Labor Appreciation and Recognition Night raised $9,100 for Labor’s Community Service Agency (LCSA). The annual banquet sponsored by the Northwest Oregon Labor Council (NOLC) recognizes people and businesses for their commitment to helping better the lives of workers and people in their communities. It also doubles as a fundraiser for LCSA. More than 300 people gathered June 9 at the IBEW Local 48 Hall in Northeast Portland to celebrate.
Among the crowd was Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, Multnomah County Commissioners Loretta Smith, Sharon Meieran, and Lori Stegmann; Clackamas County Commissioners Paul Savas, Ken Humberston, Sonya Fischer, and Martha Schrader; Washington County Commissioner Dick Schouten, State Reps. Barbara Smith Warner and Sheri Malstrom; and Multnomah County commissioner-elect Susheela Jayapal.
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 2018 recipient is Keith Edwards, a retired business manager of IBEW Local 48 and retired international rep. Edwards was a co-founder of Local 48’s Electrical Workers Minority Caucus and has been deeply involved with the Coalition of Black Men, and A. Philip Randolph Institute. He has served on the Executive Board of United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, and was recently appointed by Gov. Kate Brown to serve on the TriMet board of directors.
The “Heritage Award” was presented to Everice Moro, retired from Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) Local 6732. In retirement, Moro serves as first vice president of NOLC, and as president of the Oregon Alliance for Retired Americans. “Everice is the epitome of a union activist. She is involved in so many facets of the labor movement, that it has become hard keeping track of her!,” her award read.
Northwest Labor Press received the Business Award. The Labor Press has published continuously since its founding in September 1900. With a circulation of more than 60,000, the newspaper reports labor news in Oregon, Southwest Washington, and nationally. Editor and manager Michael Gutwig accepted the award.
Recognition Awards went to: Richard Ramirez, Teri Jones, and Thomas Tsuneta of OSEA Local 6732; Lori Vaughn, a member of Office and Professional Employees Local 277; Brooke Robinson Hoffman of Hollywood Impress; Fought & Company; Patrick Montgomery of Iron Workers Local 516; Patty Housley, spouse of Machinists member Mike Housley; Jacob Foster, Charisse Wall, and Beth Blumklotz of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757; Joe Harris of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16; and Jaimie Garver of Portland Local 8 Federal Credit Union.
Additionally, Bob Petroff of Machinists Lodge W24, and Lee Duncan, retired IBEW 48, received special recognition awards as past members of the LCSA Executive Board.
