Bill Text: OR SCR10 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Withdrawn
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-28 - Withdrawn from the President's desk and from further consideration by unanimous consent on motion of Boquist. [SCR10 Detail]
Download: Oregon-2013-SCR10-Introduced.html
77th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2013 Regular Session NOTE: Matter within { + braces and plus signs + } in an amended section is new. Matter within { - braces and minus signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within { + braces and plus signs + } . LC 3209 Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 Sponsored by Senator BOQUIST (at the request of Joyce Hamilton) SUMMARY The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's brief statement of the essential features of the measure as introduced. In memoriam: Ruben Contreras, 1921-2010. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Whereas Ruben Contreras was born to a prominent family in Mexico City, Mexico, on December 12, 1921; and Whereas Ruben Contreras came to the United States in 1944 with the Bracero Program and spent several seasons working as a seasonal contract laborer, learning English and making friends from all walks of life; and Whereas Ruben Contreras settled in McMinnville, Oregon, after his marriage to Alberta Schmauder in 1948, and is believed to have been the only permanent resident of Latino heritage in Yamhill County at that time; and Whereas Ruben Contreras found work as a refrigeration technician and began advocacy work on behalf of farm workers after years of familiarizing himself with the many hazards and inequities they faced; and Whereas in 1954, Ruben Contreras began working with the Oregon Council of Churches and Migrant Ministry, visiting migrant camps to document the harrowing conditions of the camps and providing material and emotional support to workers living in the camps; and Whereas Ruben Contreras was instrumental in compiling and organizing information to report on the serious housing, health, employment security, education and discrimination issues facing migrant workers to the Oregon Legislative Assembly; and Whereas as a result of this report, farm labor reform and regulation legislation was passed into law in 1959, before most Americans outside of agricultural communities were aware of problems faced by migrant workers; and Whereas Ruben Contreras, recognizing the continuing battle that still needed to be fought to improve working and living conditions for migrant workers in the United States, joined state Senator Carl Francis and future governor Tom McCall in efforts to continue farm labor reform; and Whereas Ruben Contreras took a position with the Valley Migrant League in 1965 to translate for and advocate on behalf of migrant workers, making himself available day and night to help workers and their families find employment, pass driver tests, resolve conflicts with growers and find proper health care; and Whereas after becoming a United States citizen himself in 1958, Ruben Contreras helped thousands of migrant workers to obtain legal status in the United States; and Whereas Ruben Contreras worked tirelessly to secure and protect the rights of migrant workers as a group but also took care and time with many individuals who came to him for help and guidance; and Whereas Ruben Contreras served on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Standards Advisory Committee on Agriculture and became the Hispanic Liaison Officer for the Yamhill Community Action Partnership; and Whereas Ruben Contreras passed away on September 30, 2010, and is survived by his wife, Alberta, two daughters, Maria Elena and Marietta, and three sons, Carl, Albert Rene and Ruben Jr.; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon: That we, the members of the Seventy-seventh Legislative Assembly, honor Ruben Contreras for his pioneering work at both the local and national level to improve working and living conditions of migrant workers, and for his tireless efforts to bridge social and cultural differences in his community and in this state. ----------