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Inside: See Meeting Notices Page 4 Volume 115 Number 1 January 3, 2014 Portland, Oregon 22001133:: LLAABBOORR IINN RREEVVIIEEWW As reported in the pages of the Northwest Labor Press, 2013 was a year of legislative gains for organized labor, mostly — and a year that saw greater labor unity and a spirit of fight - back among working people. But there were also a number of tough contract fights, and some defeats. PORTLAND CITY HALL It’s hard to overstate the importance of the new sick leave ordinance passed unanimously by Portland City Council in March. About a quarter of a million workers, nearly all non-union, gained an important human right in the work - place as of Jan. 1, 2014. That’s almost as many workers as all the union mem - bers in Oregon. The measure was spon - sored by City Commissioner Amanda Sick pay advocate Andrea Paluso of Family Forward Oregon, pictured above Fritz after a campaign by Family For - with her children outside Portland City Hall, put together a union-community ward Oregon, Causa, United Food and coalition that won an ordinance extending earned sick days to a quarter of a Commercial Workers Local 555, the million Portland workers who didn’t have it. Oregon Working Families Party, and Working America, among other groups. employee retirement benefits, and gave buster their confirmation votes. Reid away over $500 million in new tax held a vote on a change to Senate rules, OREGON CAPITOL breaks to business owners. and a majority of senators voted to The Oregon Legislature banned the eliminate the filibuster on presidential expenditure of public funds to keep em - CONGRESS nominations (except for U.S. Supreme ployees from unionizing; gave workers A patient campaign by U.S. Senator Court nominations). The result is a the right to take up to two weeks unpaid Je ff Merkley (D-Ore.) to reform the fil - fully functioning National Labor Rela - bereavement leave; and expanded the ibuster bore fruit in 2013. Senate Ma - tions Board for the first time since jority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) at Obama was elected — and a new La - City of Portland employees prevailing wage law to cover public silica dust, and a federal regulation ex - length concluded that too few presi - bor Secretary who has already moved represented by the multi-union projects constructed with donor money. tending minimum wage and overtime dential nominees would ever get a vote several long-overdue regulations: an coalition known as DCTU rallied But lawmakers also trimmed public to home care workers. if minority GOP senators could fili - OSHA rule protecting workers from outside City Hall Aug. 14 to demand a “fair contract now” — with a fair cost of living increase and no concessions on job security. But at Oregon AFL-CIO takes more political action for ‘14 year’s end, they still didn’t have it. At a Dec. 18 meeting of its Executive Board and applying for services that require citizenship or legal independent from the Oregon AFL-CIO. political committee, the Oregon AFL-CIO made three residency. The Oregon AFL-CIO E-Board swore in two new political endorsements: Brad Avakian for re-election Oregon Legislative and Communications Director members: Jim Falvey and Lisa Gourley. NEWLY UNIONIZED WORKERS as Oregon labor commissioner, Oregon Nurses Asso - Elana Guiney said it’s not just foreign-born residents Falvey, president of Portland-based National Asso - In March, a group of 781 graduate ciation staff representative Rob Nosse for state repre - who have trouble getting a regular driver’s license: ciation of Letter Carriers Branch 82, replaced Kevin research assistants at Oregon State Uni - sentative in House District 42, and a “yes” vote on a some senior citizens, and homeless and indigent indi - Card after Card took a job with the national union in versity in Corvallis voted by a 9-1 mar - “driver’s card” referendum that will appear on the No - viduals who don’t have an address or place to store Washington, D.C. Gourley, a board member of Ore - gin to join an existing unit of teaching vember 2014 ballot. The state labor federation en - records, also have had difficulty. gon School Employees Association and president of assistants represented by American dorsed U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley’s re-election at its bien - A “yes” vote on the referendum is a vote to uphold the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Central Labor Council, re - Federation of Teachers (AFT)-Oregon, nial convention last September. the law as passed by the Legislature. places Stacey Chamberlain of AFSCME Council 75. and 287 workers at Mount Hood Com - Republican state Reps. Kim Thatcher and Sal Es - In other business, the Oregon AFL-CIO Executive The Board also dealt with leftover business from munity College Head Start joined Ore - quivel oppose a law passed in the 2013 legislative ses - Board authorized the establishment of a yet-to-be- the September convention. With amendments, the gon School Employees Association via sion that requires Oregon to issue resident driver’s named non-profit, a type of organization known un - Board passed Resolution 12, which puts the state labor signed authorization cards. Workers at cards without requiring that applicants prove legal der the federal tax code as a 501(c)3. Other state labor federation on record supporting a requirement that po - KBOO-FM radio in Portland unionized presence in the United States. So they led a signature federations have set up such groups, which conduct litical campaigns disclose their donors. And the Board — and negotiated a first contract with gathering effort to refer the law to voters. The driver’s policy research, public education and issue advocacy, voted to table Resolution 13, which called on the Ore - Communications Workers of America card, which requires passing a drivers test to obtain, but aren’t allowed to get involved in politics. Those gon AFL-CIO to organize a large public rally in de - (CWA) Local 7901. And Union Cab — allows holders to drive legally in Oregon for three roles could supplement the Oregon AFL-CIO’s other fense of Social Security and Medicare. Instead, the a newly-approved Portland cab cooper - years. Unlike the driver’s license, which is good for work, and unlike labor organizations, 501(c)3s are al - state labor federation will coordinate with the national ative affiliated with Local 7901 opened five years, the driver’s card is not accepted by federal lowed to accept foundation grants and tax-deductible AFL-CIO, which is planning a campaign on the issue for business in April. In June, however, or state governments as a form of identification when contributions. The group would have a board that is later this year. (Turn to Page 7) Labor liaison Smith Warner Machinists to vote on second Boeing offer Members of Machinists District 751 wage increases of only 1 percent every ously proposed). headed to state Legislature in Puget Sound and District W24 in other year, in return for what District Machinists are currently working Portland employed at Boeing Co. have 751 says are vague promises of mak - under a contract that doesn’t expire un - Barbara Smith Warner, la - Smith Warner was well been ordered by their international ing Washington the home for the new til September 2016. That agreement bor liaison to U.S. Sen. Ron known in labor circles prior union to vote on a second contract pro - 777X jet. has been in place since 2008. Wyden (D-Ore.), has been ap - to joining Sen. Wyden’s staff posal the company made Dec. 12. “The only guarantees this contract In a letter to all Boeing Machinists, pointed the new Democratic in March 2009. She worked Boeing has threatened to move pro - makes are that future Machinists won’t International President Tom Buffen - state representative for Oregon for the national AFL-CIO as duction of the new 777X to another have a defined benefit pension, current barger said Jan. 3 will be the “final House District 45. a state legislative issues co - state if workers don’t agree to the deal. Machinists will pay more for health vote” on a contract. He said the union The Multnomah County ordinator and as a campaign The vote was scheduled for Jan. 3, care, and everyone will have sharp lim - “must take the threat seriously” that Board of Commissioners on director against several anti- just a day after Boeing’s assembly its on their future earnings,” said Dis - Boeing will leave Washington (if the Dec. 19 chose Smith Warner, union ballot measures spon - workers returned from their annual trict 751 President Tom Wroblewski. contract is rejected). He wrote that 46, to replace Michael Dem - sored by Bill Sizemore. BARBARA SMITH two-week holiday break (and after this Boeing sweetened its cash offer, given the fact several states have ten - brow. In November, those From 1993 to 1996 she was WARNER issue of the Labor Press went to press). adding a $5,000 lump sum bonus in dered serious offers and incentive pack - same county commissioners the Western Regional field Machinists District 751 is “emphat - January 2020 to a $10,000 ratification ages to the company, “the timeline for appointed Dembrow to the state Senate coordinator for the National Association ically recommending that members re - bonus that was offered in the first pro - the Puget Sound area is expiring.” to fill the unexpired term of Jackie of Letter Carriers. ject the offer,” as it is largely un - posal. The company also withdrew its Prior to the union vote on Nov. 13, Dingfelder in District 23. Dingfelder re - Smith Warner was campaign direc - changed from one that members turned earlier demand to slow the wage pro - the Washington Legislature in a special signed mid-term to join the staff of Port - tor for former labor commissioner Dan down by a 2-to-1 margin on Nov.