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Reports for Jan. 22-25, 2002

News from previous weeks:  Jan. 14-18 -- Jan. 7-11 -- Jan. 3-4

FRIDAY, January 25 -- Legislative Update:  OFF TO THE BALLOT... MAYBE
...plus -- Role of union women of color examined at March conference
— In today's Seattle Times -- Statewide transportation plan appears bound for public vote
...plus -- Cuts may put town out of business -- Eyman's response to letter from mayor of dying Washtucna seeking advice: "Apparently, all he wants to do is whine. If he doesn't feel up to the task as mayor, he can certainly resign."
— In yesterday's Vancouver Columbian -- "Supermajority" school levy issue may go to voters
...plus -- Retired labor leader Ed Barnes joins events center directors
— In today's Spokesman-Review * -- Locke wants to suspend I-601 spending limits
— In the PSBJ -- State's tourism industry languished in 2001; more than 5,000 jobs lost
— In today's Salem (Ore.) S-J -- Labor and BUSINESS groups propose more help for unemployed
— In today's WSJ -- Boeing seeks hundreds of millions from feds to shore up rocket program
— In today's L.A. Times -- Now, the $51 million severance question for Enron's Lay
— In today's N.Y. Times * -- Many HMOs for the elderly make deep cuts in drug aid
— In today's Washington Post -- Campaign finance bill heads for vote in U.S. House -- In a closed-door GOP meeting yesterday morning, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert warned colleagues of the approaching showdown. With Democrats poised to regain control of the House if they can gain six seats in November's election, the political stakes are huge, Hastert noted. "Six people wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for soft money," Hastert said, according to a participant.
— Today in The Onion -- Steps that Ford may take in response to $5 billion loss

THURSDAY, January 24 -- Sweeney to Bush: Don't "play politics" with budget, tax policy
— Today from ABC News -- Americans want to kill tax cut to avoid budget deficit, poll says
Today at WashTech.org -- Personnel file bill under attack in Olympia
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing wins 100-plane order from Europe
— In today's So. County Journal -- SPEEA says Boeing cuts favor China
— In today's Everett Herald -- Boeing to slash its output -- Still looking at 30,000 job cuts.
...plus -- Airbus says Boeing tanker too costly -- But they offer no alternative.
...plus -- Snohomish business leaders angry at Republicans over transportation
— In today's News-Tribune -- Even business leaders can't sway GOP on gas tax
...plus -- All the parties in Olympia need to become reasonable about budget -- Even conservative think-tank boss Richard Davis says GOP shouldn't oppose funding for the sake of "efficiencies."
...plus -- Grocers to fight I-773, say new cigarette tax law is unconstitutional
— In today's Seattle Times -- Senate gets highway bill moving
...plus -- Righting the state's regulatory wrongs -- Op-ed by Reps. McMorris and Hale seeking UI tax cuts for business, among other things. The human cost of this recession is ignored as the GOP talking points continue to repeat falsehoods (our UI taxes are the nation's highest). Sept. 11 is also not mentioned as they imply Boeing layoffs are the result of an "uncompetitive" business climate.
...plus -- Get ready to rumble over the state's future -- Balter column about traffic (the real reason our state isn't competitive) and the prospects for a gas-tax increase on the ballot: "It won't hurt either that labor unions plan to work on behalf of a transportation package to boost the economy and create good-paying jobs. Love 'em or hate 'em, unions know how to drive out the vote."
— In the new Seattle Weekly -- Now Gates, Condit know what WTO protesters were talking about
— In today's Salem (Ore.) S-J -- Gov. Kitzhaber backs three tax increases
— In today's Washington Post -- Male, female salary gap growing, study says
— In yesterday's BBC News -- Seattle: Boom days are over

WEDNESDAY, January 23 -- UW event Saturday to look "Beyond the Boycott"
— In today's Olympian -- State employee collective bargaining bill argued
...plus -- Opponents of Initiative 747 prepare court crusade
— In today's UW Daily -- Prospects dim for GSEAC/UAW legislation
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Refinery workers (PACE) show solidarity on upcoming contract
— In today's Eastside Journal -- Elderly, working poor must struggle to live in Bellevue
— In today's Wichita Eagle -- Boeing moving more 737 work to China
— Today at MSNBC.com --United Airlines agrees to panel's raise proposal for mechanics
— In yesterday's L.A. Times -- Unions support artists' rights bill
— Today from AP -- Amtrak union supports rail monopoly, opposes Reform Council report
— In today's WSJ -- Enron execs' benefits kept flowing, even as their workers' pensions waned

TUESDAY, January 22 -- Register now for WSLC Legislative Conference on Feb. 22
— In yesterday's Seattle P-I -- Effort afoot to cut prescription drug costs
...plus -- Initiative 776 misses its mark (editorial)
— In today's Everett Herald -- Advice from Eyman on raising taxes -- Eyman op-ed in which he advises the governor and legislature to contract out state services and "reform" prevailing wage laws.
— In yesterday's Tri-City Herald -- Meat, food packing workers rally for safe conditions
...and today -- Union beefs with Wallula plant unfounded, IBP says
— In today's News-Tribune -- Buses benefit riders -- and the rest of us (editorial)
— In today's Spokesman-Review * -- Minimum wage the solution -- This historic Letter to the Editor circa 1913 reminds us all of why we enacted a minimum wage, and the time when it was intended to ensure "wages upon which the worker can exist and have at least some of the comforts of life."
— In today's Olympian -- Keep I-601 in place, Republicans say
...plus -- State retirement fund loses $103 million on Enron, joins lawsuit
— In today's Oregonian -- Pension protection a hot topic in Washington D.C.
— In today's Washington Post -- Enron, No taxes... -- Cohen column: At the same time Enron was shielding profits from corporate income tax with more than 900 shell companies overseas, it was able to deduct the cost of stock options. In the year 2000, for instance, a tax bill of $112 million turned into a refund of $278 million.
...plus -- ...Lots of contradictions -- Dionne column: Remember the scorn Republicans used to pour onto what they disdainfully called the "everybody does it" defense during the various Clinton scandals?  With Enron, the "everybody does it" defense lives again.
— In today's Vancouver (B.C.) Sun -- Quiet workers, not cocky ones, more likely to be hurt at work

News from previous weeks:  Jan. 14-18 -- Jan. 7-11 -- Jan. 3-4

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25
Role of union women of color examined at March conference

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24
Sweeney to Bush: Don't "play politics" with budget, tax policy

Today’s new deficit projections by the Congressional Budget Office underscore grave doubts about the management of our economy by President Bush and the Republican majority in Congress.  In the span of a year, the fiscal framework for our nation has been completely reshaped, and not for the better.

Yes, war and recession have played a big part in creating near-term deficits, but the single largest factor in our crashing long-term economic fortunes is the millionaire tax cut pushed through by President Bush last year.  About one-third of the breathtaking $4 trillion decline in the 10-year surplus forecast is due to last year’s tax cuts, which gave more than 38 percent of its benefits to the wealthiest 1 percent of taxpayers. 

These are not just numbers to working families, they represent a real cost.  Failure to get the nation’s economic house in order will prevent us from meeting urgent needs like health care and job creation that become more pressing every day. 

Not the least of the failures documented by the new CBO budget projections is the broken commitment to save the Social Security Trust Fund surplus.  Social Security, the only guaranteed retirement program that all Americans can depend on all the time, will be further compromised as its surpluses are drained away to take up the revenue shortfalls created by last year’s tax cut. 

Against this backdrop, the President’s apparent intention to play politics with budget and tax policy is deeply distressing.  As the new budget forecast reminds us, a lot has changed.  We need a serious look at all our budget decisions, without political jockeying and rhetorical one-upsmanship.

Freezing future reductions to the wealthiest taxpayers, as Senator Kennedy has proposed, would restore the nation to sounder economic footing, better positioning us to meet urgent needs in health care, education and retirement security, and to avoid saddling our children with staggering and irresponsible debts; it needs serious examination.  Most taxpayers would not be affected at all.  Only the very wealthiest – the top 1 percent, whose incomes average more than $1 million annually – would get smaller tax breaks than those they are eventually slated to receive, though even they will still get a tax cut.

Congress and the President must act quickly and responsibly to provide short-term relief for an economy in recession and effective remedies to restore its long-term economic health.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23
UW event Saturday to look "Beyond the Boycott"

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22
Register now for WSLC Legislative Conference on Feb. 22

If you have news items regarding unions or workplace issues in Washington state that you would like to see posted here, please submit them via e-mail to David Groves or via fax to 206-285-5805.

Copyright © 2002  Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO