March 06, 2003
March on the Portland Business Alliance
Not to accidentally turn this into Alliance Watch or anything, but I have to pass along one last PBA-related item.
Below is from a post to Portland Indymedia, about tomorrow's weekly rally of the Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, which is being hosted this week by Portland Labor for Peace and Justice, "a local organization formed to give voice to organized labor’s opposition to war."
The destination for the Friday rally and march will be the offices of the Portland Business Alliance, the local business organization that appeared to play a key role in defeating the Portland City Council's resolution against war. Local peace and justice organizers cited reports that the PBA successfully lobbied City Council member Jim Francesconi to cast the deciding vote against the resolution. Labor activists also pointed to the PBA's requiring a teachers' health care benefit cut as a condition for PBA support for an increased business tax. They also cited PBA's support for harassing protestors and street performers, and their advocacy for an ice skating rink at Pioneer Courthouse Square, as anti-Free Speech and as inconsistent with the values of the community.
There are also other peculiar events planned purporting to protest both the war and the PBA, including an attempt to create bottlenecks and embarassments at the downtown Nordstrom and Meier & Frank stores.