2016 Labor Appreciation & Recognition Dinner

Nearly 300 people gathered June 4 for the annual Labor Appreciation and Recognition Night banquet sponsored by the Northwest Oregon Labor Council (NOLC). The event recognizes people for their commitment to helping better the lives of workers and people in their communities. It also doubles as a fundraiser for Labor’s Community Service Agency (LCSA). This year’s event raised $2,500.

Top recognition is the Del Ricks Community Service Award in honor of the late Del Ricks, who was LCSA’s executive director for 17 years. The 2016 recipient is Madelyn Elder of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7901. Elder spent 21 years at the local — six years as secretary-treasurer and five three-year terms as president. She is a volunteer at the Rebuilding Center, a non-profit resource to strengthen the environmental, economic and social fabric of local communities. For many years she has organized fundraisers and participated in legislative work for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, where they seek to end pediatric HIV/AIDS through research, advocacy, prevention and treatment programs. She also is a long time activist with the Cross-Border Labor Organizing Committee of the Portland Central America Solidarity Coalition. Today, Elder is the chief financial officer for Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., a non-profit that recruits women to pursue careers in high-skill, traditionally-male building trades.

The “Heritage Award” was presented to Bob Petroff, a union rep for Machinists District Lodge W24 and former five-term president of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, and to Joe Esmonde, a recently retired union rep and lobbyist for IBEW Local 48 and the building trades.

Recognition Awards went to:

• Amanda Swan, vice chair of IBEW 48’s Sound and Communications Division;
• Claudella Walland, vice president of the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon Retirees;
• Darren Hamann, business agent for Bakers Local 114;
• Jill Lukens, a behind-the- scenes volunteer at labor events who is the daughter of retired NOLC Executive Secretary Judy O’Connor and spouse of Will Lukens, a union rep for Machinists District W24;
• Rose Etta Venetucci, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 28;
• Radar Bateman, an IATSE international rep and member of Portland Local 28;
• Kyle Sims of United Steelworkers Local 8378;
• Dixie Hyde of Steelworkers Local 1199;
• Paula Kingsbury of AFT-Oregon Retirees;
• Kathy Muir of Portland Federation of School Professionals Local 111;
• Sarah Newman, a member of Office and Professional Employees Local 11 employed at IBEW and United Workers Federal Credit Union.
• Committee for Women from United Association Local 290: Amanda Brooks, Jessica Voeller, Cricket Merans, Melissa Nash, Alisha Nash, Ashley Haysom, Ashley Tri, Alison Craig, Iris Gandarilla, Suzanne Scheans, Zory Hill, Nancy Foster, and Ashley Workman. The women — all working tradeswomen who are plumbers and steamfitters — organize and put on a popular hands-on workshop at the Women in Trades Career Fair sponsored annually by Oregon Tradeswomen.

Guest speakers were Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. Some of the dignitaries attending were Clackamas County Commissioners Martha Schrader and Jim Bernard; Washington County Commissioners Dick Schouten and Greg Malinowski; state legislator Lew Frederick; Love Centerwell, vice president, corporate relations, for United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, and retired NOLC executive secretary Judy O’Connor.