Locals 503 & 541 Carpenters hosted a recruitment booth at the annual Fiesta Mexicana celebration in Woodburn, Oregon this weekend. Members and Council Representatives volunteered to host nail-driving competitions and distribute information about joining the Union. The City of Woodburn’s Chamber of Commerce initiated the festival in 1964, to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Mexican and Central American farmers residing in the community. The three-day festival includes an extravagant parade, traditional cuisine from various regions across Mexico, a car show and Portland Lucha Libre wrestling matches, which proved to be a crowd favorite.
Watch the video above to see some of the event’s highlights.
Local 503 member Jose Alamo, put his neck on the line to join in on the fun representing the Council as “El Carpintero”. When asked what motivated him to volunteer at the event, Alamo said, “It is important for us to relay information… A lot of people work in construction, but they might not be getting paid that well and we are here to give them information.” Carpenters’ participation in community events gives us the opportunity to share information about the wages and benefits a good union career can offer, especially in historically working-class communities like Woodburn, Oregon.