NOLC interviews political hopefuls


The Northwest Oregon Labor Council (NOLC) Executive Board has made several endorsement recommendations for the May 18 primary election. More candidate interviews will be conducted Monday, March 22, but none of the recommendations are final until they are approved by delegates at the regular monthly meeting. Delegates meet March 22 at 7 p.m. at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 48 Hall, 15937 NE Airport Way, Portland.

On March 8, the Executive Board interviewed nearly a dozen candidates — ranging from hopefuls for state representative to county sheriff. At the interviews candidates also returned a questionnaire compiled and distributed by the Oregon AFL-CIO.

Nick Fish, a candidate for the non-partisan Portland City Council, received the recommendation for endorsement over challenger Sam Adams. Fish, an attorney, has picked up endorsements from most of the unions that have members working at the city, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 189, Fire Fighters Local 43, Laborers Local 483, Teamsters Joint Council 37 and the District Council of Trade Unions.

Adams is endorsed by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, the state’s largest private-sector union.

Lisa Naito was recommended for endorsement for re-election to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, but not unanimously.

Second Vice President Lynn Lehrbach, a business representative of Teamsters Joint Council No. 37, opposed the recommendation, citing Naito’s involvement in the process the county employed to issue marriage licenses to same gender couples. That process, he said, was wrong because it excluded Commissioner Lonnie Roberts — and any public input.

Rod Monroe was recommended for re-election to the Metro Council in District 6. He is being challenged by Robert Liberty, an attorney and former director of 1000 Friends of Oregon. Both men were interviewed by the Executive Board, but Monroe received the nod because of his past history of working with organized labor. Monroe also was endorsed by AFSCME Local 3580, which represents workers at Metro, the regional government that oversees land-use, conservation and transportation issues in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties and operates the Oregon Zoo and Oregon Convention Center.

Craig Roberts was recommended for Clackamas County sheriff, and Martha Schrader was backed for re-election as a Clackamas County commissioner. Roberts, who has been a deputy in the county for 22 years, has been endorsed by the Clackamas County Peace Officers Association and the Clackamas County Fire Fighters Local 1159.

NOLC recommended two candidates for legislative races. They are Greg Macpherson in House District 38 and Chip Shields in House District 43. If those recommendations are confirmed by delegates they will be forwarded to the Oregon AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE), which is responsible for legislative endorsements.

COPE meets Friday, March 26, at 10 a.m. at the IBEW Local 48 Hall.


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