DEC. 5, 2008 8pger:NWLP 12/2/08 10:21 AM Page 1 See Inside MEETIING NOTIICES Page 4 Volume 109 Number 23 December 5, 2008 Portland Buy union this holiday season — and keep it local The economy may be holding its breath, but that won’t stop most Labor Press readers from doing at least some gift shopping this year. And buying union-made and union-delivered is a way for working peo - ple to stick together. To help readers who want to do that, the Labor Press has come up with 10 gift ideas for goods and services made or sold by local union workers. CONCERT TICKETS. Tickets to the Oregon Symphony make a classy gift — and they keep members of American Fed - eration of Musicians Local 99 employed. The Portland Opera and Oregon Ballet Theater also employ AFM mem - bers, but OBT now uses recorded music for over half its shows, such as the Nutcracker Suite. Ask before you buy. HUNTING GEAR. For the hunter or fisher in the family, what about a knife made by Gerber Legendary Blades? Based in Southwest Portland, Gerber employs members of Machin - ists District Lodge 24, Legendary Local 2911. CELL PHONE SERVICE. As any kid will tell you, if you give them a cell phone for Christmas, they’ll love you forever. But be sure to go with unionized AT&T, not any of Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain fires up rally-goers protesting the use of nonunion contractors on the the other carriers, which are nonunion (and rather anti- initial phase of a $250 million Oregon State Hospital makeover in Salem. The contractors are performing demolition union). In Oregon, when you visit a company-owned AT&T and asbestos removal. According to the Laborers Union, which sponsored the rally, the employer doesn’t pay area store, you’re talking with a member of Communications Work - standard wages and benefits. ers of America (CWA) Local 7901. BOOKS. Books make great gifts, and you can buy them, or a gift card, at Powell’s Books, the only unionized book State hospital job off to a bad start seller in the area. Workers there are represented by Interna - tional Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 5. SALEM —The long overdue re - tion and Demolition of Sandy, Oregon. recommend solutions. That inquiry placement of the dilapidated Oregon Jim Anderson of Operating Engi - found many buildings on the campus CHEAP WHEELS. Got a teenager? Give the gift of mobil - State Hospital has gotten off on the neers Local 701 told the NW Labor located at Center Street NE in central ity. A one-month TriMet Youth pass costs $26, and might wrong foot for some construction Press that several signatory contractors Salem were badly outdated. cut down on the need for chauffeuring. And TriMet employs unions. bid the work. In September, ground was broken members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757. Laborers Local 320 held an infor - Not all of the construction contracts on a new, 620-bed facility, part of a mational rally Nov. 20 to protest the have been awarded, “but when the first $458 million “revitalization and mod - BOOTS. For serious boot-lovers, Danner hiking, fishing and presence of nonunion contractors per - big piece ($16 million for demolition ernization” plan that will include a hunting boots are the real deal, and some of them are made forming demolition and asbestos abate - and asbestos abatement) goes rat, second, 36-bed state hospital in Junc - in Portland by members of UFCW Local 555. Check the ment work on the first phase of the that’s bad news,” said Ben Nelson, an tion City — near the location of a new label to see if it’s U.S.-made. And get them at Danner’s Port - $250 million prevailing wage project. organizer for the Laborers Union. state prison. The new hospital is land outlet store, 12722 NE Airport Way, or at Al’s Shoe’s and The general contractor is Hoffman Anderson hopes that a union con - scheduled for completion in 2011. Boots — a long-time supporter of the Labor Press — at 5811 NE Construction. tractor will get the excavation and site Speaking at the Laborers rally were 82nd Ave. According to the Laborers Union, work. Tom Chamberlain, president of the CANDY. Fill up your stockings with union-made candy. IRS Environmental, which has a pri - The 125-year-old psychiatric hospi - Oregon AFL-CIO; Jerry Fletcher, See’s “Famous Old Time Candies” is hand-packaged by mem - marily Hispanic workforce doing as - tal is one of the oldest on the West president of the International Brother - bers of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain bestos removal, does not provide ade - Coast. Originally known as the Ore - hood of Tangent Electrical Workers Millers International Union. Russell Stover Candies, Jelly quate health insurance and isn’t a gon Insane Asylum, it was renamed in Local 280; and Bruce Roller of Labor - Belly jelly beans, Hershey’s Kisses, Fifth Avenue, Zagnut, recognized training agent for appren - 1907. The hospital may be best known ers Local 320. More than five dozen York Peppermint Patties, Nestles Crunch, Kit Kat bars, tices. In fact, during the rally Nov. 20, for being featured in the movie “One members from other unions partici - Baby Ruth, Butterfingers and Thin Mints are all made Laborers organizer Bill Hoffman Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” star - pated, including the American Federa - by members of the Bakers Union. asked an IRS Environmental employee ring Jack Nicholson. tion of State, County and Municipal about his health care plan. The man re - In 2003, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulon - Employees and the Service Employees BLANKETS. When you turn down the thermo- sponded that he didn’t have insurance. goski established a 21-member mental International Union, . AFSCME Lo - Demolition work is being per - health task force to identify problems cals 3295 and 3327 represent nurses (Turn to Page 2) formed by nonunion Konell Construc - in the mental health care system and and doctors at Oregon State Hospital. DEC. 5, 2008 8pger:NWLP 12/2/08 10:21 AM Page 2 Agency revives ‘Helping Hands’ program After suspending its “Helping nity Service Agency announced that it In October, LCSA distributed more Hands” emergency assistance pro - will again be taking referrals starting than $8,000 in rent and housing assis - gram in November, Labor’s Commu - Dec. 8. tance, utilities, food, clothing, and es - sential needs on behalf of dozens of Helping Hands applicants. The volume was much more than the agency could handle, said Execu - Quest tive Director Glenn Shuck. The program was temporarily sus - Investment pended until more resources became Q available. Management, Inc. Labor’s Community Service Agency can be reached at 503 231- 4962. } S•eSrevrivninggMMuullttii--EEmmpployeer r Shuck reminds union members that Trusts for Over Twenty Years people in need can also contact Trusts for Twenty Years United Way’s “2-1-1 Guide Line” in - formation and referral hotline. To ac - CCam Joohhnnssoonn GGreg Sherwwoooodd cess the hotline, simply dial 2-1-1. PHC gets energized by the sun AAddriannHHaammilitlotonn MMonte Joohhnnssoonn Guide Line serves as an informational Jim Loftus of Dynalectric (in back) helps Portland Habilitation Center DDoouug GGoebel BBiillllZZennk clearinghouse for all social services in Northwest Director John Murphy install the last of 4,830 photovoltaic panels the region. on the roof of PHC’s new $8 million manufacturing facility in Northeast Garth Nisbet Pat Worley Portland. The solar array covers 72,000 square feet and can generate 858- kilowatts of electricity a year — more than enough to power PHC’s in-house OOnnee SSWW CCoolluummbbiiaa St., Suite 1100,PPoorrttllaanndd,, OR 97258 ‘Holiday Party’ manufacturing, assembly, courier, and warehousing services. PHC trains and 550033--222211--00115588 Dec. 6 in Salem employs individuals with disabilities. Workers are members of Service Employees Local 49 and Laborers Local 483. Any excess energy generated wwwwww..QuestIInveessttmmeennt.tc.coomm SALEM —The 68th annual “Holi - from the solar system will be delivered to Portland General Electric’s grid day Party for Children” will be held at and the non-profit PHC will be credited for unused energy under Oregon’s 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Elsi - net-metering law. The solar installation will eventually save PHC an nore Theatre, 170 High St. SE, Salem. estimated $75,000 in annual energy costs and reduce its greenhouse gas The free event, sponsored by the emissions by approximately 18,000 tons over the life of the system. “This Bennett Hartman Marion, Polk, Yamhill Counties Labor project is a statement about opportunity,” Murphy said. “With so much b h Council, will feature holiday songs by anxiety these days, we’re glad to be a part of something based on optimism Morris & Kaplan, llp Patrick Lamb, a showing of the movie for the future.” United Fund Advisors, a renewable energy company and Attorneys at Law Kung Fu Panda, a visit from Santa syndicator of tax credits, developed the project and structured the financing m k Claus, and a free goody bag. Lamb is for investor U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, the actual a popular musician in Oregon and is a owner of the solar system. As the owner, U.S. Bancorp will get federal and member of Musicians Local 99. state tax credits. Dynalectric is signatory with IBEW Local 48 and Loftus is Oregon’s Full Service Union Law Firm Doors open at 9:45 a.m. an instructor for solar classes at the NECA-IBEW training center. The Photovoltaic Energy Generation Systems class has been part of the Representing Workers Since 1960 curriculum for all IBEW 48 journeyman and apprentices since 2002.