Organizing: Victories: Bend, OR
Among the 40 new Bend members of Local 757-Portland, OR, and their organizers, are, in the back row, from left, Local 757 President Jon Hunt, Russ Evans, Jack Nelson, Gene Thrasher; Jobs With Justice activist Michael Funke, and International Vice President Ron Heintzman. In the second row, from left, are Greg Thornton, Jim Hutchings, Claudia Gamez, Pam Shon, and Bill Groesz. In the front row, from left, are Bob Patnaude, Ira Holden, Melanie Gibson, and Julia Stout-Nelson.
April, 2007: Local 757-Portland, OR, has gained new members in Central Oregon. The local recently won an election to become the exclusive representative of drivers, dispatchers, call-takers and customer service representatives working for the Bend Area Transit system. The 40-member bargaining unit voted in favor of “ATU 757.”
Local 757 was greatly assisted by members of the Central Oregon Labor Council and “Jobs with Justice” who saw this campaign as not only important for transit workers, but for all other non-union workers who need to be organized. This is an integral part of the plan of the new ATU Organizing Department; utilizing allies such as Labor, community, religious, and elected leaders.
“This election shows that you can win union campaigns in Central Oregon when all unions work together” declared Local 757 President Jon Hunt, who is also a member of the ATU International Organizing Committee.
“The assistance we got from other Unions here was amazing and greatly appreciated,” reported International Vice President Ron Heintzman, who assisted in the campaign. Heintzman also praised Mike Pucik, 757, the local’s political director who shepherded the campaign on a day-to-day basis.
“Bend is the fastest growing city in Oregon. The transit system will see many changes in the near future” predicts Hunt..
