New director at Portland Jobs with Justice
Portland Jobs with Justice has a new executive director, Jill Pham. The foundation-supported workers’ rights nonprofit is a coalition of over 100 labor and community groups. Pham first became active in labor when she got a job at New Seasons to help a union campaign by UFCW Local 555. She later worked for Washington State Nurses Organizing Project, and for Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals. Pham, 27, says she even has memories of being on a picket line as a toddler when her dad, a member of Machinists Lodge 63, was on strike at Boeing. She first got active in JwJ while working on a degree in social work from University of Portland. As JwJ executive director, she’ll oversee two to three staff represented by Communications Workers of America Local 7901. Pham says she wants to stabilize JwJ, connect mutual aid groups to unions and nonprofits, and continue the work of former director Will Layng of developing a worker resource center.
Kate Brown announces new round of labor appointees
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has appointed several union figures to state boards, pending confirmation by the Oregon Senate. Marshall McGrady, political coordinator for IBEW Local 48, will serve on the Building Codes Structures Board. And IBEW Local 125 assistant business manager Marcy Grail, along with Oregon Nurses Association staffperson Matt Calzia, will serve on the Workers’ Compensation Management-Labor Advisory Committee (MLAC), which advises the Oregon Legislature on reforms to the workers’ compensation system.
Former AFSCME staffer to lead Unite Oregon
Frequent union ally Unite Oregon, a nonprofit group advocating racial and economic justice, has hired Khanh Le to succeed longtime executive director Kayse Jama. Jama stepped down last year when he was appointed to the Oregon Senate. Le comes to the position having worked as state director of the progressive business group Main Street Alliance, before which he worked for Oregon AFSCME building coalitions with community groups.
-DM
