Union democracy

Operating Engineers Local 701 business manager Jim Anderson ran unopposed for re-election this year, the second time in a row.

Sarah Wofford is the new top officer at the Oregon School Employees Association, replacing former president Lisa Gourley.

AFSCME Local 2619 member Christy O’Neill resigned as secretary-treasurer of the Oregon AFL-CIO at the Sept. 7 meeting of its executive board.

Dave Jacobsen has been elected president of IBEW Local 48 and Garth Bachman was reelected as business manager.

Robert Larzalere, a second-generation member of the union, was sworn in as the new business manager April 14.

Delegates to the American Association of University Professors’ biennial meeting voted to affiliate with the American Federation of Teachers.

Thomas Mosher succeeds Bob Tackett, who retired, as executive secretary-treasurer of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council.

The Oregon AFSCME Executive Board has named one of its members, Fred Yungbluth, Jr. as president until the union’s April 2023 convention.

Some local labor organizations see an argument for hybrid meetings, which incorporate in-person and virtual attendance options.

Jonathon Baker has taken office as president of Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP).

Fiona Yau-Luu, Eva Rippeteau and Thomas Spisak-Mosher are running to be the next secretary-treasurer of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council.

Local 555 represents grocery workers. Both before it left and now that it’s back, Local 555 was NOLC’s largest affiliate.

The March 18-20 Oregon AFL-CIO convention was the first since the pandemic, and the first union event at the Hyatt Regency Portland.

Southwest Washington union officer Shannon Myers and WSLC’s political director Cherika Carter will contest for the number two spot.

Tefere Gebre, executive vice president of the national AFL-CIO, says the climate crisis is the "fight of our lifetime.”

Delegates will see debates between candidates for governor and labor commissioner, and will honor outstanding union members and lawmakers.

Hazmat specialist Isaac McLennan won election after incumbent Alan Ferschweiler left to work for the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council.

14-year Nabisco employee Mike Burlingham, a longtime union steward at Nabisco, outpolled longtime incumbent Victor Weekes.

Delegates to the Metal Trades Council of Portland and Vicinity held a Jan. 10 election to name its top officers.

All told SWWACLC represents 17,000 members of 51 affiliated local unions in Clark, Skamania, and west Klickitat counties.