Cowlitz commissioner cancels Freedom Foundation ‘hearing’

After unions insisted on equal time, the public meeting was cancelled

KELSO (Sept. 12, 2017) –A conservative Cowlitz County commissioner has backed down and cancelled his proposed “hearing” where he had invited the anti-union Freedom Foundation to make a presentation about changing the county’s collective bargaining process. After union members and community supporters insisted on equal time to counter the group’s presentation, commissioner Arne Mortensen decided to cancel the Sept. 26 meeting, blaming the urgency of working on “a very tough 2018-2019 budget.”

In response, the following statement was issued by Shawn Nyman, President of the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council:

This should have never been scheduled in the first place. There is absolutely no reason to set our local family wage earners up for attack by this anti-labor group, invited by the Commissioner.

Originally, there was only to be a presentation by the Freedom Foundation — no rebuttal, no public input. It took the insistence of two labor leaders and others for bargaining units/unions to at least be allowed equal time.

This meeting and the issues associated with this anti-labor group spread like wildfire. Their attacks have been well published. But Cowlitz county is a “UNION TOWN!” The FF is not welcome here.

Labor needs to continue to work together to support local workers, family wage jobs, adequate benefits, and safe work spaces. Don’t fool yourselves, this was never about transparency.

Stay vigilant. In solidarity!

Shawn Nyman
President, CWCLC