Snohomish County Labor Council, AFL/CIO

Minutes of the Meeting of September 25, 2002

 

            The meeting was called to order at 7 PM by Vice President Wentworth followed by the flag salute. She noted that President Chapman was absent due to the handling of a fundraising auction for OPEIU. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as typed and handed out. Chris Glenn, SPEEA was appointed to the VP Chair.

 

CREDENTIALS

 

·        ATU 883: Yusuf Abdul

·        National Writers Union At-Large Local: Lance Sentman, Kathy Ferguson

·        AFSCME 1811CA for Terry Van Wyck

·        UFCW 1001: Charles Primm

·        SPEEA: Bob Rommel, Mark Moshay

 

            M/S/C to seat those delegates who were present. Terry Van Wyck, Bob Rommel and Mark Moshay were present and sworn in.

 

MOMENT OF SILENCE

            The chair asked the delegates to stand in a moment of silence in memory of departed delegate Jo Marie Schultz, IAM 751. Bill Borders, United Way Labor Liaison and Don Shove, IAM 751 talked about Jo Marie’s life and what she meant to the labor community. Secretary-Treasurer Sells presented Bill Borders with a $100.00 check for the American Cancer Society to be given in Jo Marie Schultz’ name.

 

GUESTS:

 

Dave Aldrich, Candidate for the PUD Commission spoke to the Council about his election campaign. He received the highest vote in a six way race. He expressed his concern with the problems created at the PUD by management buying expensive power on long term contracts. Now they will have a $10 million shortfall. He does not feel that  working people should have to pay the price at PUD for management’s mistakes. He responded to questions on rate increases. On the issue of cuts, he noted that he would like to cap rates and don’t let them get any higher, and look at cut backs in management.

            The chair introduced Jill McKinnie of Congressman’s Larsen office.

            Kevin Quigley, County Executive Candidate stated that he had garnered 400 contributors and has raised $65,000. He felt that was a good indication of the support he is building for his campaign. He stated that the issues were: 1. Planning ahead to deal with the 300,000 new people who will be coming into this county in the next decade. If do not plan for growth—no one will want to live here. 2. Moving people and goods. The county will have to play a bigger roll than it has historically on transportation issues. This is especially true with the power to the three Puget Sound counties to deal with the problem. 3. The county budget is in difficult straits. There will be cuts in personnel, considering $153 million budget. The recent failure of the jail bond will also drive another $8 million hole into the budget

            Derrick Baker, Campaign Manage for the John McCoy campaign was introduced by the chair. He thanked the Council for its support.

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Candidates running for State Labor Council Executive Board.

            Don Houtchens, WSLC Vice President, Member of PACE is running for re-election. Has been working in the private sector and is a member of PACE. He has been on Board for 17 years, and has had a broad experience representing a broad group of unions. The unions that have nominated him also represent a broad spectrum.

            Robert “Woody” Woodson, Business Manager of Laborers 901 located in Mt. Vernon referred to his activity with Skagit County and Whatcom County Laborers. For 8 years he has been the business manage of the local. He has been union member since he was 12 when he was a Teamster as a newspaper delivery boy. He joined the UFCW at 16 as box boy, and belonged to HERE in Los Angeles and Seattle. He felt that gave him a good background in unions. He has been a delegate the last 13 years to the State Labor Council Convention, and served on the Labor and Education Committee.

            Toni Bohan, SEIU 925, Vice President of SEIU 925. stated that she had started in the Labor movement 12 years ago as staff member of SEIU 120. She became President of the local. Strategically, SEIU reorganized to make themselves a stronger presence in the state. As a result, she gave up voluntarily her President’s position when the local merged with others in the state to form SEIU 925. She has been a delegate to the Snohomish County Labor Council since coming to work for SEIU 120, and has participated in COPE drives. She has also been a Trustee of the SCLC, and served on the WSLC Women’s Committee.

            Pat Thompson, AFSCME Council 2 Legislative and Political Action Director and member of AFSMCE 109 has worked as an advocate on worker issues in Olympia. He also has dealt with contracts and grievances around the state for his union.. He has been a member of Steelworkers 329 in Spokane at the age 18 when he went to work at Kaiser. That job helped put himself through college because the wages and benefits were very good. In today’s economy not too many jobs could do that. He graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in Labor Relations.

            The chair also noted that Snohomish County Labor Council President Darrell Chapman was also a candidate for the position of WSLC Vice President along with those that had spoken this evening.

 

EXEC BD & STAFF REPORTS

 

            The Executive Board did not have a quorum this month. Due to the CLC Conference in DC we tried to meet earlier. It was two days later that we discovered that our e mails were not going out, although they appeared to do so. Board members did not get an original meeting notice or a reminder. We are in the process of changing ISP’s and domain hosts, as a result. The President, Vice President and Secretary Treasurer did meet and discuss the following: input from Board members on the AFL/CIO CLC survey; pumping up Labor/Neighbor; a debrief on Solidarity Night; ILWU support leafleting and financial reports.

            Secretary-Treasurer Sells reported on the CLC Conference in Washington, DC. Among the many items discussed were coalition building, the National Day of Action on Corporate Crime, immigration reform, and the latest research on attitudes toward unions. The CLC leaders did have some time to meet to discuss issues and possible solutions, but not nearly enough. Participants also picketed in support of fired food service worker at the Reagan Building. She was fired for trying to organize a union. He also reported on a the latest Hart survey showing for the first time since the survey was taken in 1984, more people favoring the joining of unions.

            Delegates also received a written report of meetings and issues worked on this last month by the Secretary-Treasurer.

            Secretary-Treasurer Sells also gave out a per capita report to show the comparison between this year and last year in the amount of per capita paid.

The Board has made the following recommendations via e mail vote:

            The Board has made two recommendations which were being presented to the body for a vote, and required a 2/3 majority.

            M/S/C to recommend to the Washington State Labor Council the endorsement of Bob Quarterman for 39th District, House of Representatives, Pos. 1

            M/S/C to endorse Dave Aldrich for Snohomish County PUD Commissioner

           

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

Community Services: Bill Borders reported on the R.A.M.P. program, and encouraged participation. They ramps are built for families that can’t afford it, and need access for the disabled. United Way had 80 projects on the September 14th Day of Caring this year. He thanked those unions that helped on the project. The are starting with the Operation Shortfall Holiday raffle at this time. Delegates were asked to volunteer to sell $25.00 worth of tickets. He also thanked Jill McKinnie for helping with Community Services training.

 

COPE

 

            Labor/Neighbor Field Coordinator Lee Marchisio & Leonard Kelley, IBT 38. discussed what it would take to win in the 44th District. The program will need 18 volunteers a day on each weekend day to be completed.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS-None

 

REPORTS OF UNIONS

 

            Organizing- No reports

Contract negotiations and maintenance Pat Downes, ATU 883 clarified that the third meeting on mediation at the City of Everett was just with Transit local itself. No more meetings have been scheduled to date. He stated that the local is will go all the way through the process, even though it is costly. Originally, in the last round of bargaining, they gave in to the city’s request to pay a portion of the health care benefits. No other local representing city employees did that. Now they would like the city to give back what they had taken away, and were willing to grant to other employee groups. He felt that the city is trying to use this bargaining as a lever to force the other unions on this issue.

            ILWU 32 Ron Medcalfe stated they were working without contract for the last couple of months. In the last meeting, employer reps didn’t know costs of proposals, and simply were not prepared to negotiate. Technology seems to be the stumbling block. Most other issues have been signed off. Planned leafleting at Payless Shoe Source stores has been held in abeyance, while there may be some activity at Gap Stores. Those stores are part of an alliance pressuring the Pacific Maritime Association on Longshore bargaining.

 

NEW BUSINESS-None

 

GOOD OF THE COUNCIL

 

            Sylvia Hansen, IBEW 77 reported on efforts of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to continue to push deregulation of energy in the Northwest. They wish to create another bureaucracy, and hand over transmission to private enterprise. We all know the devastating effects of deregulation on California, and the market manipulation by Enron, yet the Federal government continues to push this agenda.

            Jonathan Holden, IAM 751F expressed his concern with an erroneous letter to the editor in the Herald that stated Machinists crossed picket lines during the Snohomish teachers strike. That was not the case. The project done by Machinists to aid the Emerson playground was discussed with teachers first, and they approved going ahead with it. There were no pickets in the area. The Secretary-Treasurer will be contacting the Snohomish Education Association to help set the record straight.

 

Community Services drawing winners were: Harvey Bell, AFSCME 1020; Tim Bond, SPEEA; Chris Glenn, SPEEA; Shawn Smith, AFSMCE 109E

 

Adjourned at 8: 27 PM

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Mike Sells, Secretary-Treasurer

 

Delegates attendance

 

AFSCME 109: Pete Dykstra, Pat Thompson

AFSCME 109E: Jerry Adamson, Robert Mueller, Shawn Smith

AFSCME 109S:

AFSCME 113: Gary Doughty, Rob Sprague

AFSCME 881:

AFSCME 948: Rhonda Riggle

AFSCME 1020: Harvey Bell

AFSCME 1355:

AFSCME 1811:

AFSCME 1811C:

AFSCME 1811CA: Debi Gabringer, Laura Wentworth, Terry Van Wyck

AFSCME 1811JPD:

AFSCME 1811PA: David Kurtz

AFSCME 1811S:

AFSCME 2753:

AFSCME 2964:

AFT 772: Mike Sells

AFT 1873:

AFT 4254: Mary Hale

APWU 484:

ATU 883: Patrick Downes

ATU 1576:

CWA 7800:

CWA 37082:

GCIU 767M:

HERE 8:

IAFF 46: Tom Deckers, Robert Downey

IAFF 1984:

IAFF 2694:

IAFF 3219:

IAFF 3482:

IAFF 3524

IAM 130:

IAM 751A: Bob Neumann, Jason Redrup, Don Shove

IAM 751C: Dave Brueher

IAM 751E: Ron Bradley

IAM 751F: Jackie Boschok, Bryan DuPaul, Jonathan Holden

IATSE 15: John Lammon

IBEW 77: Peg Chrisman, Sylvia Hanson, Margaret Adamson

IBEW 89: Mike Ferrucci

IBEW 191: Jeff Seibert

IBT 38: Leonard Kelley

IBT 763: Kelly Blomquist, Dave Chambers, Kirk Stephenson, Tom Vernon

IBU/ ILWU 22: Stuart Downer

IFPTE 17:

ILWU 32: Ron Medcalf

IUOE 302:

IUPAT DC 5:

IW 86:

IW 506:

LIUNA 292: Dan O’Connor, Hazel Goehring

NALC 791: Bob James

OPEIU 8:

OPEIU 277:

SEIU 925: Toni Bohan,Bill Borders

SEIU 1199NW: Steve Moll

SMIU 66:

SPEEA: Tim Bond, Chris Glenn, David Simpson, Mark Moshay, Bob Rommel

UA 265:

UFCW 44:

UFCW 141, USNU:

UFCW 1001:

UFCW 1105: Paul Quaintance, Arthur Rice, Lynda Rice

 

Excused Delegates

Darrell Chapman, IBEW 191

Adelina Gonzales, SEIU 1199NW

Chuck Jewell, IBT 38

Marjorie Lewis, OPEIU 8

Kim Mead, AFT 772 EEA/UTE

Judy Neumann, IAM 751F

Arthur Rice, UFCW 1105

Lynda Rice, UFCW 1105

Tania Maria Rosario, SEIU 925

Rod Sigvartson, IAM 751C

Jonathon Toy, IAM 751A

D.J. Wilson, AFT 4254

 

Guests

Dave Aldrich, Candidate for PUD Commissioner

Derrick Baker, John McCoy campaign

Don Houtchens, PAC

Jill McKinnie, Congressman Larsen’s office

Kevin Quigley, Candidate for Snohomish County Executive

Woody Woodson, Laborers 901

 

From Washington State Labor Council

 

From AFL/CIO

 

From Unions and Councils

 

From Organizations

 

From Individuals