Portland schools' cafeteria workers merge with SEIU Local 503

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 140 — representing about 300 cafeteria workers at Portland Public Schools — has became part of the much-larger SEIU Local 503.

SEIU Local 140 lost about half its members in August 2002 when the school district replaced its 300 in-house custodians with a private contractor, Portland Habilitation Services (PHC).

A few of the laid-off custodians maintained associate memberships with the union, hoping legal action would overturn the district’s decision to contract out. So far, those avenues have been unsuccessful .

In January, SEIU International President Andy Stern and the international union’s Executive Board ordered a merger, with details to go before Local 140 members for approval. The March 3 vote of the membership was overwhelmingly in favor of the merger.

“It was an opportunity for Local 140 to become part of an organization that has more clout,” said Local 503 President Kathy Best.

Local 503 is the second-largest union in Oregon, with 30,000 members and a staff of 100.

Local 140 will continue as a sub-local of Local 503, though without the custodians as members. A council made up of Local 503 leaders and laid-off custodians, chaired by former Local 140 President Grant Walter, will continue to oversee legal actions against the custodial outsourcing.

Local 140 had contracted with attorneys Mark Griffin and William Brandt to pursue a lawsuit arguing that privatization violated a civil service law. That case is now on hold.

Attorney Charlie Williamson has agreed to continue on a contingency basis a separate legal action — against PHC. The suit contends PHC committed fraud by seeking the contract under a state law that gives preference in contracting out to “qualified rehabilitation centers” despite the fact that PHC’s workforce wouldn’t meet the state’s definition of qualified — in which at least 75 percent of workers are disabled.

PHC employees are members of SEIU Local 49, but SEIU is supportive of the suit because the union is opposed on principle to privatization.

The new Sub-Local 140 will elect officers in May, and in the future will vote along with other Portland-area Local 503 members to elect district directors, who also serve on the statewide Executive Board.

Meanwhile, the nutrition services workers’ existing contract is due to expire June 30. Portland Public Schools human resources chief Steve Goldschmidt, considered a union foe, has assigned Greg Newstrand to negotiate. Lane Toensmeier, Local 503 internal organizer, heads the union bargaining team. Bargaining has been under way since March 31.

After the custodial layoffs, the cafeteria workers accepted a contract that specifically affirmed the district’s right to contract out cafeteria work in the future at any time. Toensmeier said one bargaining priority is to win greater protection from that threat, such as a requirement that the district do a feasibility study — and allow the existing workers to bid — before giving the work to a private company. So far, district management has rejected that proposal. Members also want a higher cap on district contributions to health care, to make it more affordable.

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