Housing, Labor Unite for Better Oregon

Portland, OR- Representatives from the Oregon Building Trades Council, the Pacific Northwest Council of Carpenters, the Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations and the Community Development Network will announce a joint proposal for State legislation that will provide clarity around the application of prevailing wage law and the development of affordable housing on Monday, October 16 at 10:00 am at 8 NW 8th. In addition to the suggested changes to Oregon prevailing wage laws, the labor and housing groups will announce a new partnership to jointly advocate for new resources to provide needed housing across the state, to explore opportunities to invest union pensions in affordable housing, and to establish tools and best practices for CDC's to assure good working conditions for the people building affordable housing.

"This was a natural partnership because we are both working toward the same basic goal: improving economic opportunity for Oregonians," Bob Shiprack, Executive Secretary of the Oregon Building Trades Council. "The Community Development groups support our work creating more family wage jobs, and we certainly support their work to provide housing opportunity for working families earning low wages, as well the elderly, the disabled and other community members. We hope we can fund a similar resolution for commercial projects"

The Oregon Building Trades Council has been negotiating with the Portland Development Commission, the League of Cities, the Bureau of Labor and Industries and other public entities to establish prevailing wage guidelines for publicly funded projects that will provide better wages, benefits and working conditions. The agreement on the application of prevailing wage between the building and carpentry trades and the community development organizations clarifies which affordable housing projects will prevail, establishing an exemption for smaller projects serving working families, seniors, people with disabilities, and others priced out of the private housing market. The building trade and community development groups will bring their agreement to Salem as a legislative proposal when the Oregon Legislature convenes in January.

"Our joint proposal will give affordable housing developers they certainty the need to build these critically important projects in our communities," said Martha McLennan, the President of the Board of Directors of the Community Development Network. "Our partners in the Building Trades and Carpenter's Union understand that having a place to call home gives Oregonians the opportunity to be self sufficient and thrive."

See a copy of the proposed legislative language here.

Oregon Blue Book