participating in joint training with the 26-person bargaining team comprised of chief and executive stewards, union representatives and representatives from NW Natural (the Joint Accord Committee).

Prior to the start of negotiations, the union team met with members in small groups throughout the state to determine what they wanted to see in their new contract.

“I believe negotiations will go smoothly,” Sluyter commented. “NW Natural and Local 11 are committed to continuing their cooperative partnership.”

She said members would like another Joint Accord, which guarantees no layoffs during the length of the deal. Other issues will be health care insurance and wages.

Beginning Jan. 6, negotiations are scheduled at a Portland-area hotel three days a week, eight hours a day, through the end of March.

 

AFSCME Local 189 backs Francesconi for Portland mayor

Portland city employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 189 have endorsed Jim Francesconi for mayor.

Local 189 represents approximately 1,100 general city workers and is the largest unit of the 10 unions with contracts at the city.

It is the second early endorsement issue by the union. The first came last month when Local 189 announced support for Nick Fish for Portland City Council.

Local 189 President James Hester said a key to the endorsement was the candidate’s pledge to hire a full-time labor liaison if elected.

Francesconi, who will step down as a city commissioner to run for mayor, said he was “proud” to have the union’s endorsement and he praised city employees’ efforts on the job.

“AFSCME Local 189 represents the backbone of our city’s operation,” said Francesconi. “As mayor, I will focus our priorities and ensure that city workers can effectively deliver important city services.”

Local 189 and affiliates of the District Council of Trade Unions recently ratified a two-contract extension six months before the current contract expires.

Vera Katz is not seeking re-election after three terms as mayor of Portland.

 

Machinists Lodge 63 announces new union officers

Machinists Lodge 63 elected new officers in elections held Dec. 13. The union represents workers at Boeing of Portland and at other shops.

Elected were Stacy Breunig, president; Libby Martin, vice president; Bill Turpen, secretary-treasurer; Richard Martin, recording secretary; and Chuck Drake, sentinel/conductor.

Elected to the local’s Executive Board were Linda Bender, Ron Breunig, Bev Criswell, Rita Derrick, John Kleiboeker, Jonathan Nguyen, Mary Sabolish and Kathy Wing.

Trustees elected were Steve Bergeron, John Hall and Steve Wilson.

Breunig, Scott Lucy, Paul Mulligan, Rick Thompson and Sabolish were tapped for the Examining Board while Henry Hoang, Craig Moran and Sabolish were elected auditors.

Broc Greif, John Hall, Bob Petroff, Dave Plant, Lucy and Turpen were elected delegates to the Northwest Oregon Labor Council and Breunig, John Hall, Richard Martin and Turpen were named delegates to the Oregon Machinists Council.

Rick Thompson was elected delegate to the Clark, Skamania and West Klickitat Counties Labor Council in Washington.

 

Auto Mechanics Lodge 1005 lists winners of union voting

Auto Mechanics Lodge 1005, which represents Machinists at Freightliner and other shops, announced recent election results of new officers and delegates.

Elected were: President Joe Estes; Vice President Roy Christanson; Secretary-Treasurer Joe Kear; Recording Secretary Fred MacKenzie; and Conductor/Sentinel Fred Lamb.

Gilbert Robles, Mike Morton and Joan Miller were elected trustees; Steve Engelhardt, Gary Payne and Andy Wheatland were tapped as auditors.

Lamb, Estes, Miller, Kear, Christanson and Dwain Panian were elected delegates to the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, and Estes, Panian, Lamb and MacKenzie were elected delegates to the Oregon Machinists Council.


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