More booty from New York City: Boyd Elliott-Gerlach shows off his New York T-shirt.

February meeting report

By Bruce Dennis 
President

We had 84 members in attendance at our February meeting. Dick Springer from the Fair Contracting Foundation gave a short presentation about the Foundation and took several questions. He was very well received. Under reports, we heard from 247 delegates regarding the recent Pacific Northwest Regional Council quarterly meeting held in Spokane, WA. 

We also heard from Ben Embree, PNW organizer and John Schraner, WCTC apprenticeship coordinator, as well as our usual representative and retiree reports. Under good of the order, Frank Kimmel was presented with a Steward award for his service as steward and Edward Doty Jr. received his Journeyman certificate. Under unfinished business, we had an in-depth discussion regarding the issues facing us at our upcoming contract talks. 

A survey is being developed and all members are encouraged to participate. There was a motion passed to send an endorsement letter for Brian Baird, SW WA US Representative, to the PNWRCC. There was also a motion passed to spend $150 to improve the 247 Web site. The meeting went fairly smooth and was adjourned at 9:45 pm. Door prizes were then raffled off. The March meeting will be our Carhartt jacket award meeting.

Meeting Notices

General membership 
Meets the second Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m. at the Carpenters Hall, 2205 N. Lombard, Portland. Local 247 Carhartt jackets will be awarded at the March meeting.

Contract negotiation meeting
A contract negotiation meeting will take place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 9, at the Local 247 office in the upper hall. All delegates and members are invited.

Retirees
Retirees meet for lunch the second Monday, March 11, at 11 a.m. at JJ North’s, 10520 NE Halsey, Portland.

Executive Board
Executive Board meets the fourth Tuesday, March 26, 7 p.m. at the Carpenters Hall, 2205 N. Lombard, Portland. 

Job openings
At the Willamette Carpenters Training Center there is one opening for a skill advancement coordinator and one for a training instructor. For details, call or stop by the 247 office.

Politics Quiz

Do you ever wonder what banging nails for a living has to do with politics, ballot initiatives, and elections? Do you think it doesn’t matter how well informed you are since things will always stay the same anyway? Take this quick test to determine whether or not politics and voting is something that affects your family’s life. If you pass the test, go ahead and tell that guy in the lunch trailer to pipe down the next time he starts harping on this kind of stuff. 

TRUE or FALSE?

1. Worker’s Compensation laws are fair to injured employees.
2. It’s okay when my taxes fund projects built by out-of-town contractors who don’t have pensions, health insurance, and apprenticeship programs for their workers. 
3. The Port of Portland has done an outstanding job keeping good jobs here in Portland.
4. My children’s school is good enough, and I don’t mind giving my neighbor some of my tax money to send his children to private school. 
5. Bill Sizemore’s initiatives are usually geared towards helping working families.
6. Since I make “scale,” laws that affect other carpenters don’t matter.
7. “Free Trade” means more better paying jobs for Americans.
8. My cousin is an “independent contractor,” and he enjoys the freedom of being able to pay for his own health insurance and retirement needs.
9. People born in another country aren’t “real” Americans anyway, so it doesn’t really matter how much they get paid. 
10. My representative talks a lot about “family values” because he cares about my family.

If you answered true to most of the questions: Congratulations! You already know all you need to know about politics and don’t have to worry about whether or not you vote.

If you answered false to any of the questions: You might want to find out more about how your elected officials will treat working families — before you vote. 

Carpenters help put together Anne Frank exhibit

Local 247 members Gene Lawhorn, Steve Wright and Kevin Stokes volunteer to construct the Anne Frank Exhibit in the former Lamont’s department store in Lloyd Center. Exhibit organizers were impressed and appreciative of our volunteer assistance. 

The free exhibit, which runs April 8 through May 5, depicts Anne Frank’s life story using text and photographic reproductions, including never-before-seen photographs of her family and passages from her diary, written while hiding in Holland from the Nazis during World War Two.

Raffle!

Carpenters Local 247 is holding a raffle, and the first prize is a 2002 Harley-Davidson motorcycle! A Heritage Soft Tail Classic, the bike retails for $19,600. Second prize is $1,000; third prize is $750; fourth prize is $500. Raffle tickets are $20, and $5,000 of the proceeds will be donated to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. 

The remaining proceeds will be used for Local 247’s Sick and Injured Fund. The drawing will be held at Local 247’s annual picnic at Blue Lake Park on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2002 at 3:30 p.m. You need not be present to win. Only 2,500 tickets will be sold!

Scholarship applications are being taken for the 2002-2003 school year.

Local 247’s membership is proudly sponsoring three students at this time. We are sponsoring one student at Arizona State University, one student at University of Oregon and one student at Portland State University. A labor history essay needs to be written by the prospective student and submitted by the June 25, 2002 Executive Board meeting. A panel judges each essay and the winner will be invited to read his or her essay at a fall meeting with their proud sponsor.

Eligibility requirements and details are available at the hall. If you have any questions or need additional information, please call the secretaries at 503-289-9632.

Oregon nurses back to work

After nearly two months on the picket line, 1,500 registered nurses, members of the United American Nurses/Oregon Nurses Association at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland ratified a new three-year contract. On Feb. 13, the nurses walked into the hospital together as a symbol of solidarity, each nurse wearing a purple ribbon. The new pact includes wage increases and commits OHSU to developing less expensive health insurance for employees.

Hats off to Local 247

By Leo Larsen
Financial Secretary (retired)

After attending a good local meeting, I’m prompted to make a few comments which I hope will encourage more participation in union activities. It was interesting to hear one well prepared report after another discussing or addressing the issues that are so important to our members.

Dick Springer from the Fair Contracting Foundation gave an excellent report on the enforcement of the prevailing wage laws in Washington and here in Oregon.

A communication from the Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters was read.

It reminded us of our employers’ concern about training our members in order to stay competitive in the workplace. It also suggested new and tougher contractor licensing laws to even the playing field with the independent contractors.

A suggested proposal for reducing the monthly self-payment amount early retirees remit to the trust fund for their coverage was submitted with the report. A discussion of these issues and of the lack of funds to continue Health and Welfare coverage at the present level were addressed.

With the upcoming negotiations for a new agreement with our employers before you, I would suggest keeping abreast of the proposal submitted for consideration by the negotiations committee.

Ask questions, respond to questionnaires, talk to other members and attend your local union meetings. Most of all, use your good sense when making your request or decisions. Don’t forget whose name is on those paychecks.

In closing, I’d like to express my observation of our most recent meeting held Feb. 12, 2002. All officers and delegates gave good reports on activities and accomplishments in their area of work. No member was denied the right to speak. Personal attacks or foul language are not tolerated. Conversations were limited to the business at hand. Every member respected the decision of the chair.

The meeting opened and closed on time. The coffee and treats were good. The hall, floors and all were spotless and the T-shirts and other gifts were well received.

Remember, the “U” in union is YOU. Our strength is in you and leaders you elect.

Hats off to Local 247.

Help us negotiate our contract

By Bruce Ashback
Field Representative

It is a pleasure to see that the attendance at the Local 247 meetings is continuing to grow.

As requested, there will be rank and file members assisting the negotiation committee at the table. Those members selected must have either attended or be willing to attend, the negotiation classes provided by Council. Schedule of classes can be obtained through the Local Union or Regional Council Portland Office.

It is the intent of the Regional Council to address the issues of our membership through several methods, such as phone banks, surveys, jobsite visits, etc. All of these efforts require membership participation and in many cases, volunteers to assist us in our efforts of reaching out to as many members as we possibly can.

We feel that there is a lot of valuable information offered in the rank and file negotiation classes regarding the process of collecting bargaining. We would encourage you to contact your Local for class schedules.

Upcoming negotiation training classes:
March 7 at Local 1707 in Longview
March 14 at Willamette Carpenters Training Center
Please call to sign up!!!