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May 21, 2010 Volume 111 Number 10
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Laborers take BrucePac dispute
to next stage
In April, a federal judge ruled BrucePac illegally fired pro-union
workers. Now Local 296 is taking the campaign to BrucePac customers.
[Vigil
for Justice: Laura de Cordoba, Manuel Coria, Jose Carmen
Maciel, Luis Coria, and Domitila Lopez are among 18 pro-union workers
fired by Willamette Valley meat processor BrucePac.]
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Union
pension funds face slow-motion crisis
Two
years after a severe Wall Street downturn, working people suffer
not just joblessness, but reduced chances for a secure retirement.
About 10.4 million American workers are counting on retirement benefits
from multiemployer union pension trusts; the value of those trusts’
investment assets fell 22 percent in 2008.
Will
Congress come to the rescue of multiemployer pension funds?
Congress
may give some relief to beleaguered union multiemployer pension
trusts, via provisions added to the “tax extenders”
bill. The provisions would give underfunded pension trusts more
time to make up for investment losses, a change that would reduce
the immediate burden on participating union employers and lessen
pressure to cut benefits.
Oregon’s
Worker Freedom Act survives court challenge
Oregon’s
Worker Freedom Act has survived its first court challenge. In a
May 6 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Mosman dismissed
a lawsuit by two business groups that wanted the union-authored
state law struck down.
Building
trades back bid for private casino
A proposed
private casino in east Multnomah County has won support of the Columbia
Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council.
Two
proposed construction projects in Oregon shelved
NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc., halted development of a $650 million
liquefied natural gas facility at Bradwood Landing near Astoria
and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. And the Portland Development
Commission will renew its office lease in Old Town, scuttling a
proposal by TMT Development Co. to move to the yet-to-be-built Park
Avenue West Tower downtown.
Five
unfair labor practice complaints filed against Portland French School
At a
private school in Southwest Portland, pro-union teachers and support
staff encountered a management backlash when they sought to join American
Federation of Teachers - Oregon.
Glass
Workers 139B wages one-week strike at Vancouver Iron & Steel
About
85 members of Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers
Local 139B waged a week-long strike May 8-14 at Vancouver Iron and
Steel, a truck parts foundry. After the two sides met again May
14, members voted to accept the offer they had rejected the week
before.
Flute
Fandango wants to set Guinness record
Portland
Musicians Local 99 is looking for any and all flutists to help break
the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest flute ensemble
to ever perform.
Pridemore
nabs AFL-CIO endorsement for Congress
State Sen. Craig Pridemore of Vancouver, a candidate for the Southwest
Washington Congressional seat vacated by Brian Baird, was endorsed
in a roll-call vote by the Washington State Labor Council at its
May 15 Committee on Political Education (COPE) convention in Seattle.
Nesbitt
to be governor’s chief of staff
Tim
Nesbitt, a former president of the Oregon AFL-CIO and current deputy
chief of staff to Gov. Ted Kulongoski, will be promoted to chief
of staff effective June 18. Nesbitt will succeed Chip Terhune, who
has accepted the position of director of environmental and public
affairs at Schnitzer Steel.
Springfield
Roofers merge with Local 49 of Portland
Pacific
Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters endorsed John Kitzhaber
for governor at its quarterly council delegate meeting Feb. 20.
After
26 years helping others, Glenn Shuck retires
Glenn
Shuck, the head of Labor’s Community Service Agency, is retiring
after 26 years of helping union members and area citizens get through
tough times.
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