From Stark
Whatcom County labor organizations are far from unanimous on candidate endorsements in city races this season, with divisions showing up most noticeably in the mayor’s race.
Mark Lowry, president of the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council, said that organization has declined to issue an endorsement in the mayor’s race. As Lowry explained it, representatives of the council’s public employee unions have some issues with both incumbent Dan Pike and challenger Kelli Linville, the former 42nd District state representative.
City employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are “less than enthralled with Mr. Pike,” Lowry said. At the same time, some members of state employee unions have similar issues with Linville based on her role as a key budget-developer in Olympia. Result: no labor council endorsement for either candidate.
Lowry also noted the labor council’s disenchantment with Pike’s position on the Gateway Pacific Terminal project that would ship coal and other bulk cargoes from a new Cherry Point pier proposed by SSA Marine of Seattle. Labor leaders see the project as a welcome source of construction jobs their members desperately need.
At first, Pike seemed to agree. He proposed routing trainloads of coal to the pier site via the South Fork Valley to avoid impacts on Bellingham, but after it became clear that such a route was unlikely, and community opposition to the project was building, Pike took a strong stance against it.
“We believe Mayor Pike threw organized labor under the bus to score some points with environmentalists,” Lowry said.
Speaking of the bus, Lowry also serves as president and business agent for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 843, a 186-member local that represents Whatcom Transportation Authority bus drivers. Local 843 is endorsing Linville.
Lowry said public transit systems here and around Washington are in dire financial straits because their sales tax subsidies have shrunk amid recession. He wants to see a coalition of state and local governments formed to develop new taxation options that local governments can adopt to help pay for transit, and Local 843 leaders believe Linville has the expertise to play a key role in that process.
The labor council and the ATU also parted ways on the Ward 3 City Council race, with the council endorsing Barry Buchanan while Local 843 endorses challenger Cathy Lehman.
“Barry Buchanan has been there for us for four years,” Lowry said. “He has never backed away from us. Barry has always stood with us and we couldn’t see not standing with him.”
But from a strictly ATU perspective, Lehman got the edge, Lowry said. He described her as very engaged in mass transit issues, and committed to a robust transit system even before her candidacy, as head of the local office of Futurewise.
“We believe Mayor Pike threw organized labor under the bus to score some points with environmentalists,” Lowry said.
LOL! As if the only people who are concerned about the coal trains are environmental activists, not people who live and work near the tracks.
John G, you are right, the concerns are much broader than environmental. And it is interesting that having gone to the mat to get a transportation tax that put some of their members back to work, and played a key role in getting the state legislation and support that put the 80x buses in service–along with the jobs that provided–union leadership went with Kelli. They ahve bought into the SSA mantra hook, line, and sinker, and are using GPT as a litmus test in the Mayoral race. Too bad, but my job is to protect Bellingham. The good news for them is that I’ll treat them the same after the election.
I’d also note that some have suggested that it is in particular the ATU that has thrown me under the bus. I know a lot of the drivers have expressed their difference of opinion with leadership on this endorsement.
I would prefer not to be thrown under the coal train. Whatcom County needs jobs. That does not mean we should jump for a poorly conceived project that provides a few short term jobs at the expense of long term effective growth. Quality industries do not locate in communities with coal terminals.
Thank God this endorsement is meaningless for the Mayor’s race.
The number of Bellinghamsters that want an endless parade of coal trains numbers in the tens.
The Honorable Mayor has distinguished himself as the voice of reason
and too bad for Candidate Linville that she was left with the pro side nobody respects.
Mr. Lowry – You think Linville would have the political courage during this economy to stand up like Pike did last year and promote a tax increase solely aimed at keeping buses running? No way! Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! Your members would do well to reconsider their representatives. Its because of Mayor Pike’s courageous leadership that many of them still have a job.
Mr. Stark failed to mention in this post Mayor Pike’s sole endorsement from the fire fighters union.
Thank goodness the labor organizations have people who aren’t just willing to endorse candidates without looking at the facts. Good call on City Council Candidates Barry Buchanan and Cathy Lehman.
Mr. Lowry it doesn’t speak well for your leadership when after Mayor Dan Pike worked extremely hard to find a way to help your local union keep their bus driver jobs. The Mayor went out on a limb for you and yours to get Sunday service back in Bellingham. You owe him an apology.
Just why don’t we ever hear anything from candidate Linville? Does she think Pike’s enemies and old fashioned political hackery are enough to win her a fat pension? If she’s got any real position, why doesn’t she bring it here?
Come on Kelli, give us your mumbo jumbo!
“Labor leaders see the project as a welcome source of construction jobs their members desperately need….
Jobs who paychecks will get spent in this county creating more jobs and prosperity!
The benefits of this invisible hand will be very visible!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
Kelli is probably out doorbelling, meeting with voters and gathering community leaders to clean up the mess Pike is leaving behind.
@brooks anderson. In my opinion it would be better to let the article by Mr. Stark speak for itself. But you called me out, and I will respond. The fact is that Mr. Pike co-opted broad public support for public transit for a larger scheme that contained some important transit components (granted) but siphoned 66% + for other public works projects that have their own budget line items in other city budgets. Feels like a big shell game. This is all we in transit have to fund this valuable service. When the city carved out a slice of the public pie, they slammed a door on options that are now forever closed. Or at least for a decade. Pardon me if the the little people that provide WTA service lament the 18 jobs lost (net Sunday service returning), and fear the effects of another 15 to 20 cuts that we are told will happen soon.
Bellingham looks real good from almost every angle.
Where’s that mess James?
And more to the point,
what is The Honorable Mayor leaving behind that Candidate Linville will clean up?
Take your pick; businesses fleeing our downtown urban core because of the difficult hoops set up by our mayor, our next to zero vacancy rate in rental housing which drives up rents costs on thousands of hard pressed Bellingham citizens, the continuing stuttering start-stop work on the Waterfront which has led nowhere, signing a contract with an out of state company for Red Light Cameras that allow them to sue us when he knew there was an initiative coming, our broken relationships with our neighboring cities and the counties. There are lots of messes for Mayor Linville to clean up.
What hoops has The Mayor set-up?
Why does every other business deal with whatever they are effectively?
Why are new businesses opening downtown?
How is any Mayor responsible for the housing/rental market?
I’m not sure The Mayor has ‘stuttered’ waterfront work either since I don’t know what that means,
so I’ll give you that one.
You might wanna read the ATS contract since it’s been posted here somewhere and it could clear-up your view on that too.
It’s fine to want a new Mayor.
It’s even fine to hate the old one.
But just be honest and say you really have no idea what you’re talking about.
Mark Lowry. Thank you for your response.
It is important that we all listen to one another, especially those who hold different views than our own. We can all learn from one another; if we are willing.
JamesfromBham’s summary of Dan Pike’s stunning incompetence is spot on. He knows exactly what he’s talking about. (To suggest otherwise suggests that the critic doesn’t know what he’s talking about.) And his list of grievances could go on and on.
This City desperately needs new executive leadership.
So let’s hear some facts about those messes and how Candidate Linville will clean them up.
My business hasn’t suffered under Mayor Pike nor have my clients’,
so tell me how yours has.
Where’s that incompetence you speak of,
besides appointing Mr. Webster?
I’ve never bothered to post any comment I wasn’t prepared to stand behind, even the stupid ones.
How about you?
Please summarize those grievances too numerous to mention because if you do,
then other readers might be swayed to vote your way.
What I think is funny about this article is the statement – “At the same time, some members of state employee unions have similar issues with Linville based on her role as a key budget-developer in Olympia.” Which justifies the one union’s reason for not supporting Linville and then – “Local 843 leaders believe Linville has the expertise to play a key role in that process.” Which justifies the other union’s reason for supporting Linville. And its Lowry who is responsible for both statements (unless Mr. Stark is adding new information without citing it).
It must be tough to be president of TWO unions.
DaPaladin–That is correct. Mark Lowry IS president of two labor organizations making different endorsements. He said he presides over the endorsement discussions in both labor groups but does not cast a vote in either one.