NEXT UPDATE -- Tuesday, Jan. 20 by 9 a.m. (Pacific)

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 12-16, 2004

Previous weeks' news: Jan. 5-9 -- Dec. 15-19 -- Dec. 8-12

Urge U.S. Senators to stop Bush's attack on overtime pay

FRIDAY, January 16 -- WSLC Legislative Update: R&D needs Reporting & Disclosure
— In today's Columbian -- High-tech R&D tax exemption gains support
At SPEEA.org -- SPEEA withdraws charges to facilitate Wichita employees' vote
— In today's King County Journal -- Boeing-SPEEA battle could freeze Wichita talks
Take action! -- Tell Radisson execs that SeaTac hotel workers deserve good jobs
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Tax breaks sought in Olympia to keep Intalco plant open
...plus -- Farm workers suit seeks ban on pesticide used on apples (AP)
— In today's Oregonian -- Vancouver, Clark County mindful of Tim Eyman's new initiative -- I-860 would slash local property taxes by 25 percent, cutting millions from city and county budgets.
...plus -- Oregon Steel will pay $32 million to settle 6½-year dispute with USWA workers in Colorado
— In today's P.S Business Journal -- Yakima County 2nd in nation for job growth -- Thurston County is also one of the Top 10 job-producing counties in the United States (even though "we suck").
— In today's Olympian -- State plans to build on success of landing 7E7, Choe says
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Latest Boeing layoff warnings affect "only" 70 here
...plus -- Joint ballot planned for roads, Sound Transit; but details not yet worked out
— In today's King County Journal -- Redmond fire chief announces retirement amid labor dispute
— In today's Everett Herald -- Goodrich hiring, trying to call back 100 laid-off airplace mechanics
— In today's Washington Post -- GOP senators push to pass omnibus spending bill -- They pass out a list "reminding" senators of projects funded in measure, hoping Dems will withdraw objections to language on overtime pay, media consolidation, and country-of-origin labeling for beef and other foods.
— In today's N.Y. Times -- U.S. insurer of pension says its deficit has soared
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- What your health premiums pay for -- Lazarus column: The United States squanders more money every year on health care bureaucracy than it would cost to provide medical coverage for the 43 million Americans now lacking insurance, says a new study.

THURSDAY, January 15 -- Safeway's confrontational labor strategy hurting Washington
— In today's L.A. Times -- Another California public pension fund urges grocers to end strike
In legislative news:
— In today's Everett Herald -- Let binding arbitration decide teacher disputes (editorial)
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Locke eyes $750 million boost for biotech industry (AP)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Let's give schools Boeing-like help (editorial)
Other labor news:
— In today's Olympian -- Contracting out state jobs grows nearer
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Companies eye ferry food contracts; IBU pleased, wary of downsizing
— In today's Seattle Times -- Kemper Freeman's roads initiative plan seen as too costly
...plus -- Jobs on line as Seattle School District considers more budget cuts
...plus -- Washington seniors deserve a real drug benefit (op-ed by U.S. Sens. Murray and Cantwell)
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- There won't be any jobs on the moon -- Op-ed: President Bush's space initiative gives little solace to the unemployed here on earth.
— In today's Oregonian -- Oregon Steel, USWA reach deal ending 6½-year dispute -- Five-year labor contract would restore jobs and some back pay for workers at the company's Pueblo, Colo., mill.
Today at AFLCIO.org -- Democratic candidates support range of work-family policies
— In today's L.A. Times -- More U.S. workers are likely to retire without company health benefits
— In today's Washington Post -- Prestigious medical panel urges health care coverage for all by 2010
— In today's N.Y. Times -- United, Delta increase pressure on employees for concessions
— Today from MSNBC.com -- Moseley Braun will quit race, endorse Dean

WEDNESDAY, January 14 -- The Olympian: New home-care contract merits support
Other legislative news:
— In today's Olympian -- In State of the State address, Locke urges education trust fund
...plus -- Locke draws protests over renewal of R&D tax break for high-tech companies
— In today's Everett Herald -- Teachers strikes hit nerve in Marysville; binding arbitration backed
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Charter schools bill a package deal with other education reforms
— In today's News Tribune-- Bob Maier, chief lobbyist for WEA, dies at 61
Other labor news:
— In today's Everett Herald -- Key labor board vote (on Wichita decertification) coming for SPEEA
— In today's Olympian -- Lacey lands biotech company; 300 good jobs expected in South Sound
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Citing personal reasons, Seattle fire chief resigns
...plus -- 10 companies, including fast-food franchises, eye ferry food bid
...plus -- Gephardt seeks a road to White House via Seattle
— In today's Seattle Times -- Crowded union hall gives Gephardt a warm welcome
...plus -- Kemper Freeman plans initiative to fund more highways -- It would earmark 10 cents of the state's 28-cents-per-gallon gas tax to build more highway lanes, but is silent on what might be cut from the transportation budget to spend more on new lanes. (Hint: ferries, city/county roads, etc.)
...plus -- Farm jobs begin immigration reform (editorial)
Today at AFLCIO.org -- Bush budget shortchanges children -- again
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Democrats see a new urgency in health care
...meanwhile, across the aisle -- Bush plans $1.5 billion drive for promotion of marriage
...and in today's News Tribune -- Bush seeks $1 billion for Mars expedition, moon base
— In today's Washington Post -- Bush officials rewrite health care report, play down racial disparities
...plus -- Good for investors, bad for the rest -- Meyerson column: If you work for a living in George W. Bush's America, you're a sap... Bush tax policy rewards investment and inheritance. Relying on work for your income, by contrast, turns you into a second-class citizen... The burden of proof is on those on the right to demonstrate how private investment in a global economy creates jobs here at home. And why the hell our tax policy should boost income in Bangalore, not Baltimore.

TUESDAY, January 13 -- Gephardt appears at rally, health care forum TODAY in Seattle
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Kaiser Aluminum retiree benefits in doubt -- Bankrupt company says it can't afford retirement and medical insurance benefits. Federal bankruptcy court will decide.
...plus -- Overtime bill not likely to be a labor of love -- AWB hopes to resurrect SB 5462, ensuring President Bush's overtime pay take-away applies to workers here in Washington state.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Lawmakers to tackle controversial topics -- House GOP budget boss Barry Sehlin on the home-care contract's cost: "I don't know if it's a 'no' for sure, but it's of grave concern."
...plus -- Legislature can get people back to work -- Op-ed by Sen. Jim Honeyford calling for workers' compensation "reforms" and freezing the minimum wage.
— In today's Olympian -- Locke budget draws quick GOP criticism (w/ photo of SEIU 775 march)
— In today's News Tribune -- Chanting again in Olympia
...plus -- Boeing tactic in Wichita unethical, SPEEA charges
From Central Kansas (Wichita) CLC -- Open letter to Boeing management -- Boeing is mounting a mean-spirited, anti-union campaign that includes employing (a known anti-union law firm), launching a nasty web page and holding misleading closed door management training sessions. Your leaders have stated that Management’s policy regarding unions is “Where we have them we will work with them and where we don’t have them we will oppose them.” Regrettably, it seems they now have added, “Whenever we get the chance we will try to eliminate them.”
— In today's N.Y. Times -- In-house audit said Wal-Mart violated labor laws
...plus -- New York state proposal would tax businesses that do not insure workers
— In today's Washington Post -- What we worry? Yes. -- Op-ed: The United States is overextended, not just militarily but economically. We are trying to do too much, borrow too much, spend too much, and sooner or later we will have to suffer the consequences.
— At BusinessWeek online -- Tax fairness? Fuhgetaboutit -- Since 1980, Congress and successive Presidents have deliberately undermined the fairness of the tax system; it's now biased to favor big companies and a few superrich individuals, says the Pulitzer prize-winning author of a new book.

MONDAY, January 12 -- Legislative session begins today; Get on our e-mail update list!
— In Sunday's News Tribune -- Legislature 2004: Back to work -- "The reality is that some Democratic legislators right now have very, very poor voting records with respect to the people we represent," said WSLC President Rick Bender. "And they're going to have to work very hard to get it up to where we'd consider them for an endorsement."
...plus -- A house divided, a long to-do list -- Editorial: (High-tech R&D) incentives ought to be closely tied to actual job-creation.
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Locke's prescription: More for home health care
...plus -- Legislature should work on ferries' core issues (editorial)
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- Stricter unemployment rules now in place
...plus -- Let the private sector try it (editorial re" passenger ferries)
— In today's Everett Herald -- New bill targets school strikes through binding arbitration
In other news:
At SPEEA.org -- ULP charges against Boeing may delay decertification vote in Wichita
— In Saturday's Wichita Eagle -- SPEEA claims Boeing is violating labor law
— In Sunday's Seattle P-I -- Note this: health costs worry nurses -- Editorial: Americans have gotten used to worrying about their own health care costs or hearing businesses and workers express concerns. Now, health care workers themselves are joining state employees, Boeing workers and locked-out Darigold union members in making an issue of their health expenses.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Three months and still no deal; latest grocery talks collapse
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Business cheers Bush's immigration plan, but Labor is wary
— In today's Washington Post -- U.S. urged to monitor global labor policies

Previous weeks' news: Jan. 5-9 -- Dec. 15-19 -- Dec. 8-12

FRIDAY,  JANUARY 16
Urge U.S. Senators to stop Bush's attack on overtime pay

Tuesday, Jan. 20, will be a critical day in the fight to stop President Bush's overtime pay take-away and to prevent a pay cut for millions of America's workers.  The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on unfinished business from last year including a massive federal spending bill.  A group of pro-worker
senators is pledging to block that legislation with a filibuster because it does not bar Bush's overtime pay take-away. Later that night, President Bush will deliver the annual State of the Union address. If he's honest about wanting to help our economy, he'll withdraw his overtime pay take-away.

Please act immediately. Time is crucial.

Right now, please click here to send a fax to your senators -- with a copy to President Bush urging  them to support the filibuster.  Even if you've acted before, it is important that we keep the heat turned up now.  Please take one minute right now to send this fax (it's free) by clicking on this link: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/voteforovertime/ 

You can also help keep the heat turned up on U.S. senators and President Bush by telling your friends, family and co-workers about Bush's outrageous overtime pay take-away.  Do that right
now by visiting http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/voteforovertime/forward.

One e-Activist, Connie from Ohio, wrote us a note describing her efforts to get the word out about Bush's overtime pay take-away. "I ask [people] what they think of the president trying to take away overtime pay. Amazingly they never heard about it before I told them. They only know now because I told them."

Millions of people STILL don't know. They will only know about President Bush's overtime pay take-away if you and others get the word out during the next week and over the coming months.

Thanks for all you do.

Also see:

• In today's Washington Post -- GOP senators push to pass omnibus spending bill -- They pass out a list "reminding" senators of projects funded in measure, hoping Democrats will withdraw objections to language on overtime pay, media consolidation, and country-of-origin labeling for beef and other foods.
• The WSLC's January 6 posting -- Bush administration works overtime to help employers cut pay

THURSDAY,  JANUARY 15
Safeway's confrontational labor strategy hurting Washington

The AFL-CIO Office of Investment will present a report today (Jan. 15) to the Washington State Investment Board (WSIB) outlining the consequences to shareholders of Safeway’s confrontational labor strategy and poor management. The grocery chain has lost roughly $20 billion in shareholder value over the last three years, and management’s hardball attempts to slash employee health care benefits are leading the company deeper into turmoil.

“As a significant Safeway shareholder through its public equity investments, the WSIB has suffered significant losses as a result of Safeway’s poor performance and confrontational labor strategy,” reads the AFL-CIO report, which will be presented at the board’s meeting in Olympia this morning.

Individuals affiliated with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), a major WSIB private equity manager, control 4 of the 9 seats on the Safeway Board of Directors. So even though KKR no longer owns any Safeway stock, these directors have a fiduciary obligation to shareholders like Washington state to help Safeway restore productive relationships with its workers and their unions, and address the management and operating problems now eroding shareholder value.

“Long-term investors like Washington state rely on Safeway’s board of directors to ensure that management’s business strategy is in the best long-term interests of the corporation and its shareholders,” said Michael Garland, the AFL-CIO Office of Investment representative who will be attending the WSIB meeting. “Given Safeway’s poor performance and destructive labor strategy, it's inexcusable that four directors affiliated with one of Washington’s largest investment managers are buttressing Safeway’s failed strategy.”

According to the AFL-CIO report, KKR’s role on the Safeway Board despite its lack of ownership and its many related-party transactions with Safeway may raise concerns that KKR is using its Board influence to benefit itself at the expense of Safeway, WSIB and other shareholders. There is also a possibility that Safeway’s confrontational labor strategy could further impact Washington later this year. The contracts for some 30,000 grocery workers at Safeway and other chains expire in May and negotiations with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union are imminent.

“There is every reason to believe that unless Safeway abandons its confrontational strategy and restores a productive relationship with its employees and their union, the damage to Washington state will only worsen,” said Geralyn Lutty, Regional Director of UFCW Northwest Region 7, which represents Washington-area UFCW locals.  “The State of Washington has a strong interest in the restoration of productive labor relations at Safeway, and in exerting its considerable influence to help restore shareholder value at the company.”

Download the full AFL-CIO report (in MS Word format) to the WSIB.  For more information, contact David Groves of the Washington State Labor Council at (206) 281-8901.

Also see today's L.A. Times report: Another public pension fund urges grocers to end strike

WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY 14
The Olympian: New home-care contract merits support

The following excellent editorial appears in today's edition of The Olympian:

Our Views: New contract merits support

State employees, who have gone three years without a cost-of-living salary increase, recognize that they have little to gain financially in the 2004 legislative session. Instead, they look forward to the opportunity to negotiate their first collective bargaining contract. That contract will be up for legislative ratification a year from now.

Home health care workers are in a different circumstance. Workers are looking to the 2004 Legislature for a boost in their hourly pay.

Home health care workers do everything from balancing their client's checkbook to bathing and dressing them and handling many other personal needs.

They were sorely disappointed a year ago when the contract they negotiated failed to achieve legislative approval.

They are back this year with a new contract that merits favorable consideration by lawmakers.

Broad ramifications

This issue has ramifications far beyond those 26,000 people working in the in-home care industry.

A study conducted in 1997 by MetLife showed that American businesses lose between $11.4 billion and $29 billion a year in productivity due to the stresses and requirements of employees struggling with eldercare.

Most of us acknowledge that in-home care workers do critically important work. They care for low-income senior citizens and people with disabilities.

In the best of circumstances, a personal care assistant can become a trusted member of the family. In the worst of circumstances, in-home care assistants have abused clients.

The goal of every person looking for in-home care is to find well-qualified, caring individuals who are honest and trustworthy.

But the turnover in the industry is 40 percent per year, according to a 2000 DSHS survey. Wages are a factor.

According to an April 2002 report by the Feldman Group, 39 percent of home care workers are on public assistance.

In November 2001, state voters recognized that an hourly salary of about $7.68 for personal care workers was ridiculously low. An overwhelming 63 percent of the voters supported the passage of Initiative 775.

That measure allowed in-home care workers to unionize and bargain for salary increases. The initiative also created a Home Care Quality Authority to bargain on behalf of the state and establish qualifications, standards, accountability, training and referral services in the personal care industry.

The workers voted for representation by the Service Employees International Union, and in the fall of 2002 they negotiated a contract with the quality authority board. That contract called for a salary increase of $2.07 an hour spread over two years.

The contract, which would have boosted in-home care workers' pay to $9.75 an hour in July of this year, also called for a health insurance subsidy for people who work at least 20 hours a week for at least three months, and it offered workers' compensation coverage for on-the-job injuries.

The 2003 Legislature rejected the contract, but it did give workers a 75-cent-an-hour pay boost.

New contract

In-home workers have returned to the bargaining table and are back before lawmakers with another contract proposal.

It would:

-Provide workers with a 50-cent an hour increase to $8.93 an hour beginning in October.

-Provide injured-worker coverage administered by a third party beginning in October.

-Provide comprehensive individual health care coverage through a Taft-Hartley Trust fund to all in-home workers who work at least half time for at least three consecutive months. Those workers must not have any other health insurance. Their health coverage would begin in January 2005. The provision of health care benefits might be the most difficult sell to lawmakers.

The total cost of the renegotiated contract is $24.8 million through June 2005. The state's most recent revenue forecast shows an additional $65.2 million in state coffers, with a projected total revenue surplus of $544 million. That's before state lawmakers make adjustments to the budget this year.

Helping boost the pay for workers we entrust to care for some of the most vulnerable and fragile people in society seems like the right thing to do.

After all, it's that care that allows the elderly and disabled to stay in their homes instead of going into more costly nursing home facilities.

TUESDAY,  JANUARY 13
Gephardt appears at rally, health care forum TODAY in Seattle

U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt, a Democratic presidential candidate who has been endorsed by 21 international unions, will attend a rally at 3:30 p.m. TODAY (Tuesday, Jan. 13) at the Machinists Hall, 9125 15th Pl. South in South Seattle. The rally is sponsored by the Alliance for Economic Justice and International Association of Machinists President Tom Buffenbarger will attend.

The rally will be preceded by a health care forum at 2 p.m. hosted by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1105, 1010 S. Bailey St. 

The public is invited to attend both events.

Last night, appearing on the "Late Show with David Letterman," Gephardt delivered the Top Ten Signs You've Been on the Campaign Trail Too Long, which included:

• 10. "Every speech begins: 'It's great to be wherever the hell I am today!' "
• 9. "You've hired Pete Rose to manage your campaign funds"
• 6. "You ask yourself, 'What would Schwarzenegger do?' "
• 3. "You actually attempt to show a pie chart on the radio" (something Dennis J. Kucinich did during last week's National Public Radio debate)
• 1. "Get caught polling yourself."

MONDAY,  JANUARY 12
Legislative session begins today; Get on our e-mail update list!

Although the 2004 legislative session beginning today is a "short" 60-day one, there are a number of important labor-related issues that will be considered, ranging from workers' compensation to the minimum wage to supplemental budget-related issues such as approval of the scaled-back home-care contract and mitigating out-of-pocket health care costs for state employees.

You can make sure you get the latest information from Olympia by joining the WSLC E-mail List. (If you already receive semi-regular e-mail from the WSLC, you will automatically receive our legislative newsletter.) The first edition of the WSLC 2004 Legislative Update will be posted on Friday, January 16. In the meantime, here are a few dates to remember:

• TODAY, January 12 -- The session begins. A United Labor Lobby meeting will be at the WSLC's Olympia office, 906 S. Columbia #330, at 10 a.m.  SEIU 775 plans a Lobby Day for home-care workers to meet with their legislators.
  
• Friday, January 30 -- The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council has scheduled a labor rally and march for that day.
  
• Friday, February 20 -- The Washington State Labor Council's annual Legislative Conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Red Lion Olympia Hotel.  All union members are invited and encouraged to attend and get updates on the status of legislation affecting working families. Thursday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., there will be a reception offering an excellent opportunity for informal conversation with legislators and other officials. The registration fee is $30 per person and includes materials, lunch Friday and admission to the reception Thursday night. To receive a registration form, call (206) 281-8901 for more information.