Gary Young, a 24-year member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 48, won election to a full three-year term as the union’s business manager. In mail ballots counted June 24, Young received 646 votes, Nancy Cary 402, and John Wilson 186.
Young, 52, was appointed April 8 to succeed Clif Davis, who resigned as business manager to take a job at the international union as business development representative for IBEW’s 8th and 9th districts.
Members also chose 13 other union officers from among 35 candidates. Erik Richardson was re-elected president, turning back challenger Dennis Ward. For vice president, Armando Flores will face Paul New in a July 15 runoff election; the two outpolled a third candidate, Jodi Tillinghast. Kathy Duncan was reelected recording secretary, outpolling challenger Cory Wyatt. For treasurer, incumbent John Sargent ran unopposed.
Four candidates ran for and were elected to four positions on the Examining Board, which evaluates candidates for membership in the local: Ray Lister, Oscar Merida, Terry Reigle, and Forrest Chapman.
And six seats on the Executive Board were filled by the top vote-getters among 23 candidates: Members returned incumbents Rod Belisle, Paul Behrman, Marjorie Ramirez, Christina Daniels, and added newcomers Bruce Barnes and Topher Edwards.
Voter turnout was 29.8 percent of the membership.
Newly elected officers will take the oath of office at Local 48’s July 24 meeting. All terms are three years.
The Portland-based union represents construction electricians and sound and communications technicians in an area that encompasses Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington.
The local’s approximately 4,200 members work under 25 different contracts, the biggest of which is its agreement covering inside wiremen electricians in commercial and industrial construction employed by members of the National Electrical Contractors Association. Local 48 members also have a presence in residential construction, work as material handlers at industrial and commercial facilities, or are employed by local broadcasters and government entities.
Young said one of his top priorities will be increasing market share, particularly as the Intel expansion winds down in about a year. The project currently employs about 1,300 union electricians.
“The future is bright,” Young said, “and we will take every opportunity we can to move things forward.”
Young said he will also work to ensure enforcement of standards in the electrical industry, to continue Local 48’s tradition of volunteerism and community involvement, and to build unity within the wider labor movement. Local 48 will be locking arms with other unions,Young said, to defend the union movement against attacks like a proposed “right-to-work” ballot measure aimed at public sector unions.
