HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

BUSINESS, LABOR AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

March 26, 2003 Hearing Room E

8:30 A.M. Tapes 70 - 72

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Betsy Close, Chair

Rep. Derrick Kitts, Vice-Chair

Rep. Diane Rosenbaum, Vice-Chair

Rep. Mary Gallegos

Rep. Bill Garrard

Rep. Jeff Merkley

Rep. Mike Schaufler

STAFF PRESENT: Patrick Brennan, Committee Administrator

Mike Reiley, Committee Assistant

MEASURES HEARD: HB 2351 – Public Hearing

HB 2969 – Public Hearing

SB 2 – Public Hearing

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 70, A
003	Chair Close	Calls meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. Opens public hearing on HB 2351.
HB 2351 – PUBLIC HEARING
009	Patrick Brennan	Committee Administrator. Summarizes HB 2351.
023	Piper Sweeney	Grower, Dayton. Denotes importance of HB 2351. Cites example of vandalism to her farm.
060	Mark Simmons	Oregon Association of Nurserymen. Explains importance of HB 2351. Provides history of union and labor legislation.
158	Tim Bernasek	Hobson and Bernasek, Oregon Farm Bureau Federation. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in support of HB 2351 (EXHIBIT A).
321	Chair Close	Explains intentions for HB 2351. Notes that there will be workgroup.
332	Rep. Schaufler	Inquires about prosecution of those who vandalized Ms. Sweeney’s farm.
343	Sweeney	Informs of the vandalism to her farm.
380	Rep. Rosenbaum	Poses question regarding collective bargaining provisions.
403	Bernasek	Elucidates collective bargaining provisions in other states.
TAPE 71, A
021	Chair Close	Explains the workgroup.
036	Brad Witt	American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO). Testifies in opposition to HB 2351. Accounts for concerns with HB 2351.
127	Javier Ceja	Farm worker. Testifies in opposition to HB 2351. States that HB 2351 benefits employers rather than workers.
215	Rosa Chapin	Farmworker. Testifies in opposition to HB 2351. Contextualizes HB 2351 in relation to strikes.
310	Rep. Kitts	Asks if relationship between NORPAC Foods and the Oregon Farmworker Union, Piñeros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) would continue to be allowed under HB 2351.
330	Witt	States that he would have to investigate further.
352	Chair Close	Provides her understanding of the provisions for crossing picket lines.
360	Witt	Responds regarding the practice of picketing and its interpretation by the bill.
372	Chair Close	Asks if harassment of those who cross picket lines should be acceptable.
377	Witt	Responds that AFL-CIO does not condone harassment.
385	Rep. Rosenbaum	Inquires about the effects of collective bargaining.
392	Witt	Explains collective bargaining.
TAPE 70, B
001	Edrian Delgado	Union farmworker. Note: the testimony that follows is in Spanish and interpreted in English by a translator, Trini Marquez. Testifies in opposition to the union in Oregon. Provides personal experience as a union worker. Speaks on the relationship of workers to unions.
166	Trini Marquez	Farm worker. Thinks the child labor law has affected her family. States she does not feel one union is necessary for representation.
186	Chair Close	Closes public hearing on HB 2351. Opens public hearing on HB 2969.
HB 2969 – PUBLIC HEARING
192	Patrick Brennan	Committee Administrator. Summarizes HB 2969.
211	Eric Blackledge	Vice Chair, Governor’s Small Business Council (SBC). Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in support of HB 2969 (EXHIBIT B).
304	Rep. Gallegos	Requests what would happen to the Office of Small Business if OECDD should be eliminated.
218	Blackledge	Responds that it would go to another state agency.
335	Rep. Rosenbaum	Asks if council would not require more funding.
342	Blackledge	Explains funding available for SBC.
363	Rep. Garrard	Requests a definition of small business.
373	Blackledge	Answers that Oregon defines a small business as employing under 200 persons.
394	Ron Fox	Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD). Testifies in support of HB 2969. Speaks on a proposal from SBC. Feels the bill has a small fiscal impact in its current form.
TAPE 71, B
017	Chair Close	Asks whether the fiscal impact of HB 2696 would be below $50,000.
020	Fox	Explains the fiscal impact of the measure. Notes the figure is above $50,000.
028	Chair Close	Requests a clarification of costs regarding section one of the bill.
030	Fox	Explains costs incurred by the bill.
041	Chair Close	Asks if additional full time equivalent (FTE) employees will be necessary.
043	Fox	Responds with staffing needs, supplies, and services.
056	Rep. Rosenbaum	Comments there is no emergency clause.
062	Fox	Responds he stands corrected.
068	Chair Close	Closes public hearing and opens work session on HB 2969.
HB 2969 – WORK SESSION
075	Rep. Kitts	MOTION: Moves HB 2969 to the floor with a BE ADOPTED recommendation and BE REFERRED to the committee on by prior reference.
085		VOTE: 7-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye.
	Chair Close	The motion CARRIES.
090	Chair Close	Closes work session on HB 2969. Opens public hearing on SB 2.
SB 2 – PUBLIC HEARING
095	Patrick Brennan	Reads Staff Measure Summary (SMS) on SB 2. Notes the fiscal impact statement.
100	Senate President Peter Courtney	Senate District 11. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in support of SB 2 (EXHIBIT C).
151	Sen. Lenn Hannon	Senate President Pro Tempore, Senate District 3. Testifies in support of SB 2.
188	Chair Close	Notes that she supported HB 4021 in special session and has received unemployment benefits.
191	Rep. Kitts	Commends work done by President Courtney and Sen. Hannon. Thanks the chair for her efforts. Voices support of SB 2.
225	Sen. Hannon	Speaks on behalf of the Senate. Appreciates the comments of Rep. Kitts.
246	President Courtney	Remarks.
275	Larry Harmon	Unemployed carpenter. Provides employment history. Supports SB 2. Provides personal account of unemployment.
301	Michael Thomas	Former AgriFrozen employee. Introduces wife, Patricia, also a former AgriFrozen employee. Provides personal account of their family.
317	Sandra Michaels	Former Intel employee. Explains her professional work history and her newly encountered unemployment.
381	Victoria Lowe	Former Intel employee. Explains compensation for unemployment.
420	John Stevens	Software engineer, Former Intel employee. Accounts for employment history.
TAPE 72, A
005	Mike Eidem	Carpenter’s Local 130. Urges passage of SB 2.
026	Leo Vallejo	Former PicSweet employee. Note: the testimony that follows is in Spanish and interpreted in English by a translator. Testifies in favor of SB 2. Provides account of a mushroom plant. Accounts for the educational pursuits of his former coworkers.
061	Roger Kaye	Unemployed Oregonian. Testifies in favor of SB 2 (EXHIBIT D).
080	Eduardo Angulo	Chairman, Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality. Testifies in support of SB 2. Believes it is important to support and acknowledge the working poor.
095	Tim Nesbitt	Oregon AFL-CIO. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in support of SB 2 (EXHIBIT E).
102	Robert Castagna	Oregon Catholic Conference. Testifies in support of SB 2.
128	Phillip Kennedy-Wong	Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Testifies in support of SB 2.
155	Rep. Jeff Barker	House District 28. Testifies in favor of SB 2 (EXHIBIT F).
178	Chair Close	Closes public hearing and opens work session on SB 2.
SB 2 – WORK SESSION
182	Rep. Rosenbaum	Expresses thanks to Chair Close for hearing SB 2. Speaks in support of SB 2.
208	Rep. Merkley	Expresses thanks to Chair Close for hearing SB 2. Speaks in support of SB 2.
217	Rep. Kitts	Speaks on the ‘jobs bill’ and its relevance.
225	Rep. Garrard	MOTION: Moves SB 2 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation and the SUBSEQUENT REFERRAL to the committee on Ways and Means BE RESCINDED.
230		VOTE: 7-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye.
	Chair Close	The motion CARRIES. REP. ROSENBAUM AND CHAIR CLOSE will lead discussion on the floor.
235	Chair Close	Closes work session on SB 2. Adjourns meeting at 10:45 a.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – HB 2351, written testimony, Tim Bernasek, 6 pp

B – HB 2969, written testimony, Eric Blackledge, 2 pp

C – SB 2, written testimony, Sen. Peter Courtney, 2 pp

D – SB 2, written testimony, Roger Kaye, 1 p

E – SB 2, written testimony, Tim Nesbitt, 2 pp

F – SB 2, written testimony, Rep. Jeff Barker, 1 p