Barry White of Millwrights Local
711 left presents a plaque to Tom Daugherty of Local 247 in
appreciation for a donation for $247 to the Unions for Kids
Motorcycle Poker Run.
We had 50 members and seven guests present at
our July Carpenters Local 247 regular meeting. Portland Habitat for Humanity
gave a short presentation about projects in the area. Skilled volunteers are
needed to act as jobsite leaders. Treasurer Bruce Ashback submitted a letter
of resignation because he will soon transfer to Vancouver Local 1715. It was
reported that Local 1715 is sponsoring a booth at the Clark County Fair. Our
local has been asked to help man the booth.
Under reports, we had a comprehensive
political report regarding the recommended endorsements. Our representatives
and organizers reported on job starts, opportunities, and organizing
campaigns. Barry White, Millwright Local 711, appeared regarding his
candidacy for Pacific Northwest Executive Board. Don Atwood, Carpenters
Local 1707, appeared regarding his candidacy for PNWRCC Vice-President.
Trustee Bob Hansen gave a Health and Welfare report and explained changes
for retirees and early retirees.
Under New Business we had a motion passed to
spend $248 on Doernbecher’s “Classic Mustang” raffle. Tickets to be door
prizes and given away at the 247 picnic. A motion was passed to send the 247
political endorsements on to the PNWRCC for a Regional Council endorsement.
A motion of endorsement was passed for Doug Tweedy, seeking the position of
Executive Secretary of the PNWRCC. A motion of support was also passed for
Barry White. For our picnic, two motions were passed, one for “Toys for
Kids” as the benefactor of our picnic raffle, and another for $500 for door
prizes. A motion was also passed requesting that the Political Department
mail out a list of endorsements to all members prior to the mailing of the
voters pamphlet and ballots.
There was more discussion under Good of the
Order and several communications were read. For more comprehensive meeting
info, ATTEND YOUR MEETINGS!!
Please make sure that you are registered to vote.
Check your voter registration and make sure that it’s updated. If you have moved
or if anyone in your house has turned 18, they need to register to vote. It is
our patriotic duty to vote. We need to choose the candidates who share our views
on the issues of family wage jobs, right to organize, responsible bidding rules
and health care for all. Thank you for your time!
In the past few weeks there have been
informational picket lines set up at many downtown job sites where the general
contractors are signatory with our union and the subs are not signatory with the
other trade unions. Often there is confusion about if we as union carpenters
have to sneak shame faced through the picket line via the “union gate” or call
our business agent for advice on what to do. Well, first off, you have a right
if you so choose not to work behind any picket line whether it is sanctioned or
informational. This applies even if the employer sets up a union and a non-union
gate. Second, your business agent, by law, cannot advise you to cross a picket
line or to stand in solidarity with your trade union brothers and sisters by
turning your rig around, grabbing your fishing rod and taking the day off. He
can only tell you what type of picket line it is. So basically it comes down to
you deciding which side you’re on. Are you on the side of expanding union
density and market share through solidarity, or the further loss of union
density in the construction industry through not honoring the picket lines of
other trades?
In the
real world beyond the veil of illusions class dictates the real separation of
powers.
The corporate use of violence did not stop by my
last examples of the 1930s. They have gotten more sophisticated and ideological.
They divide us against each other through the use of racism, sexism, and labels
such as Communist, red, preservationist, liberal, etc. The system also divides
us through competition, envy, and consumerism. Whenever these tactics fail, and
the system feels threatened they resort to the use of violence, exampled by the
corporate/government’s war against the American Indian Movement, Black Panthers
and Earth First! activists.
The history of the American working class is a
story of blood and war. Many times over our fathers, grandfathers, mothers and
grandmothers have paid the price with their lives for what little social and
workplace benefits we do receive. Each year, day by day, the greed masters of
the corporate controlled American society take more and more away, and give us
less and less for the takings. Less wages, less benefits, less clean water, less
clean air, less job safety, less compensation for accidents, less diversity of
life, and less self worth.
So, it is important that we keep our sense of
history. We the working class, man, woman, child; whether we be black, white,
brown or a variation thereof, it’s our differences that make us unique
worthwhile individuals. It’s our class that should unite us in the struggle for
a better world for ourselves, our children, and the many other species of life
we share space within this small Earth Island.
Sunday, August 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Camp Withycombe Armory
10101 SE Clackamas Rd
(just East of I-205 in Clackamas,
South-East of Clackamas Town Center)
A valid driver’s license is required to drive
into Camp Withycombe. Parking is free.
Food: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, ribs,
chicken, salads, baked beans, corn on the cob, chips, and beverages. Brownies,
Sno Cones and cotton candy too!
Games and activities: Face painting and tattoos,
carnival game booths, Giant Tsunami Amazing Slide, Surf & Slide, Rain Forest
Bounce, swimming pools, bingo, and relay races. DON’T FORGET A SWIMSUIT!
Hawaiian shirt contest: Dig through your closet
for your best (or worst) Hawaiian shirt! Judgesdecide who goes home with the
prize.
Raffle: This year we’ll be having a raffle on a
variety of items. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the picnic.
This year’s proceeds will be going to Toys for Kids, which coordinates the
building of wooden toys for needy kids throughout the area.
1989 The UBC starts an intensive National
training, and organizational programs.
1990s Portland Jobs with Justice is founded. Labor supported drives to raise
minimum wages is successful making Oregon the highest level in the Nation.
Labor defeats a series of legislative attacks form
anti ñ union forces lead by Bill Sizemore and his puppet masters of the Oregon
Business Roundtable.
September 11 Terrorist attack the Pentagon, and
the World Trade Centers
killing over 3000 people. 17 of those murdered
were union carpenters working in their daily jobs. Several escaped then returned
to help with rescue efforts.
2003 IT'S ON YOU NOW! Go make history. Educate,
agitate, and organize!
Six Carpenters locals and the Willamette
Carpenters Training Center will be staffing a table at the Clark County Fair to
represent our union. Each local’s share of the tabling works out to four
four-hour shifts.
Local 247’s shifts are:
Tuesday, Aug. 10, 6 to 10 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 13, 2 to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information or to volunteer, call the
Local 247 office at 503-289-9632.
Matewan Written and directed by John
Sayles. This is the absolute best acted and well written story about labor
history! It is a work of genius!
Salt of the Earth This movie was banned and
blacklisted; do we need a better reason to see it? The cast of the movie was
composed of actual strikers and blacklisted actors.
Roger and Me by Michael Moore. This is dark
comedy about the shut down of the GM plants is Flint Michigan. See this movie
and you will never buy another GM automobile!
Norma Rae Based on a true story, Sally
Fields does an excellent job in this movie.
Silkwood Hollywood heavy hitters Meryl
Streep, Cher, and Kurt Russell tell the true story of Oil & Chemical workers
activist Karen Silkwood, and her efforts to expose illegal activities at a
Kerr-McGee nuclear plant.
The Killing Floor This movie explores race,
and work at a Chicago Meat packing plant.
Harlan County USA Documentary explores the
conflict between union miners and management in Bloody Harlan County Kentucky.
These videos can be purchased on Ebay. You can
also find many hard to come by labor books on Ebay, as well as
www.abebooks.com.
