Leading labor unions: Rene Gonzalez is not on the side of working people
Leaders highlight Gonzalez’s anti-union background, failure to advocate for working people
Portland, Ore. — Ahead of Labor Day and in recognition of working people, the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT), Service Employees International Union Local 49 and Local 503, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) issued statements on the backgrounds of two candidates running for Portland City council.
Statements come following recent reports that show inflation and rising prices are among top issues for voters this election cycle. According to labor leaders, highlighting where candidates stand on worker rights and protections is key to electing champions for working people and building a stronger future for all.
Rene Gonzalez was one of the Portland City Council candidates analyzed by some of these organizations. Pointing to details uncovered, labor leaders expressed strong concerns about his background, including what the organizations consider to be key failures for working people:
Rejected proposals to protect frontline workers in Portland schools
Failed to protect workers experiencing retaliation
Opposed union members running and serving on local school boards
Zero track record championing better wages, benefits, job security, and working conditions
Labor leaders noted that November marks a critical election for workers as inflation continues to outpace wage gains and reaffirmed their support for Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty.
Commissioner Hardesty is endorsed by a growing list of prominent local unions and the Oregon Working Families Party, including the state's largest union, SEIU 503 and 49 who represent over 85,000 workers, and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, the state’s largest private sector union. Endorsing unions represent workers from diverse industries who live and work in the City of Portland. Major highlights in Jo Ann’s 30-year history of championing labor and all workers include:
Supporting the right to organize and collective bargaining
Protecting workers from stolen wages from wage theft
Speaking out against worker retaliation
Showing up at union picket lines to support workers
100% voting record from the Oregon AFL-CIO as a State Representative
Continued to be a champion for working people as a non-profit executive and in her first term as City Commissioner
Labor leaders issued the following statements:
Renato Quintero, SEIU 49, Vice President of Property Services Division: “Our members appreciate the tenacity, hard work, and commitment of Commissioner Hardesty. She is someone we can count on when it comes to the tough fights faced by Portland’s low-wage janitors, security officers, and hospital workers. From her years of championing fair city contracting policies, speaking publicly in support of workers in tough contract negotiations, and walking picket lines with us, we know we can count on Commissioner Hardesty to side with working people.”
Angela Bonilla, President of the Portland Association of Teachers and Instructional Specialist at Scott Elementary School: “Many candidates will issue statements on Labor Day claiming to support workers, but in the race for City Commissioner, Jo Ann Hardesty is the only leader voters can trust to fight for working people and center the voices of those most impacted by issues that affect our communities. We’re alarmed that someone like Rene Gonzalez, with no teaching, public health, or public administration experience, discounted the concerns of teachers during a time when our voices needed to be heard.”
Leal Sundet, International Longshore Warehouse Union Local 8, Secretary-Treasurer: “Jo Ann Hardesty has always made herself available to listen to our concerns. She doesn’t just support the working class, she lives working class. She knows firsthand what it is like to be disenfranchised by the elite City power brokers. Local 8 and its members look forward to continuing to work with her on tough issues from a working-class perspective.”
