It seems like you can't read the news nowadays without hearing about another company or manufacturer closing down its U.S. operations and moving overseas. Unfortunately, “outsourcing” is the catchphrase of our times.
[1] It’s exactly because of this that Sam is so proud of the accomplishments he and U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio (D) of Eugene announced on Thursday, August 4, at Oregon Ironworks, Inc.
Sam, along with Peter DeFazio, John Carroll, Chairman of the Portland Streetcar Inc. Board, the OR Ironworks management and their unionized workforce of about 350 or so, came together to announce and celebrate the procurement of a $4 million special appropriation from the federal government secured to foster the domestic production of a streetcar vehicle similar to those used by Portland Streetcar, right here in the Portland area.
The federal reauthorization bill will allocate $4 million to the Portland area for the development of a prototype streetcar similar to the Portland Streetcar currently being produced for Portland by the Inekon company of the Czech Republic. These moneys will allow us to buy, and more importantly, manufacture the streetcars here in Oregon.
[2]Congressman DeFazio is a nationally recognized leader in transportation issues, and Sam should know, because he started out his political career working on his staff at age 19. Our Oregonian congressional delegation’s support for streetcar production will result in the creation of good, high-paying jobs that use cutting edge technology. It also demonstrates their continued commitment to all Oregonians. We can all be proud of our congressional representatives for their support in creating smart transportation options for Portland and the nation.Oregon Ironworks, Inc. is extremely pleased and excited about the prospect of becoming the first domestic streetcar manufacturer in the United States. And for good reason - they’re getting into a market with a lot of growth potential.
And the those who live in the Portland region have something to be happy about as well; this new partnership is creating new manufacturing jobs and developing new domestic prototype technologies here in Oregon, countering the trend of manufacturing jobs being exported overseas.
These are good, quality jobs – the kind that Sam is determined to foster. A streetcar manufacturing facility would have the dual benefits of providing family wage jobs and building an important element of the region's transportation system. The project will keep Portland on the map as being a leader in the transit industry.
[3]
For more on this great development, read this Portland Tribune article [4].