Multnomah County Employees Local 88 has endorsed Judy Shiprack for county commissioner in District 3. The district’s boundaries are I-84 on the North and Clackamas County on the South. It extends as far west as NE 33rd Avenue, and east as far as 148th.

Local 88 is an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. It represents the largest bloc of union workers at the county, with about 2,700 members.

The union also reaffirmed its endorsement of Carla Piluso in District 4, which covers east Multnomah County, including Gresham, Troutdale and Wood Village.

The union endorsed Piluso in the May primary, but not Shiprack. Instead, members opted for Rob Milesnick.

Shiprack and Piluso, who is Gresham’s chief of police, were the top vote getters in the May primary, but neither was able to get the necessary 50 percent-plus-one to avoid a runoff.

Shiprack, a former state legislator (her maiden name was Judy Bauman), will face runner-up Mike Delman in District 3. Delman is public affairs director of Portland Habilitation Center, and a former chief of staff to ex-County Commissioner Gary Hansen. He received several labor endorsements in the primary, including one from United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555.

Shiprack, who is married to Bob Shiprack, executive director of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, had strong labor backing in the primary. She most recently worked as director of the Public Safety Coordinating Council of Multnomah County. She is a former Multnomah County deputy district attorney, and she served for 10 years as director of the non-profit affordable housing group, LINK Community Development Corporation.

Piluso will face Diane McKeel, executive director of the West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, in November. Piluso is running with strong support from organized labor.

© Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc.