June 18, 2010 Volume 111 Number 12
Transit Union Local 757 sounds alarm to ‘Save Our Ride’
Ridership is steady at mass transit systems around the United States, yet transit districts are cutting service and raising fares.

[Left, ATU members and supporters rally in downtown Portland June 11 to call on Congress to let transit districts use federal money for operations and maintenance.]

Building trades unions squawk at Ducks’ no-bid contracting
Oregon’s State Board of Higher Education voted June 4 to allow a private group to build a new soccer and lacrosse complex on land belonging to University of Oregon, and then give them to the university. Representatives of Oregon building trades unions have been concerned that the project is set up that way to skirt competitive bidding and public disclosure requirements and possibly avoid the obligation to pay construction workers the prevailing wage.
WSLC-backed Pridemore quits congressional race
Less than a month after Washington State Labor Council endorsed Craig Pridemore for U.S. Congress, Pridemore announced he was ending his campaign and supporting fellow Democrat Denny Heck.
Postal unions oppose move to eliminate Saturday mail service
September 25 is set to be the last Saturday with regular mail pickup and delivery — or so the U.S. Postmaster General is proposing. Postal Service unions, allied with business customers like Netflix and eBay, are asking Congress to say “no” to the move to five-day-a-week mail service, and instead take other measures to repair U.S. Postal Service finances.  
SEIU Local 503 director Frane takes DC job for SEIU international
Leslie Frane, executive director of Service Employees International Union Local 503 in Oregon, has been appointed director of SEIU’s Public Services Division by the union’s new president, Mary Kay Henry.
Motorcycle poker run raises $50,000
A record 460 motorcycle riders registered to participate in the eighth annual Unions For Kids Poker Run and Chili Cook-off June 12.