MARITAL UNION Labor Day picnickers Michael and Samantha Allison met on a Bonneville Power Administration construction project. She’s in IBEW Local 48. He’s in Carpenters Local 503. “I accidentally messed up his drywall, so I brought him cupcakes to apologize,” she said. Now they’re a proud union family. | PHOTO BY DAN O’DONNELL
Oaks Amusement Park in Southeast Portland was once again the site of the region’s largest Labor Day picnic Sept. 1. After a five-year hiatus, Northwest Oregon Labor Council returned to host thousands of union families for hot dogs, union craft booths, and amusement park rides.
Dozens of state and local elected leaders also made the rounds talking with union members. Oregon Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson found it a fitting occasion to announce her campaign for re-election next year. But 15 state lawmakers who expected to attend were stuck at the capitol in a special session for transportation funding.
ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL Signifying labor unity, this year the big Labor Day picnic drew participation from allied unions that aren’t labor council affiliates, including Oregon Education Association, Oregon Nurses Association, Carpenters, and SEIU Local 49. Above, Local 49 officer Ray Krebs, a custodian, had a chance to talk with Portland City Council member Candace Avalos and Congresswoman Maxine Dexter.
