Union democracy

Over 210 delegates and 100 honorary delegates and guests assembled Sept. 21-23 in Bend for the state’s biggest labor gathering.

The council, made up of 27 AFL-CIO-affiliated local unions, held its convention Sept. 26-28 at Running Y Ranch near Klamath Falls.

The union has suffered from significant internal turmoil in recent years.

Larry Taylor is on a mission: training members on how to use the tools of democracy in their unions.

Before it became a division of the Teamsters in 2004, the union was known as the Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU).

Local 737 represents laborers in construction, shipyards, and road maintenance, plus several hundred public works employees.

Sarina Roher is a Kaiser Permanente RN and executive secretary of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP).

The coalition includes Burgerville Workers Union, Donut Workers United, Restaurant Workers of Portland, and Market of Choice Labor Union.

Business Manager Lou Christian retired effective May 31, and was succeeded by the assistant business manager, Joe Neely on June 1.

Longtime Northwest Natural steward Howard Bell outpolled two-term incumbent Maureen Goldberg and was sworn in to a three-year term May 9.

Meeting April 28-30 in Sunriver, delegates transformed the state organization’s structure and replaced its entire top leadership.

After a lifetime of engagement with labor and politics, Wimmer brings decades of high-level experience to the job.

United Brotherhood of Carpenters transferred more than 19,000 members into five newly chartered locals. No explanation was given.

Training center director Shawn Lenczowski succeeds longtime president Matt Eleazer, who left to take a job at the international union.

Retired teachers union lobbyist Laurie Wimmer was elected unopposed Feb. 27 for executive secretary-treasurer of NW Oregon Labor Council.

Founded in 1998, WNBPA was the first U.S. labor union of professional women athletes. It represents all players on the 12 teams of the WNBA.

The public sector LiUNA local is currently preparing for a strike at its biggest unit: the City of Portland.

Executive secretary-treasurer, a full-time staff position, has been vacant since Thomas Mosher left in November.

Aida Aranda was unopposed for secretary-treasurer at the Dec. 8 meeting of the union federation’s Executive Board.

Shaun Gundert, a high school science teacher and member of Evergreen Education Association, was elected as SWWACLC president.