Portland rising: A coalition of labor and community groups rallied behind Georgia-Pacific workers at Kelly Point.
Late in the morning on June 30th, operations were moving along as usual at Georgia-Pacific’s Kelly Point warehouse at the Port of Portland. Forklift drivers were moving loads of paper products at a brisk pace inside the warehouse, while the parking lot and loading docks were quiet as lunch break drew near.
Suddenly, a caravan of buses pulled up in front of the facility and released a wave of people, decked out in union colors, grabbing picket signs and coalescing around several leaders with bullhorns to the chant of “I…B…U!”
Proudly showing colors from IBU, ILWU, UNITE-HERE, SEIU, Jobs With Justice and other unions and organi- zations, the convoy participants were part of the newly-formed Portland Rising coalition, which came together last year in the wake of attacks on public employees and unions across the country— attacks largely funded by the billionaire Koch brothers who own Georgia-Pacific.
Within five minutes, almost 150 people had gathered with members of the Inlandboatmen’s Union, including Jose Flores, who rallied the crowd and welcomed everyone to the front lines of the fight for justice at G-P.
The group moved forward into the parking lot and up to the front doors of the corporate office, waving picket signs and shouting in unison: “Oregon families are in need—we won’t stand for corporate greed!”
Meanwhile, at the Front Avenue G-P warehouse site across town, IBU members were marching outside their work- place offices, holding signs and wearing stickers declaring “IBU Front Ave/River- gate stands with IBU Kelly Point!”
Encouraged by the powerful show of solidarity, members and supporters standing outside the Kelly Point office joined up with workers inside, who left the warehouse floor on lunch break to join the march on management.
They were met by G-P Supervisor Allen Dawson, to whom the group delivered a letter signed by Kelly Point members. Jose Flores voiced the group’s demand: “We Georgia-Pacific workers at Kelly Point demand that G-P management bargain in good faith, immediately come back to the table and respect our basic right to retirement security. After our years of service to keep Kelly Point increasingly productive and profitable, we need to know our hard work has provided for our families’ well-being. That’s our message today.”
Margaret Butler of Portland Jobs with Justice told Dawson that 90 different unions were committed to backing up the G-P workers at Kelly Point in their fight for a fair contract. She told the GP official, “we urge you to do everything possible in your power to get this con- tract settled as quickly as possible.”
Then Dawson’s phone rang with a call from G-P regional manager Derril Richards who wanted to know was going on. The G-P executive was quickly informed of the group’s demand.
Meanwhile, at the Front Avenue G-P warehouse site across town, IBU members were marching outside their work- place offices, holding signs and wearing stickers declaring “IBU Front Ave/River- gate stands with IBU Kelly Point!”
Encouraged by the powerful show of solidarity, members and supporters standing outside the Kelly Point office joined up with workers inside, who left the warehouse floor on lunch break to join the march on management.
They were met by G-P Supervisor Allen Dawson, to whom the group delivered a letter signed by Kelly Point members. Jose Flores voiced the group’s demand: “We Georgia-Pacific workers at Kelly Point demand that G-P management bargain in good faith, immediately come back to the table and respect our basic right to retirement security. After our years of service to keep Kelly Point increasingly productive and profitable, we need to know our hard work has provided for our families’ well- being. That’s our message today.”
Margaret Butler of Portland Jobs with Justice told Dawson that 90 different unions were committed to backing up the G-P workers at Kelly Point in their fight for a fair contract. She told the GP official, “we urge you to do everything possible in your power to get this con- tract settled as quickly as possible.”
Then Dawson’s phone rang with a call from G-P regional manager Derril Richards who wanted to know was going on. The G-P executive was quickly informed of the group’s demand.