Feed Editor Lite 20 Mar 2009 16:04:46 GMT The latest news from the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. http://www.wslc.org/ The new CBS "reality" show "Undercover Boss" is a 21st century sugar-coated fairy tale. The brave prince is a CEO who goes undercover as a regular worker near the bottom of the food chain. The boss sees the light and promotes workers, raises pay, eases rules and promises a new found respect for all. If your boss isn’t going undercover anytime soon, check out the new website, Fix Our Jobs, where you can vent about how lousy -- and even how great -- your job is and learn how to make it better. 8 Feb 2010 16:48:57 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/February/08.htm#Monday FC63FF55-D2E0-42A7-9DB6-96124CEBB0C7 Next week, the Washington State Labor Council and its affiliated unions will offer legislative lobbying training in Seattle, and will host the WSLC Legislative Reception and Conference in Olympia, where all participants will be urged to visit their legislators to advocate for pro-worker legislation. 5 Feb 2010 16:33:57 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/February/05.htm#Friday 1B2B3F30-A1FC-49E8-9BE4-0454070FE4C9 Senate Democratic leaders have agreed to swear in Republican Scott Brown of Massachusetts this afternoon, a week ahead of what Brown had requested just a few days ago. Why? Because Republican leaders want Brown seated early to block the nomination of labor attorney Craig Becker to the NLRB. Why? They think Becker is too pro-labor. 4 Feb 2010 17:05:47 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/February/04.htm#Thursday B29A15AE-B609-4296-9868-2F6B9A9CE3C7 After erroneous reports that the AFL-CIO supported the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to allow unlimited corporate campaign spending, the AFL-CIO last week expressed its strong disagreement with the decision, calling it "an activist, pro-corporate decision that further tilts the playing field in favor of big business in public elections and increases the already excessive influence that corporations exert in our electoral system and in our society." 3 Feb 2010 16:58:36 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/February/03.htm#Wednesday A707B1DC-0181-4EFA-8672-EAE4E9F6AD54 Business interests had the opportunity to air their proposals to change Washington's public nonprofit workers' compensation system, including the possibility of privatizing it, at a Senate committee work session on Monday. Labor representatives expressed their opposition to such a proposal, but expressed a willingness to continue working with the business community to identify changes that all parties can support. 2 Feb 2010 17:02:56 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/February/02.htm#Tuesday 0573D0D9-62EE-4C13-9ABF-1AFD06644119 (SPECIAL REPORT ON WORKERS' COMPENSATION) -- All independent national evidence points to Washington as having both high benefits and low employer costs when compared to other states. That's why all proposals to change the system should be measured by whether they maintain or increase our state's success in providing "sure and certain relief" to injured workers and their families. 1 Feb 2010 17:14:41 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/February/01.htm#Monday BC9F50F9-C8F1-4713-880D-C17B0871CB50 The Rebuilding Our Economic Future Coalition is planning a major rally at noon on Presidents Day, Monday, February 15 on the Capitol Steps in Olympia. All union members are urged to attend and urge legislators to stop devastating cuts to education, health care, and services for the most vulnerable. 28 Jan 2010 17:02:55 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/January/28.htm#Thursday B465BB38-5A8D-4943-9CF3-65FF75AC1F47 The Washington State Labor Council has compiled detailed voting records for each of the candidates for the 3rd Congressional District who served in the Washington State Legislature. These candidates are running to replace Rep. Brian Baird, who has announced he will not run for re-election. 27 Jan 2010 17:01:39 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/January/27.htm#CD3 7F8DA660-4EAB-460D-B96B-A1F3C8E55193 As our national economy continues to hemorrhage jobs, the number of union members dropped 771,000 to 15.3 million in 2009. The rate of union membership remained virtually unchanged at 12.3%. Washington state remains ranked No. 4 in terms of union density in 2009, with the state's 574,000 union members accounting for 20.2% of the workforce. 25 Jan 2010 16:58:06 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/January/25.htm#Monday DDFCF92D-132C-45A1-A3B2-EFFE2B96B265 HB 2561, the Jobs Act of 2010 sponsored by Rep. Hans Dunshee and strongly supported by the Washington State Labor Council, passed the State House of Representatives by a 57-41 vote on Wednesday. Also referred to as the "Green Jobs Bill," it would create up to 38,000 jobs in every corner of the state by fixing public schools and universities, making them more energy efficient. 21 Jan 2010 17:01:00 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/January/21.htm#Thursday 1545E914-3475-4FD3-96D0-51367A468A61 The governor has called for "decisive, compassionate leadership," but her supplemental budget would close institutions for developmentally disabled children and adults, essentially kicking some of our most vulnerable people out of the state's house. Plus, it would cost more money -- now and in the future. 15 Jan 2010 23:00:09 GMT http://www.wslc.org/legis/10lu0115.htm D93459FA-2484-4512-B48F-52FB85D21BCF Despite all the doom-and-gloom about the 2010 session of the State Legislature, and the $2.6 billion projected budget deficit legislators face, not everyone is upset. In fact, there are some who are very excited and view this session as a great opportunity -- one they've been waiting on for decades. 8 Jan 2010 23:01:28 GMT http://www.wslc.org/legis/10lu0108.htm B4EA8146-5E65-4492-B5FB-CD5C037592A1 Judy Schurke, Director of the Department of Labor and Industries, responds to an "alarmist, misleading" editorial in Wednesday's (Tacoma) News Tribune that suggested the state-run workers' compensation system was in danger of insolvency. 7 Jan 2010 16:58:22 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2010/January/07.htm#Thursday 1F5265E1-F9D6-4323-B0E2-F21CFB0A58F4 The Washington State Labor Council’s 2010 legislative agenda -- at both the state and national levels -- is focused on jobs, jobs, jobs. Creating jobs. Retaining jobs. Strengthening jobs. But while we are mindful that quality jobs will lead us out of recession, the WSLC also recognizes the moral imperative of protecting and strengthening the social safety nets that the victims of this recession need to survive; we must raise revenue to protect our families’ health and safety; and we must make sure our state is prepared to effectively implement national health care reform. Read 23 Dec 2009 16:39:02 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/December/23.htm#Wednesday DB31C1D8-14F8-4F36-93D9-B0E38315A8C9 Dozens of representatives of unions in Washington state gathered at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Wednesday to express their solidarity and support for tens of thousands of Transportation Security Officers organizing with the American Federation of Government Employees at some 450 airports across the nation. 17 Dec 2009 16:57:13 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/December/17.htm#Thursday DBEC417F-C8C6-47EA-BEF9-EFE7B915E0F8 In a guest column published today, Washington State Labor Council President Rick Bender writes, "The labor movement makes no apologies for our mission to help workers find their voice in the workplace. We believe that our fight is even more crucial in the face of the shaky moral compass with which business directs itself today. That is why we will support champions of our values instead of giving in to corporate dominance over a subservient work force." 20 Nov 2009 16:56:12 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/November/20.htm#Friday 17654B53-65A8-41F6-90E0-A1FF477F8887 SPEEA Executive Director Ray Goforth says Boeing executives' decision to locate a second 787 assembly line in South Carolina "is bad for the company and employees and will ultimately be bad for shareholders." Read his guest column in today's Seattle Times. 3 Nov 2009 17:00:54 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/November/03.htm#Tuesday BCBF8EE7-F26C-4C38-B7AC-CB1F6A2717C2 IAM District 751 President Tom Wroblewski says Boeing's decision to build a second 787 assembly line in Charleston, S.C. is "an ill-advised, billion-dollar bet on a strategy that’s a proven loser." Read more, plus reactions to Boeing's decision from other labor and government leaders. 29 Oct 2009 16:52:59 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/October/29.htm#Thursday 44FCE409-8205-45E0-9D11-0603FE84CD30 A media campaign by business lobbying groups is making false and misleading claims about Washington's State Fund workers' compensation system. Their goal is to promote business-sought "reforms" that cut injured workers' benefits. Today, the Washington State Labor Council wants to begin setting the record straight in order to facilitate an honest discussion on the issue. 21 Oct 2009 16:54:31 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/October/21.htm#Wednesday DFAC051A-6A45-4CD2-B1B0-43CCE4A2F3BA (Guest column by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Rep. Steve Conway) -- Some argue the proposed workers' compensation rate increase for 2010 is evidence the system is broken and vow to seek changes that will cut injured workers' benefits to drop premiums even lower. Such changes would be unfounded. The problem isn't the system, it's the recession. 13 Oct 2009 17:00:13 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/October/13.htm#Tuesday 0581AE18-22DD-4346-94C2-3AD17475FFA7 Union offices, rank-and-file members and others are urged to purchase 100% union-made coffee -- produced by ILWU members in Hawaii. This excellent coffee is competitively priced and for every pack ordered, a rebate goes to the Foundation for Working Families, a non-profit organization to help union members in times of hardship or disaster. 9 Oct 2009 17:00:00 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/October/09.htm#Friday D799E4F2-D592-4D08-B75B-CCA1CE655ED6 The State Department of Labor and Industries has announced that the state minimum wage will not increase in 2010, remaining at $8.55 an hour, because the inflation index used to automatically adjust the lowest legal wage dropped 1.9% in the past year. The law does not allow for the state minimum wage to decrease. 30 Sep 2009 17:00:52 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/September/30.htm#MW 85847C0E-92EB-44EB-8538-2249110C9AD8 This week brought three new reports that all indicate Washington state is extending its competitive advantage over other states for having low taxes, less regulation, a highly skilled and educated workforce, an excellent quality of life and other factors that make it one of the best states in the nation to do business. 25 Sep 2009 17:01:06 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/September/25.htm#Friday 6489FC7B-A950-492B-86C8-40F8B5D21F59 Washington's unemployment insurance system has pumped $5 billion into our state economy in the past 18 months. That money is keeping businesses afloat and saving jobs in this recession. With the healthiest U.I. system in the nation, Washington is able to afford both a major U.I. tax cut and benefit increases. But other states, including all of our competitors for aerospace industry jobs, have U.I. systems that are now insolvent and are borrowing money to pay benefits, setting up major tax increases amid the recession. 20 Aug 2009 17:18:27 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/August/20.htm#Thursday B53BF9BA-6320-4D8A-AFA7-18593AB3775E One of the most persistent myths about Washington's business climate is that our workers' compensation costs are higher than in most other states. The gap between the truth and the negative rhetoric on this question is shocking. Not only do we have comparatively low premiums, the workers' compensation costs to employers in Washington state are the fifth lowest of any state in the nation. 30 Jul 2009 16:45:05 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/Outside-EC2.htm D40F6689-481E-478B-9757-66C6FC5A68B8 SPECIAL REPORT -- "Outside the Echo Chamber" -- National publications, universities and public policy groups that analyze state policies affecting business consistently rank Washington among the very best states for business. They say we have comparatively low business taxes, a lighter regulatory burden, a highly skilled and trained workforce, excellent higher education, and for those reasons and many others, our state economy outperforms those of other states. 23 Jul 2009 17:02:29 GMT http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/July/23.htm#Thursday ED8BB298-CDAA-47BE-9AA5-67EDCBD7A6D9