BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM – While Monday’s hearing on union political contributions did not draw thousands of protestors like the union rallies in Wisconsin, it was likely as close to a debate on union rights as Oregon will have this session.

In the same way that businesses often support Republican candidates who favor a healthy business environment, union groups nationwide and in Oregon tend to favor Democrat candidates who support collective bargaining and workers’ rights.

Debate broke out in the House Business and Labor Committee Monday morning when Medford Republican Representative Sal Esquivel introduced a bill to allow public employee union members to choose the political party that their union political contributions could be designated.

In an interview with Oregon Capitol News, Esquivel said he was prompted to draft the bill after having constituents complain to him that their union contributions were not going to the particular candidates or parties whom they prefer.

“Shouldn’t this country be about freedom of choice,” said Esquivel. “If I’m going to put my money into something, I would want it to go into an area that I would like it to go, not where someone else feels it should go.”

Union representatives at the hearing, however, disagreed and said the bill interferes with the union endorsement process.

Jane Killefer, president of the Salem-Keizer Education Association, told the committee that the payroll deduction for contributions into their union’s political action committee is voluntary for members of the union. She also said that when endorsing candidates, the local unions choose candidates who take part in the interview process and only consider their views on education.

“House Bill 3231 would inject party affiliation and party politics into our interview and into our recommendation process, a place that it does not belong,” said Killefer.

Republicans, however, expressed their support for this proposal because unions largely donate to Democrat candidates.

But Randy Ridderbush, a leader in one of the state’s public sector unions, AFSCME, and a self-proclaimed conservative Republican, said that 43 percent of Oregon AFSCME members are Republicans as well.

“We don’t silence people in our organization,” said Ridderbush, adding that he’s never felt like his views weren’t heard during his time in AFSCME.

Saying that his organization encourages everyone to talk and be part of the process, he said, “We need a balanced view.”
The bill will not have another work session or even another public hearing, said committee co-chair Rep. Bill Kennemer, R- Oregon City.

Support for this proposal was evenly split along party lines.

The committee’s other co-chair, Rep. Michael Schaufler, D-Happy Valley, known for being a strong union supporter, joked that it would “be a cold day in hell” before he supported the bill.

Esquivel praised the co-chairs for giving the bill a public hearing.

“I think the things that cure most problems is sunlight, and I think that they [the co-chairs] did an admirable job and both of them should be commended for what they did,” he said.