We had 47 members present for
our July regular meeting of Carpenters Local 247. Gene Picariello was
installed as trustee and Greg Aleshire was installed as Regional Council
delegate.
Dick Springer, Director of the Fair
Contracting Foundation, attended the meeting and gave a report regarding the
latest issues they are working on.
Under reports we heard about the sudden
passing of Brother Sean Harkin. He was kayaking and had a heart attack. Sean
was only 48 years old. Sean attended the regular meetings and was working on
receiving a free 247-jacket award. The members passed a motion awarding his
widow a 247 jacket.
Under reports we heard from several
representatives and organizers about various jobs and activities going on in
the area. We also had a political report covering recent actions, both at
the state and federal levels. We had additional reports about apprenticeship
and training, retirees, the Local 247 picnic, Seattle strike, Labor History
and volunteer opportunities.
Under Good of the Order, it was suggested that
we boycott Georgia-Pacific in response to their use of out-of-state,
substandard contractors at their project at Wauna. It was also brought out
that Boden Store Fixtures was in the process of going non-union. Boden does
a lot of Fred Meyer work. Health & Welfare Trust issues were also discussed.
Under New Business, a motion was passed
donating $247 to the Ludlow/United Miners fund to restore a damaged
monument. There was a motion endorsing Carpenters Local 247 as a group to
participate with Costco. Another motion called for sending our Health and
Welfare trustees some proposed rule changes regarding how delinquent benefit
payments are handled. There were a couple of issues tabled, and another
letter to be sent to the Labor Press and the International regarding Boden
and Fred Meyer.
This report just hits the high points
regarding action at YOUR UNION. For all the details, BE THERE — second
Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.
Steak and Chicken Barbecue dinner was served at the June
general membership meeting. There were no complaints about the food. Plans
are to serve dinner at a general membership meeting once every three months.
General membership
Meets the second Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Carpenters Hall, 2205 N.
Lombard, Portland. Representatives of the Utility Reform Project will speak
about their ballot initiative campaign to replace PGE with a Public Utility
District.
Retirees
Retirees meet for lunch the second Monday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. at JJ North’s,
10520 NE Halsey, Portland.
Executive Board
Executive Board meets the fourth Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Carpenters
Hall, 2205 N. Lombard.
Fighting to
protect overtime pay
By a 213–210 margin, the U.S. House narrowly defeated an amendment that would
have derailed the Bush administration’s attack on the 40-hour workweek.
President George W. Bush on July 9 threatened to veto the fiscal year 2004 Labor
and Health and Human Services appropriations bill (H.R. 2660) if it included the
amendment. The amendment, proposed by Reps. David Obey (D-Wis.) and George
Miller (D-Calif.), would have prohibited the Department of Labor from using
funds to implement regulations cutting overtime pay. The Bush administration is
pushing for changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act that could eliminate
overtime pay for as many as 8 million workers, including police officers, nurses
and store supervisors. Many workers would face unpredictable work schedules and
reduced pay because of an increased demand for extra hours for which employers
would not have to compensate workers. Any worker making more than $22,100 a year
could be denied overtime pay under the proposed changes if they are classified
as professional, administrative or executive employees exempt from federal
overtime rules.
Presidential
candidates forum
Be sure to watch C-SPAN for live coverage of the national AFL-CIO forum for
presidential candidates focusing on working family issues Aug. 5 in Chicago at 8
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, in conjunction with the AFL-CIO Executive Council
meeting. All current Democratic candidates are scheduled to attend. President
George W. Bush has been invited to speak to the council in Chicago or at a
specially scheduled meeting. The AFL-CIO asked the presidential candidates to
respond to a detailed questionnaire about issues critical to working families
such as jobs, health care, retirement security, education, corporate
accountability, a strong and secure America, civil and human rights and the
freedom of workers to form unions.
You can read their responses by visiting www.aflcio.org/candidates2004.
Local 247 member Sean Harkin died June 29 of a
heart attack while kayaking on the White Salmon River with friends. Brother
Harkin was an energetic fundraiser for Local 247’s Sick and Injured Fund, and
attended general membership meetings regularly, working toward receiving the
free 247-jacket that is given out as an award for perfect attendance.
At the July 8 general membership meeting, members passed a motion awarding the
247 jacket to his widow, Linda Pfohl. Her letter of thanks to Pete Savage is
reproduced below.
At its July 22 meeting, the Executive Board recommended renaming the 247 Sick
and Injured Fund the Sean Harkin Memorial Sick and Injured Fund.
21 July 03
Dear Pete,
Those who knew Sean well knew he was passionate about everything he did — his
play, his music, his “drink,” and his craft. He was a great believer of the
union and the power of the united worker. I think this passion grew out of his
experience growing up just outside Northern Ireland and then watching the impact
the Thatcher years had on friends and family who still lived in the United
Kingdom. One sure-fire way to get him started was to mention Maggie’s name —
“that whore, slut, cu…” I’m sure you get the picture.
Sean felt Americans took their unions and the power they had for granted. Many
work crews were subject to rantings along this theme. He was especially pleased
with all the raffle tickets he sold for the Sick and Injured Fund. He was
merciless in his sales pitch, pitting one person against the next: “Even ______
has bought a ticket, and he is the tightest bastard I know.” He really was proud
of the individuals he got to give, and worried about the folks who bought but
might not have been able to afford it — families, etc.
You probably don’t know, Pete, that he had the Local 247 sticker on his kayak —
on the front right side. He displayed that sticker proudly. I so much appreciate
receiving the union jacket. It is such a lovely gesture. I know Sean would have
been pleased. He was coming religiously to meetings to “earn” it. I can just see
him strutting around on the job taunting others with it. That would be so like
him. I did have him cremated in it. I know he liked that. It was easier to part
with the jacket when Curt told me about the vote at the Union meeting to get one
for me. This simple act of kindness still moves me to tears. I, too, will wear
it proudly.
I don’t think there are any words to tell you or the other brothers how much
this means to me. I miss Sean with a pain that runs to the core of my being.
Knowing he was doing what he loved with friends he loved is some consolation. He
always did embrace the next adventure without looking back — even when he moved
from Sydney to marry me eight short years ago. I can feel him around me and look
forward to being wrapped in the comfort of the snug Carhartt Local 247 jacket.
I will be leaving later this week to go to the United Kingdom for a memorial
service there for Sean. It will be nice to be surrounded by his eleven siblings,
scores of cousins, nieces and nephews. Unfortunately, I will miss the picnic. I
hope you will pass on my gratefulness to the other union members.
Leo Larson, Jerry Hughes and Dave Royer were in
attendance at the June general membership meeting. The retirees meet regularly
for lunch on the second Monday of every month. Local 247 pays for their lunches.
All retirees are encouraged to attend both the regular Local 247 meeting and the
retirees luncheon. [See meeting notices.]
Greetings, fellow workers. I discovered the
following poem in a small book I recently purchased on E-Bay. It is from Echoes
from Labor’s War: Industrial Cape Breton in the 1920s, by Dawn Fraser. This book
is full of little gems, and I’d like to share this one with you all.
“Mon Pere”
By Dawn Fraser
My father was a
carpenter
Who worked hard every day,
His back was bowed, his hands were hard,
His locks were thin and grey.
That was many years ago.
The Locals then were small,
And every man who met the boss
Would touch his hat and crawl.
But father had a rebel’s heart,
And often he told me
Of how he hoped to see the day
When workers would be free.
Now, father was no prophet,
Nor am I a prophet’s son,
But today it is apparent
That the bosses’ day is done
When I hear the mighty unions
Proclaim the rights of man,
And I see the groups endorsing
The co-operative plan;
When no more will rank injustice,
Sustained by greed and lies,
March boldly down the highway
Garbed as “free enterprise.”
There are those who name
this racket
Where they hold the winning hands
Through control of all resources
And through title to the lands;
Where gold’s the mighty master
With which goods are bought and sold,
Where the slaves are empty-handed
And the lords have all the gold.
With the cards stacked so pretty,
Would the sucker then be wise
To play the bosses’ racket
That he calls “free enterprise?”
No, my brothers, shun the tempter –
The whole set-up is a steal;
Fight and work for social justice.
Close the ranks for a new deal.
Down with hunger, slums, depressions,
Heed the swelling socialist call;
Why should you and yours be hungry
When there’s plenty for all?
What Shelly told your fathers,
Today I am telling you-
REMEMBER YOU ARE MANY –
REMEMBER THEY ARE FEW!
Portland Habitat for Humanity’s 100th house will
be built during the Blitz Celebration where we will build 14 houses in nine
days! Portland Habitat for Humanity needs six contractors for each house! If you
want to help make a difference, please call 503-287-9529. If you volunteer,
please notify the 247 office and wear your union colors. Also be sure Habitat
for Humanity knows you are a union carpenter volunteer. Watch for other Habitat
projects coming too!
