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Links to commercial press stories are functional at the date of posting. In some cases, links "expire" when the source would like to begin charging you for old news. WSLC Reports Today  links to all stories of interest to organized labor; some positive, some negative. The intention is to inform.  The creation of a link does not constitute an endorsement of that story's content.

Reports for January 5-9, 2004

Previous weeks' news: Dec. 15-19 -- Dec. 8-12 -- Dec. 1-5

FRIDAY, January 9 -- Washington state needs good quality jobs -- Bender column: Growing concern about job quality is leading many to support new standards for recipients of public subsidies.
At SPEEA.org -- SPEEA files ULP against Boeing for assisting Wichita decertification effort
— In today's News Tribune -- Darigold workers get support -- Tacoma leaders have thrown their clout behind locked-out Darigold workers who have been without jobs and paychecks since August.
...plus -- Gubernatorial candidates to speak at SEIU 775 founding convention
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Economy, education dominate this year's plans in Olympia (AP)
— In today's Olympian -- $1 billion "phantom" proposal for education sets off debate
— In today's Seattle Times -- Sales-tax increase a vote-killer, key transportation players say
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Lawmakers use public office to help private interests  -- Special report:  "Fuzzy" conflict-of-interest rules let part-time state legislators advocate for their employers' interests.
...plus -- Those God-given rights to paychecks -- Editorial: Why not export a few chief executives' suites? We're certain there's qualified folks somewhere in a far-off land who might run a company for far less than what CEOs are paid in this country.
...plus -- Illegal workers question Bush's plan to grant them legal status
— In today's King County Journal -- Overhaul of immigration long overdue (editorial)
— In today's Everett Herald -- Selection of Simpson is good for 38th District (editorial)
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Domestic violence goes to work; employer requires training
At AFLCIO.org -- Latest jobs report offers continued "signs of national economic distress"
— In today's N.Y. Times -- U.S. companies added few workers in December -- Although only 1,000 jobs were created, the national jobless rate drops 0.2 to 5.7 because more long-term unemployed have given up looking for work. The total number of jobs created since President Bush's tax cuts went into effect in June 2003 is now 221,000 jobs.  That's 1,615,00 million jobs shy of the total 1,836,000 million new jobs the administration projected the tax cuts would generate by the end of 2003.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Cuts in strike funds, expiring health coverage wears on grocery pickets

THURSDAY, January 8 -- Judge blocks Bush's bureaucratic red-tape rules for unions
...plus -- Puget Sound Union Community Fund announces 2004 grant process
— In today's News Tribune -- Outrageous tips on avoiding overtime pay -- Editorial: The U.S. Department of Labor is doing its best to stab low-wage American workers in the back. Learn more.
...plus -- Boeing's Wichita workers might decertify SPEEA; vote set for Feb. 12
— In today's Seattle Times -- Jobless benefits tougher to get as new rules, standards kick in
— In today's Everett Herald -- Council springs political surprise -- Republicans reject Democrats' top pick for vacant House seat, Snohomish Co. Labor Council's Mike Sells. "That's politics," says Sells.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Spokane County misguided on smoker policy (editorial)
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Lawmaker ready to float fleet of ferry changes -- Among other things, Rep. Beverly Woods (R-Poulsbo) wants formal WSF report detailing events that led to galley closure.
— In today's King County Journal -- In first Boeing order of year, WestJet wants seven 737-700s
At AFLCIO.org -- Bush immigration plan "creates permanent underclass of workers"
— In today's Yakima H-R -- Bush immigration proposal prompts range of reactions
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Mixed reviews in state on president's immigration reform plan
— In today's L.A. Times -- Bush would open U.S. to guest workers
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Border politics as Bush woos two key groups with proposal
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- Tech CEOs defend overseas outsourcing

WEDNESDAY, January 7 -- Ferry food workers call for legislative review of galley closure
— In today's Seattle Times -- Jobless benefits cut off for many
— In today's Everett Herald -- Boeing CEO wants to talk with Sen. McCain about 767 tanker deal
— In today's King County Journal -- State needs to keep area competitive (editorial)
— In today's Yakima H-R -- Workers' comp tops list of business obstacles, think tank says
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- New Spokane County workers must be tobacco-free
— In today's Olympian -- Gregoire, Rossi score fundraising tie in December (AP)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Execs pay to play with GOP; allowed to write congressional "to-do" list
Today at AFLCIO.org -- Labor Dept. advises employers how to evade paying overtime
— In today's Washington Post -- Democratic candidates decry DOL advice on evading overtime pay 
...plus -- Bush plan would give immigrants legal status
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Bush would give illegal workers broad new rights
...plus -- How to be an Iowan for a day -- Dan Savage op-ed: Deaniacs, Liebermaniacs, Edwardians, Kerryactics and Gepharatchiks from outside Iowa need only follow a few simple steps if they want to participate in the Iowa caucuses: don't bring identification, don't put your real name on the voter registration form you'll be asked to fill out and don't write about your exploits on your blogs.

TUESDAY, January 6 -- Bush administration works overtime to help employers cut pay
— In today's Seattle Times -- Employers get tips from Dept. of Labor to avoid overtime pay
...plus -- Sen. Murray secures federal funding for student scholarships
— In today's Olympian -- Locke unveils legislative wish list -- Governor says he's willing to require accountability and new-job creation by recipients of extended R&D tax breaks. He also wants "more changes" in workers' compensation, saying business and labor should hammer out the details. 
— In today's News Tribune -- Business, labor see two sides of minimum wage
— In yesterday's Columbian -- State wrongly rings in New Year with highest minimum wage (editorial)
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Out of the galley, onto the picket line -- "I am extremely disappointed in the direction of the Washington state ferry system," said Rep. Beverly Woods (R-Poulsbo).
— In today's Everett Herald -- Berkey gets Reardon's Senate seat -- Mike Sells, secretary-treasurer for the Snohomish County Labor Council, has been listed as the odds-on favorite to replace Berkey.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Rep. Pflug appointed to fill Rossi's Senate seat
...plus -- Rail bidder rips Sound Transit -- Sound Transit accused of failing to factor in about $2 million in extra costs it will have to pay the non-union bid winner to reimburse for PLA-related benefit costs. 
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Millwood residents want budget-cut firefighter reinstated
— In today's Seattle Times -- Shun Wal-Mart approach to taxes -- David Goldstein op-ed: Supporters of Tim Eyman's initiatives need to understand local government isn't a Wal-Mart, and it can't just cut costs by outsourcing firefighting or road maintenance to sweatshops in Guangdong province. The only way for local governments to substantially cut spending is to substantially cut services.
Today at AFLCIO.org -- Judge blocks Bush's rules creating bureaucratic red tape for unions
— In today's L.A. Times -- Bush to frame migrant policy -- President Bush is preparing to outline significant changes in immigration law this week, including an expanded guest worker program and the opportunity -- with restrictions -- for millions of undocumented workers to get green cards.
— In today's Washington Post -- Closing the jobs gap -- Op-ed: President Reagan was fond of quoting President Kennedy when describing the concept of economic recovery reaching every American: "A rising tide lifts all boats." It is in that spirit that we must begin looking for answers and challenging our leaders to put aside partisan differences and begin working together for the American worker.

MONDAY, January 5 -- Your union news belongs right here -- so send it!
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Closed kitchen turns ferry riders' stomachs; laid-off workers to picket
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- Seattle tops "competitiveness" U.S. cities list; state ranks 5th
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Seattle actually looks good in this business study (column)
— In Sunday's Bellingham Herald -- Businesses get boost from state in "competitiveness" push (AP)
— In Sunday's News Tribune -- Tax breaks boost business, rankle have-nots (AP) -- "We're failing to fund a living wage and health benefits for health care workers, how can any politician justify giving away tens of million more to Microsoft and other wealthy companies?" asks SEIU 775.
...plus today -- State considers selling land at Rainier and Fircrest campuses for disabled
...plus -- Eyman's latest initiative would cripple local services (editorial)
— In today's Seattle Times -- Players seek common ground on regional transportation plan
— In today's Everett Herald -- Schools top list of state legislative issues
...plus -- Lynnwood, two unions (IAFF 1984 and IBT) come to terms; AFSCME contract pending
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Spokane area firefighters protest Millwood layoff
— In Sunday's Daily News -- Longview Fibre worker killed Friday in paper machine accident
— In the N.Y. Times -- When workers die (a must-see multimedia special report about OSHA)
At AFLCIO.org -- New study: Living wage laws help workers, don't cost business
— In last week's Washington Post -- Labor Dept. plans to issue controversial new OT rules in March
...plus -- Working hard, and forgotten -- Beth Shulman, a former vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, has written a powerful book, "The Betrayal of Work: How Low-Wage Jobs Fail 30 Million Americans." Attention should be paid to her indictment.
...plus today -- U.S. Army's outsourcing plan put on hold indefinitely
— Today from Reuters -- UFCW sues Ralph's, says chain hired back workers under fake names

Previous weeks' news: Dec. 15-19 -- Dec. 8-12 -- Dec. 1-5

FRIDAY,  JANUARY 9
Gubernatorial candidates to speak at SEIU 775 founding convention this weekend

The following news advisory was distributed Thursday by Service Employees International Union Local 775 about the union's founding convention, which begins Sunday and concludes with a Lobby Day in Olympia on Monday:

SEATTLE -- All of the leading candidates for Governor will address the Founding Convention of SEIU Local 775, the state’s largest local union, representing almost 30,000 home care and nursing home workers across the state. Dino Rossi and Ron Sims will address the group in person Sunday evening and Phil Talmadge on Monday morning. Attorney General Christine Gregoire has a prior engagement out of town but is being interviewed by home care workers this week for a tape to be played at the convention on Monday. After the Sunday founding convention, hundreds of home care and nursing home workers will bus to Olympia on Monday to greet legislators on the first day of the 2004 legislative session.

Founding Convention: Sun, January 11, 2004 – Mon, January 12, 2004

                                    Tacoma Sheraton Hotel, Tacoma , WA (ballroom)

Speakers Include:

• SEIU Executive Vice-President Eliseo Medina (1/11 at 1:15 PM )

• SEIU 775 President David Rolf (1/11 at 2:00 PM )

• Former State Senator Dino Rossi (1/11 at 6:30 PM )

• King County Executive Ron Sims (1/11 at 7:00 PM )

• Phil Talmadge (1/12 at 8:30 AM )

• Attorney General Christine Gregoire (by video, 1/12 at 9:00 AM )

(Candidate speeches will be open to the media. Parts of the convention will be closed to the public. Call for details)

Lobby Day:             Monday, January 12, 2004

11:45 – 12:15           March From 17^th & Water To Pritchard Building ;

                              Rally At Pritchard Building

12:30 – 5:00             Visits by home care workers to legislators

THURSDAY,  JANUARY 8
Judge blocks Bush's bureaucratic red-tape rules for unions

The following story was posted this week by the national AFL-CIO. Because of its importance and widespread confusion about the new paperwork requirements sought by the Bush administration, we post it here for wider distribution:

Jan. 5 -- The Bush administration’s attempt to force burdensome new financial reporting rules on short notice would cause unions “irreparable harm,” according to a federal judge who issued a one-year injunction against the U.S. Department of Labor’s enforcement of the rules.

 

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler issued the injunction Dec. 31, the day before the new rules were due to go into effect.

 

The Bush administration announced the rules Oct. 3 and made them final Nov. 10. The October announcement came less than 24 hours after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to block the Bush administration attack on overtime pay and amounts to what AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney called “payback for workers’ overtime win.” The attempt to create the new bureaucratic regulations has come under bipartisan fire, with 22 Republican lawmakers writing the Bush administration in November, urging Bush officials to delay implementing the rules.

 

Addressing the administration’s requirement that unions immediately implement the new procedures, Kessler wrote that Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao “has simply failed to offer any reasonable justification for requiring such far-reaching changes to take place in seven weeks.”

 

In contrast, when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a new rule that required corporations to electronically file financial information, “the agency delayed implementation for 13 years, during which time it conducted voluntary and mandatory pilots, stakeholder meetings and gradual phase-ins to ensure that the system worked as planned,” according to lawmakers.

 

Kessler ruled that there would be no discernible harm to the public interest in keeping existing reporting rules, “especially when that status quo has been deemed acceptable by the Department of Labor for over 40 years.”

 

The new rules -- which could cost local and national unions as much as $1 billion a year -- are part of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act and involve what is called the LM-2 annual report unions file with the Labor Department.

 

The complicated new rules require unions with $250,000 in income to revamp their accounting and financial record keeping and begin using new Labor Department electronic filing forms. Although the new rules were supposed to go into effect Jan. 1, Chao has not yet provided unions with the electronic filing forms they must use.

 

Unions already operate under far stricter financial reporting rules than do corporations. The new rules would require unions to devote vast amounts of time and money to purchase new computers and train staff to fill out the numerous forms. Sweeney noted the rules also take union member resources and unions’ time away from contract negotiations, grievance handling, organizing and other core union activities.

 

Following the injunction, Kessler said she will issue a decision on the AFL-CIO’s request to overturn the new reporting rules. 

 

More:

• See a fact sheet on the Bush administration’s new union reporting rules.

• Read AFL-CIO President John Sweeney’s statement on the new rules.

• Examine Bush’s record on important working family issues since he took office.

THURSDAY,  JANUARY 8
Puget Sound Union Community Fund announces grant process

The Greater Puget Sound Union Community Fund is pleased to announce the grant award process for the first quarter of 2004. The fund will make $6,000 available for grants to qualified organizations eligible under IRS regulation 501(c) 3 and meeting the criterion below. The grants will be from $1,000 to $2,000. Grant applications can be obtained by calling Jim Hutchins or Judy Reynolds at (206) 441-6583 or (206) 448-9277.

Grant applications will be available January 19, 2004 and must be returned no later than midnight February 9, 2004.  Grants will be awarded April 15, 2004.

Programs which are 501(c) 3 qualified and meet the following criterion are eligible:

-- Programs providing workers a voice by activating and expanding labor’s community services and partnerships for both the organized and the unorganized.

Note:  Organizations are not eligible for grants if they promote or tolerate discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, other such inequities, or anti-unionism, or that undermine or are divisive to the interests of working families and organized labor.

WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY 7
Ferry food workers call for legislative review of galley closure

Following is a flier -- and Call to Action -- being distributed by members of the Inlandboatmen's Union laid off from their food service jobs aboard the Washington State Ferries. (For more information, check out Tuesday's Bremerton Sun story about the informational pickets outside ferry terminals):

A GOOD DEAL FOR HOT FOOD ICED OVER

On a day when many IBU workers in the galleys of the WSF thought that a breakthrough might occur, (Washington State Ferries Director/CEO) Mike Thorne unilaterally changed the rules of the game.

Last Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 29-30) IBU galley workers voted to accept fewer hours and benefits -- between 2% and 3% labor savings -- in their contract with Sodexho.  This extension would have allowed all parties to reach a long-term solution to this problem, a fair contract without state subsidies, and would keep the galleys open for the passengers.

On Dec. 30, Sodexho met with the WSF to offer this agreement. WSF's Mike Thorne refused the contract presented by Sodexho and released a public statement saying he wanted a two-week extension in order to work out a one-year agreement, an agreement that he had just been presented with.

Mike Thorne made the decision to shut down the galleys aboard the ferries.  The Union finds this unacceptable and is calling for a legislative review process.  The Union has made every attempt to work with WSF to keep its high level of service, to you the traveling public.  This decision by the WSF's Mike Thorne is very disappointing to all of us.

If you share the same concerns, please call Mike Thorne at (206) 515-3400.  Please also call your state legislators at 1-800-562-6000.

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL.

For more information about the dispute, contact the IBU offices at (206) 284-6001.

TUESDAY,  JANUARY 6
Bush administration works overtime to help employers cut pay

After announcing it will defy the will of both houses of Congress and implement new overtime pay rules by the end of March that will deny up to 8 million Americans the right to time-and-a-half pay, the Bush administration has taken its attack one step further by offering employers tips on how to avoid paying overtime to workers.

An exclusive Associated Press report today reveals that, even as Bush's Department of Labor continues to market its OT plan as good for workers because it raises the threshold to qualify for OT pay to $22,100 a year, the DOL also is offering tips to employers on how to dodge this new obligation.

The DOL suggests that employers can convert salaried employees who make that much to hourly workers and then make a "payroll adjustment" by cutting their hourly pay rate so that any anticipated overtime pay would add up to the same total annual wages for the employee. That way, the Labor Department helpfully advises, the financial impact on the business would be "near zero"!

Obviously, the benefit to those workers would then be zero.

"It's hard to imagine that, even during an election year, the Bush administration is capable of such hubris and overt anti-worker policymaking," said Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.  

"It has been demonstrated that these rule changes open the door for employers to deny 8 million Americans overtime pay. Until recently, the only carrot has been that it would help a small minority of low-income workers who technically don't qualify for OT pay. But now the Bush administration is trying to undermine any benefit even those workers might receive." Bender added.  "This is an absolute outrage."

And how does the Department of Labor defend its actions?

"We're not saying anybody should do any of this," one DOL spokesman offers, the agency is simply advising employers that it's legal.

Cutting workers' pay to avoid overtime is illegal, according to a 1945 Supreme Court ruling and a 1986 DOL memo under the Reagan administration.  But Tammy McCutchen, administrator of the DOL's Wage and Hour Division and a principal architect of the Bush OT plan, says only changes made week-to-week to avoid overtime are illegal, but one-time changes are not.

"We had a lot of lawyers look at this rule. We would not have put that in there if we thought it was illegal," McCutchen said. "Unless you have a contract, there is no legal rule... prohibiting an employer from either raising your salary or cutting your salary."

FYI:  McCutchen is a former senior counsel for Hershey Foods Corporation and, before that, worked for a Chicago-based law firm that is part of the multi-billion dollar union-avoidance industry. The firm offers employers counseling not only on how to stop workers from exercising their right to organize a union, but also (surprise!) "unsurpassed service to employers" on employee wage claim disputes. Congressional critics of Bush's overtime pay plan have pointed out that the goal is, of course, not to help workers, but to help employers that violate overtime pay laws stop losing so many class-action suits that have "surpassed" the formidable skills of McCutchen & Co.

While the Washington State Labor Council appreciates McCutchen's advise that a union contract would stop employers from imposing the unilateral pay cuts she promotes (learn more), all Americans should be outraged that their tax money is being spent on "a lot of lawyers" whose mission is to identify and promote legal ways for employers to pay people less money.

Even the true-blue conservatives among us who believe consumer spending will solve our country's economic problems should be alarmed.  If cutting taxes (and running up the federal deficit) to put money in Americans' pockets is the magical elixir for this oxymoronic jobless economic recovery, doesn't that make this overtime plan and the promotion of ways to keep money out of consumers' pockets... um... counterproductive?

TUESDAY,  JANUARY 6
Sen. Murray secures federal funding for student scholarships

The Washington Workforce Association, the Association for Washington Business and the Washington State Labor Council have announced the creation of a new scholarship program for Washington’s high school students. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) has successfully secured $400,000 in the federal government’s budget, to create over 100 scholarships for Washington students to receive intensive post-secondary training.

Designed in partnership with business, labor and Washington’s Workforce Development Councils, the new In Demand Scholars Program will link high school students with high-paying careers that are available to them in their hometown. Interested students are matched with local companies, gain hands-on career experience, and receive training scholarships after high school graduation.

“Too often, non-college-bound high school students do not understand the good career opportunities available to them,” said Mike Kennedy, Chairman of the Washington Workforce Association.  “Senator Murray has created a new way to acknowledge these students’ capabilities and show them a way to develop skills that are much needed by their community. These students have great value to our towns and cities and we must make sure we enable their success.”

“I am pleased to be able to partner with the Washington State Labor Council, the Association for Washington Business and the Washington Workforce Association in providing these skills scholarships for enterprising high school students from around our state,” said Sen. Murray. “It is critical that our high schools collaborate with labor and business to address critical labor shortages across Washington.”

“Senator Murray is helping create stronger partnerships between schools and employers,” said Randy Loomans, Education & Safety Director for the Washington State Labor Council.  “The In-Demand Scholars Program will help Washington businesses find top-notch graduates. It will help our Washington high school students begin skilled, successful careers with our local employers. It’s a win-win for our state.  This shows what can happen when you bring labor, business, and the public sector together to improve our society.”

“Washington businesses report thousands of good jobs go unfilled each year, due to a lack of applicants with appropriate technical skills,” said Mike Hudson of the Association of Washington Business.  “The new scholarships will help fill these openings with Washington high school graduates – creating greater profitability for Washington businesses, better job opportunities for Washington students, and enhanced incentives for Washington students to stay in school.”

The new program is administered by the Washington Workforce Association, the Association for Washington Business and the Washington State Labor Council.  It will create three to four local pilot programs, coordinated by Workforce Development Councils (WDCs). WDCs are the local bodies empowered by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to coordinate the workforce development system in local regions throughout Washington, and Washington’s WDCs have posted some of the highest performance results in the nation. These boards bring local business leaders, labor and education representatives, elected officials and service providers together to coordinate their service to local businesses and job-seekers. The pilot programs will begin in the fall semester of 2004 at the earliest.

“In Demand will be a tremendous asset to our local schools and businesses,” said Steve Frazier, Chairman-Elect of the Washington Workforce Association. “It will further enhance the coordination between our schools and the business community, and provide great career opportunities for our kids. Workforce Development Councils have a strong record of bringing communities together to help local workers and businesses, and this adds to the tools available to us. There are kids out there right now who will enter good careers because Senator Murray funded this program.”

MONDAY,  JANUARY 5
Your union news belongs right here -- so send it!

Happy New Year!

Since its inception in 1997, WSLC Online has made a commitment to reporting labor news as it happens -- updating this site daily with new information and links to commercial media news of interest to union members. The reward has been steadily increasing traffic to today's average of more than 1,000 page views a day. Many visitors report that they check the site daily; often it's the first thing they do in the morning after checking their e-mail.

Your union organization needs to take advantage of this and get the word out on your organizing efforts, contract negotiations, imminent strikes, legislative and political action, community service and whatever information you'd like to share with the labor community in the Pacific Northwest.

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