nwlaborpress.org | July 17, 2009

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July 17, 2009 Volume 110 Number 14
		New streetcars are union-made in America Left, members of Iron Workers Shopmen’s Local 516 and IBEW Local 48 applaud the first American-made streetcar in 58 years during a ceremony in Portland’s South Waterfront District.
Proposal to put Fred Meyer on Unfair List is tabled Fred Meyer Inc. dodged a bullet July 13 when the Northwest Oregon Labor Council Executive Board tabled a request to put the retailer on its Unfair/Do Not Patronize List. WSLC convention expected to rethink relationship to Democrats About 300 delegates will gather in Wenatchee Aug. 6-8 for the 2009 convention of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Conspicuously absent from the guest speaker list are any top Democratic state politicians. AFT trustees Kaiser nurses Local 5017 Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals Local 5017 was placed in trusteeship July 7 by its parent organization, American Federation of Teachers. The 17-member local union Executive Board plus three senior officers, including President Kathy Geroux, were removed from office. OPEIU Local 11 members at NW Natural ratify pact Workers at NW Natural voted 394-161 to approve a new five-year contract July 2 after voting down a previous offer May 28. Stakes were higher on the second ballot, because a “no” vote also meant the bargaining unit would have authorization to call a strike. Working Families Party helps pass bill to start ‘fusion’ voting The Oregon Working Families Party is ready to get more active in electoral politics next year, thanks to an election reform called fusion voting that took three years to pass For some union-backed bills in the Oregon Legislature — better luck next time The Democratic-controlled Oregon Legislature’s 2009 session was successful overall for organized labor. But a number union-backed proposals failed to win passage, and some of those may rise to the top of labor’s priority list next time around. Governor signs Oregon AFL-CIO’s top priority bill After the Oregon AFL-CIO’s top priority bill, the Worker Freedom Act, passed last month, Governor Ted Kulongoski signed it into law without ceremony or public announcement. Former Oregonian runs for number-two national AFL-CIO office Elizabeth Shuler, a former lobbyist and communications director for IBEW Local 125 in Portland, is running for secretary-treasurer of the national AFL-CIO on a ticket with Richard Trumka, who is running for president, and Arlene Holt Baker, who is seeking re-election as executive vice president. IBEW 280 votes Frew business manager In a June 30 runoff to determine IBEW Local 280’s next business manager, one-time vice president Tim Frew outpolled former business manager Dennis Caster 278 to 219. Incumbent business manager Tim Nicol placed a close third in the first round of voting held June 9.