Tele | UFCW555 Internal

HELLO, I’M MIKE; I’M THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR HERE AT LOCAL 555.

WE JUST HEARD ABOUT A NUMBER OF WORKER GAINS THAT WE’VE MANAGED TO NOTCH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND WHETHER WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A LEGISLATIVE WIN OR BRINGING INFLUENCE TO BEAR ON A PUBLIC ACTION, YOUR POLITICAL TEAM IS ON HAND.

BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE A POLITICAL TEAM JUST TO HAVE A POLITICAL TEAM; WE HAVE ONE BECAUSE WHEN THIS UNION GOES TO BAT ON BARGAINING, OR ORGANIZING, OR GRIEVANCES, OR MEMBER SERVICES… WE WANT TO BRING ALL POSSIBLE RESOURCES TO THE TABLE.

IT’S WHY OUR CLASSIFICATION OF POLITICIANS ISN’T DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN…

IT’S WORKER ALLY OR WORKER OPPONENT.

THAT’S PART OF THE REASON THAT THESE VICTORIES ARE SO HARD-EARNED…

BECAUSE AS MUCH AS OREGON DEMOCRATS HAVE — YEAR OVER YEAR — HELD DECISIVE MAJORITIES IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THE WORKER-ALLIED MAJORITY SITS ON A RAZOR’S EDGE, HELD FAST ONLY BY THE CONTINUED EXERTION OF ASSISTANCE AND INFLUENCE AND PRESSURE FROM GROUPS LIKE US, OUR SIBLINGS IN THE AFL-CIO, AND OTHER LABOR-CENTRIC ALLIES.

IT’S A CONSTANT FIGHT.

A WAR, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT WE’RE NOT IN A CLASS WAR BECAUSE WE ARE EXCHANGING PUNCHES CONSTANTLY…

ON LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS, ON REGULATORY PROTECTIONS, ON APPOINTMENTS…

AND DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT IT’S A BLOODLESS WAR.

TELL THAT TO SEBASTIAN FRANCISCO PEREZ, WHO WAS TRYING TO START A FAMILY AND WHOSE LIFE ENDED SUDDENLY AT 38 IN ST PAUL, OREGON IN 104-DEGREE HEAT.

TELL IT TO IAN BOOTH, WHO LEFT BEHIND TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS IN LEWISTON IDAHO BECAUSE LANDSCAPING COULDN’T WAIT FOR COOLER WEATHER.

AND I DON’T WANT ANYONE HERE TO FORGET THAT EVEN AFTER THESE TRAGEDIES — WHICH ARE ONLY A SMALL SELECTION OF RECENT WORKPLACE FATALITIES — LOCAL 555 AND ITS ALLIES STILL HAD TO FIGHT INDUSTRY GROUPS FOR THINGS AS SIMPLE AS ACCESS TO SHADE AND WATER.

TO INDUSTRY OPERATIVES, THESE DEATHS ARE PART OF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. AND WITHOUT TOUGH REGULATIONS IN PLACE THAT THEY CAN’T SKIRT, THE LIVES OF THESE WORKERS — AND US — ARE RELATIVELY SMALL LIABILITIES.

WHEN WE SAY THAT YOU ALL, HERE, TODAY, ARE SOLDIERS IN THIS FIGHT, THAT’S NOT JUST A METAPHOR.

BIG BUSINESS ISN’T GOING TO MAKE ITS WORKPLACES SAFER ON ITS OWN. WE *NEED* YOU PUSHING THAT ENVELOPE, INSPECTING THE EQUIPMENT, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE PROTECTED.

AND NOWHERE HAS BIG BUSINESS’ APATHY BEEN ON DISPLAY MORE THAN DURING THE COVID EPIDEMIC.

IN 2021, WE CAME TO THE LEGISLATURE WITH SOME DIRE NEWS: ...

THAT DESPITE RETAIL GROCERY BEING IDENTIFIED AS AN OUTBREAK INDUSTRY FOR COVID, ONLY FIVE WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIMS HAD BEEN FILED. NOT “APPROVED,” BUT “FILED.”

WHO HERE KNOWS SOMEONE WHO FILED A COVID CLAIM?

SO, CLEARLY THERE WAS A DISCONNECT, AND WHEN WE IDENTIFIED THE BAD ACTOR WHO WAS NON-FILING “GHOST CLAIMS,” (MEANING THAT THEY WEREN’T ACTUALLY BEING FILED WITH A CLAIMS PROCESSOR), THE INDUSTRY LOBBYISTS PUT A STOP TO A LEGISLATIVE INQUIRY…

SIMPLY BY NOT SUPPORTING MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.

THAT’S A STRANGE STATEMENT. WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS A STRANGE STATEMENT?

WHO HERE LEARNED IN CIVICS CLASS THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HELD A SPECIAL VETO OVER CERTAIN LEGISLATION?

AFTER ALL THAT WE’VE TALKED ABOUT, WOULD IT SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW THAT FOR 35 YEARS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS ENJOYED THAT KIND OF POWER OVER ANY REFORMS TO THE WORKERS COMPENSATION SYSTEM?

IN 1990, THE WORKERS COMPENSATION SYSTEM WAS, ADMITTEDLY, IN NEED OF FIXING. AMBIGUOUS CLAIMS STANDARDS, UNNECESSARY LIABILITIES, AND FEW INCENTIVES FOR SAFE WORKPLACE POLICY.

THE GOVERNOR AT THE TIME — NEIL GOLDSCHMIDT — CALLED A GROUP OF ADVOCATES TOGETHER TO HASH OUT A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF REFORMS. THE EVENTUAL REFORM PACKAGE WAS — HONESTLY — NOT BAD.

BUT THERE WERE TWO OVERRIDING SYSTEMIC ELEMENTS THAT EVERYONE AGREED WERE VITAL:

FIRST, THAT ANY FURTHER REFORMS WOULD HAVE TO PASS THROUGH AN EVENLY DIVIDED GROUP — CALLED THE MANAGEMENT-LABOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE — BEFORE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE LEGISLATURE, AS A WAY TO GUARANTEE EMPLOYERS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A SAY OVER TO ANY FURTHER CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCALE, LABOR INTERESTS WERE PROMISED SOMETHING THAT THE AGREEMENT SIGNATORIES SAID “COULD NOT BE EMPHASIZED ENOUGH” IN TERMS OF ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE “STABILITY AND CREDIBILITY” OF THE AGREEMENT. THAT ELEMENT WAS A 45% INCREASE IN WORKPLACE SAFETY INSPECTORS AT OREGON-OSHA.

BECAUSE WHAT EVERYONE AGREED ON WAS THAT OREGON’S WORKPLACES NEEDED TO BE MADE MORE SAFE. EMPLOYERS WANTED TO PAY OUT FEWER INJURY CLAIMS… AND UNIONS WANTED THERE TO BE FEWER INJURIES, PERIOD.

SEEMS LIKE A WIN-WIN AGREEMENT.

COMPARED TO THE 1990 WORKFORCE NUMBERS, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO GUESS WHERE WE STAND IN TERMS OF THAT 45% INCREASE?

IT’S ACTUALLY BEEN A 19% DECREASE.

SO AGAIN, WE SEE THIS PERENNIAL FIGHT… BUSINESS AND LABOR COME TOGETHER AND THE POWERS THAT BE RESPECT THE BUSINESS OBLIGATIONS FOR 35 YEARS, WHILE ALLOWING OBLIGATIONS TO WORKING FOLKS TO NOT JUST GO UNFULFILLED, BUT TO ACTUALLY SLIDE BACK.

BUT LOCAL 555 — WE ARE ABOUT TO GO TO WORK ON THAT.

THOUGH WE MAY BE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE 1990 MAHONIA HALL AGREEMENT IS IN ABEYANCE, WE ARE ENERGIZED IN THE NEW REALITY THAT WE ARE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZING THAT BREACH OF TRUST AND WILL BEGIN INSISTING ON A SOLUTION.

WE ARE CALLING OUT THE HYPOCRISY AND CALLING ON LAWMAKERS TO CLOSE THAT DEFICIT OF 68 ADDITIONAL WORKPLACE SAFETY INSPECTORS…

NOT THROUGH THE HIRING OF 68 POSITIONS THAT THEY CERTAINLY CANNOT AFFORD AT THE MOMENT, BUT THROUGH THE DEPUTIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT OF UNION REPRESENTATIVES.

SIMILAR TO NEW JERSEY, WE WOULD ALLOW SPECIALLY-TRAINED UNION REPRESENTATIVES TO PERFORM SAFETY ASSESSMENTS IN THEIR WORKPLACES IN LIEU OF OREGON-OSHA EMPLOYEES.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

THIS MEANS THAT WHEN YOU SEE MANAGEMENT CUTTING CORNERS ON SAFETY… WHEN YOU SEE MANAGEMENT PLACING YOUR COLLEAGUES INTO SITUATIONS WHERE THEIR LIVES ARE AT RISK… YOU DON’T JUST CALL OREGON-OSHA FOR AN INSPECTION;

YOU. SHUT. IT. DOWN.

THAT'S HOW WE CONTINUE TO PUT POWER BACK INTO THE HANDS OF WORKING PEOPLE.

I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SNEAK PREVIEW OF WHAT WE’VE GOT QUEUED UP TO SHORE UP MEDICAID IN LIGHT OF UPCOMING FEDERAL CUTS TO THE PROGRAM.

NOW, SOME OF YOU MAY BE ON THE OREGON HEALTH PLAN; SOME OF YOU MAY BE ON LOCAL 555’S OWN HEALTHCARE TRUST… BUT WHATEVER INSURER YOU’RE SERVED BY, THE SYSTEMWIDE STRAIN OF MEDICAID CUTS WILL HAVE RIPPLE EFFECTS ON PREMIUMS AND BENEFITS SYSTEMWIDE.

BUT WE KNOW THAT EVEN NOW, MANY MEGA-CORPORATIONS THAT DO BUSINESS IN OREGON SYSTEMICALLY PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES SUB-STANDARD WAGES, FORCING THEM ON TAXPAYER-SUBSIDIZED PROGRAMS LIKE MEDICAID OR SNAP.

THE KIND OF BENEFITS THAT JEFF BEZOS OR SAM WALTON COULD EASILY PROVIDE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AND STILL PRIVATELY ENJOY FUNCTIONALLY UNLIMITED PERSONAL RESOURCES…

THEY KIND THAT THEY FOIST OFF ONTO US TAXPAYERS AND CUSTOMERS WHILE THEY RAISE PRICES AND BLAME INFLATION.

WE’RE GOING TO IDENTIFY THOSE COMPANIES.

WE’RE GOING TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'RE STEALING FROM OREGON TAXPAYERS.

AND AS SOON AS THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION CUTS FUNDING, WE’RE JUST GOING TO TAKE IT RIGHT BACK FROM THESE BILLIONAIRES AND PLOW IT RIGHT BACK INTO PUBLIC SERVICES WHERE IT BELONGS.

YOU’LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THOSE ITEMS AND OTHERS AS WE GET CLOSER TO OREGON’S 2026 LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN FEBRUARY.

YOU’LL HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR ENDORSEMENT PROCESS, OUR POLITICAL WORK, AND MAYBE WE’LL BE IN THE NEWS.

SO I’M GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS CHALLENGE...

AS YOU FOLLOW THESE STORIES OR ANY OTHER WORKER-RELATED STORIES ON THE NEWS — WHETHER THAT’S TV, ONLINE, OR IN THE PAPER — EVERY TIME YOU HEAR “DEMOCRAT” OR “REPUBLICAN,” TRY REPLACING THAT PARTY AFFILIATION WITH WHAT YOU FEEL IS MORE APT: “WORKER ALLY” OR “WORKER OPPONENT.”

OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE FAITHLESS DEMOCRATS OUT THERE WHO USE THEIR PARTY AFFILIATION TO CLOAK THEMSELVES AS WORKER-FRIENDLY…

SURE AS THERE ARE ENLIGHTENED REPUBLICANS OUT THERE WHOSE PARTY AFFILIATION ENDS UP BEING A BARRIER TO MORE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS.

POLITICS CAN BE CONFUSING, PARTICULARLY IN AN ERA OF HYPERPARTISANSHIP. BUT WHEN WE STRIP AWAY THE DISTRACTIONS WE CAN FOCUS ON...

WHO IS ELEVATING WORKERS… AND WHO IS KEEPING US DOWN.

WHO IS HONORING THE RIGHT OF WORKING-CLASS INDIVIDUALS TO SURVIVE, THRIVE, AND SUCCEED ON THEIR OWN TERMS… AND WHO IS KEEPING WORKERS FUNCTIONING JUST ENOUGH TO CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE ALL-POWERFUL PROFIT MARGINS.

WHO IS WILLING TO TELL SEBASTIAN’S WIDOW AND IAN’S TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS THAT THEIR LOVED ONES’ DEATHS WERE A DRASTIC MISCARRIAGE OF OUR SOCIAL DUTY TO LOOK AFTER OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS… AND WHO CAN'T SEE THOSE LIVES AS ANYTHING BEYOND LIABILITIES ON A BALANCE SHEET.

SO AS YOU SUIT UP IN OUR ONGOING COMMON FIGHT FOR SAFETY AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU’VE GOT A WORLD CLASS POLITICAL TEAM BEHIND YOU READY TO HELP.

AND WHEN THE NEWS IS GRIM AND THE POLITICS SEEM UNTENABLE, REMEMBER THAT PESSIMISM IS THE TOOL OF OUR OPPONENTS. THEY WANT YOU TO BE OVERWHELMED AND HOPELESS. THEY WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON SHORT-TERM DETAILS BECAUSE NOTHING IS QUITE AS UNPREDICTABLE AS A FLURRY OF SMALL SETBACKS.

BUT FOCUS ON THE BIG PICTURE. FOCUS ON THE ARC OF HISTORY.

112 YEARS AGO, 38 WOMEN WORKING IN A BAG FACTORY ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER STRUCK FOR MORE SANITARY WORKING CONDITIONS. THEY RECEIVED TWO ELECTRIC FANS.

54 YEARS AGO, THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT FIRST ISSUED STANDARDS TO PROTECT WORKERS AGAINST CARCINOGENS.

15 YEARS AGO... WAS BEFORE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 555 WINS THAT MILES MENTIONED EARLIER.

PROGNOSTICATING INTO NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH, I COULDN'T TELL YOU WITH ANY CERTAINTY WHAT CHALLENGES WILL COME OUR WAY.

BUT WHAT WE CAN SEE IS THAT AS WORKERS, EACH GENERATION IS MORE EMPOWERED THAN THE LAST... AND YOU HAVE THE TOOLS IN HAND TO PASS THAT GIFT ONTO THE NEXT. I'VE NO DOUBT WHICH WAY THE ARC OF HISTORY IS BENDING.

I'M HONORED TO BE A PART OF IT.