UPDATED DAILY -- M-F by 9 a.m. (Pacific)

Links to press stories are functional at the date of posting.  In some cases, free registration is required at newspapers' sites.  Links sometimes "expire" when the source would like to begin charging 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 March 29-April 2, 2004

Previous weeks' news: March 22-26 -- March 15-19 -- March 8-12

FRIDAY, April 2 -- Rally to support Skagit Harley-Davidson workers' union rights
...plus -- Evergreen State College holding young workers' conference May 7-8
— In today's Olympian -- State employees union holds "faceless" protest -- WFSE: Governor Locke's chief negotiator is "stonewalling" in the historic collective bargaining talks getting under way.
...plus -- Unemployed Americans dropping out of labor pool (AP)
— In today's Seattle Times -- Texas courting Boeing suppliers to win big 7E7 role -- CEO of Italy's Alenia, a key 7E7 supplier, says a "pre-final assembly plant" could be placed in Texas, rather than beside the final-assembly plant in Everett. (Time for another special legislative session?)
...plus -- Todd Pacific Shipyards lands deal to work on Navy aircraft carriers
— In yesterday's Walla Walla U-B -- Outsourcing is an issue to those who lost jobs -- Editorial: It's important in this Valley, where Sykes Enterprises is closing its call center in Milton-Freewater.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Sen. Murray to conduct field hearing on Walla Walla VA hospital
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Locke vetoes Top 2; voters now face separate party primaries
...plus -- Locke vetoes bill allowing private colleges to compete for state-funded students
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Workers, new manager focus on keeping Alcoa on track
— In today's Everett Herald -- Local shipyards hope to build ferries for state
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- First day of harvest brings state grant for asparagus industry
National news:
— This morning from Reuters -- March job growth (308,000 new jobs) surprises with strength
— In today's Seattle Times -- Airborne Express to cut 1,000 jobs – Sun cuts 3,300 – Gateway: 2,500
— In today's Washington Post -- U.S. firms keep billions overseas -- Sen. Kerry's plan to encourage U.S. investment and job creation spotlights huge untaxed corporate earnings stashed overseas.
...plus -- House GOP blocks Medicare testimony -- Would-be Senator George Nethercutt joins Reps. Dunn and Hastings in gagging the guy who was forced to suppress the true cost of Bush's drug bill.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Voters favor Kerry on pocketbook issues, poll shows
...plus -- Fundraisers are collecting by the bundle for Bush camp -- One Washington lobbyist and "Ranger" fundraiser said he was raising as much as possible for the president "so my life is easier at the convention." He said the top fundraisers would get the best hotel rooms and special access at the Republican National Convention. "I might take a client with me. It's kind of an investment."
...plus -- Wal-Mart vs. Inglewood warmup for L.A. fight -- Voters decide Tuesday on allowing Wal-Mart.
— In yesterday's Chicago Sun-Times -- Illinois bill defying Bush OT rules goes to governor
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Senate, torn by minimum wage debate, shelves major welfare bill
...plus -- Wages of bad accounting: Bosses got rich while companies borrowed
...plus -- Smear without fear -- Krugman: Reporters are allowing Bush officials to spread stories about their critics without holding White House sources accountable when accusations are proven false.

THURSDAY, April 1 -- Report: 21,500 in state (and counting) to lose federal jobless benefits
— In today's King County Journal -- State to reduce jobless benefits from 30 to 26 weeks
— In today's Seattle P-I -- As jobless rate falls, benefits also shrink
— AP bulletin -- Locke vetoes Top 2, creates separate party voting
— In today's Olympian -- Locke to announce decision today -- With Top 2 veto, a challenge looms that would create a "jungle general" election with NO primary. Then you, too, can "Pull a Nader!"
— In today's Washington Post -- U.S. deal to lease Boeing tankers criticized -- Report: The Air Force failed to comply with military contracting laws, wrongly exempted Boeing from disclosing information, accepted insufficient or inaccurate Boeing data, wrongly waived any right to audit the program, and the Air Force cannot "ensure to the warfighter" that the tankers will meet the military's operational requirements. Specifically, the planes "may not be... effective, suitable, and survivable" in battle.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- U.S. Senators waver, casting doubt on Boeing tanker program
— In today's News Tribune -- Boeing's ethical lapses on 767 tanker could cost it dearly (editorial)
— In yesterday's Bremerton Sun -- Home day-care providers steamed over new rules -- Angry about complex rules and low state subsidy rates, they've got a union on their side. The Service Employees International Union is helping them organize the same way home health-care workers did.
— In today's Olympian -- Business groups plan initiative legalizing Health Care Lite™ -- Not satisfied with half-a-loaf they got this year allowing stripped-down health plans, they want whole loaf on ballot.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Hanford workers deserve better (editorial)
— In today's Seattle Times -- Feds owe answers on nuclear-worker safety (editorial)
...plus -- Doing the math on Rossi's campaign (Balter column)
— In yesterday's Walla Walla U-B -- Teachers union should not sue for more money (editorial)
— In today's Everett Herald -- City of Everett trims workforce to balance the budget
— In today's News Tribune -- UW threatens move to Puerto Rico unless it gets more money -- Gov. Wary Lock said he would ask Boeing what to do before forming a task force and holding some rallies.
At AFLCIO.org -- Bush supports tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas
— In today's Washington Post -- House backs parity for federal pay raises -- Bush doesn't.
...plus -- Dissatisfied with Bush response, GOP seeks to limit "offshoring" fallout
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Bush threatens first-ever veto on highway bill
— In today's Seattle Times -- Nader believes campaign can help Kerry (but nobody else does...)
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- Nader a threat to Kerry, polls say
...plus -- A voice for unabashed liberals: Air America debuts to do battle with conservative talk radio
— Today from the BBC -- Actors who do voices for "The Simpsons" strike over pay -- Doh!

WEDNESDAY, March 31 -- Bush takes the next step in overtime pay grab
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing's jobless: A down cycle
...plus -- About those "subsidies" for 7E7 -- More evidence Seattle WTO protesters were right: A new paper says Boeing violated trade laws against production subsidies with the 7E7. Financial aid from the Japanese and Washington state governments may be WTO no-nos, and lead to trade sanctions.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Report: Boeing investigation widening -- More heads may roll as evidence mounts that the Air Force tailored tanker specs to the 767 rather than the military's needs.
— In today's News Tribune -- Air Force can fix Boeing tanker deal, report finds -- "Fix." Nice.
...plus -- Foreign companies shouldn't bid on defense, Rep. Dicks says -- Dicks wants to ban Airbus from bidding on Air Force tankers. At water cooler, WTO officials chuckle, "Who does he think he is?"
In other labor news:
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Sick nuclear workers still going unpaid -- So far, the DOE has spent four years and $74 million to send one person a $10,000 check. The agency contracted out work to a private company that's billing the government $90 per hour for nurses to process claims.
...plus -- Kaiser loses big in 2003; execs say bankruptcy going well
— In today's Seattle Times -- Treasury chief's remark refuels fight over loss of U.S. jobs -- Another Bush official argues that the outsourcing of U.S. jobs overseas makes our economy stronger.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Case made for outsourcing (by the outsourcers) (AP)
— In today's Washington Post -- D.C. grocery workers approve new contract
...plus -- Grocery workers express relief that strike was avoided -- They weren't happy with some of the concessions but agreed to them to avoid the kind of labor strife that gripped Southern California.
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Bush plans for tax cuts barely avert House setback -- Democrats push "pay as you go" (forcing spending cuts to pay for any new tax cuts), but Republicans twist arms to defeat it in a 209-209 vote. Would-be Senator George Nethercutt joins Reps. Dunn and Hastings in backing Bush's irresponsible spending spree coupled with more tax cuts paid for by our children.
...plus -- Flogging the House rules -- Editorial: Bush loyalists broke House rules to eke out a defeat of a perfectly sensible plan to impose some budget accountability. The 5-minute vote was held open for 23 extra minutes as Republicans brought to bear the full arm-twisting might of one-party government.
— In today's Onion -- Bush addresses 8.2 million unemployed: "Get a job" -- "What are you doing listening to this speech when you should be out there looking for work?" Bush asked. "My fellow Americans, don't come crying to me. I've got a job. I go to work every day, whether I feel like it or not. I don't take handouts, and I don't give them. That's a belief my daddy taught me."

TUESDAY, March 30 -- SPEEA to picket Boeing HQ over outsourcing, bad contract offer
— In today's Everett Herald -- Report OKs Boeing 767 tanker deal (AP) -- The Pentagon's inspector general acknowledges problems with the contract but says it should move ahead.
— In today's Seattle Times -- Cancelled ship overhaul means 500 layoffs at Todd Shipyards
— In today's News Tribune -- Lawmaker's help to local industry creates unintended consequences
— In today's King County Journal -- County waste division to keep 10 planned for layoffs
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- States scrutinize Maine's universal health care (AP)
— In today's Washington Post -- D.C. grocers, union agree on pact -- Negotiators for Giant, Safeway and the union representing their 18,000 D.C. area workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract that, if accepted by the rank and file, would avert a strike. Under the proposal, current workers will pay more for prescriptions and their annual deductible will increase from $100 to $200. New employees will pay a larger share of their health care costs. They will also receive less generous pay on Sundays and holidays.
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Denied No. 1 slot, Sen. John Edwards positions himself for No. 2
...plus -- This isn't America -- Krugman: The Bush administration's reliance on smear tactics against its critics is unprecedented in modern U.S. politics.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Costco petition drive violates law, Teamsters say -- Union says Costco is coercing workers to solicit signatures for Schwarzenegger's workers' comp reform initiative.

MONDAY, March 29 -- Support grocery workers in struggle to maintain health benefits
— In today's News Tribune -- Grocery strike fears grow -- Contract talks for tens of thousands of Puget Sound-area workers begin Friday to replace current contracts that expire in a month.
...plus -- Health benefits, two-tiered pay system will be key issues
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Grocery jobs not the secure anchors they used to be -- A middle-class living for grocery workers is being eroded by push to reduce costs.
...plus -- Costco's love of labor: Employees' well-being key to its success
— In today's Everett Herald -- Union-grocer contract talks may center on health-care costs
— In today's Washington Post -- Grocery workers try to keep the good life
...plus -- Grocery contract talks near deadline -- Some 18,000 D.C.-area grocery workers will vote on their employers' final proposal beginning tomorrow. If workers reject the contract, they could strike.
Other labor news:
— In today's UW Daily -- Union for UW classified workers (SEIU) begins health-benefits bargaining
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Idaho rally calls for repeal of Right-to-Work (for less) law
...plus -- DOE count of worker injuries is inaccurate; agency audit downplays work dangers
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Sick DOE workers' claims languish -- After 4 years, efforts to compensate workers made sick by their jobs at Hanford and other nuclear weapon plants are collapsing.
...plus on Saturday -- As Teamsters picket, county garbage dump sites to get busier
— In Sunday's Everett Herald -- Too much woo was pitched to lure Boeing 7E7 (op-ed)
— In Sunday's Olympian -- Running Olympia: Legislative shootouts tough to handicap (AP)
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- Money chase: Dino Rossi finds business backing
At AFLCIO.org -- Show Us the Jobs™ tour visits jobless hometowns
— In Sunday's N.Y. Times -- What unions can gain from immigration -- The AFL-CIO's commitment to immigration reform illustrates a shrewd understanding of the dynamics of the American economy: immigrant workers aren't going away, so it may as well try to organize them.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Backlog of immigration paperwork growing -- Despite Bush promises to shorten process, green cards that took 14 months to process in 2001 are now averaging 33 months.

Previous weeks' news: March 22-26 -- March 15-19 -- March 8-12

FRIDAY,  APRIL 2
Rally to support Skagit Harley-Davidson workers' union rights

The following information, about a Saturday, April 10 rally in support of workers at Skagit Harley-Davidson/Buell who have been denied their right to organize a union, was distributed Thursday by the International Association of Machinists: 

Since 1976, the community surrounding Fred and Lori Smith, owners of the Skagit Harley-Davidson/Buell has been very good to them. Last fall they decided to hire a “Union Avoidance” consulting firm to coerce and intimidate their employees from forming a Union at the dealership.

On October 7, 2003, the employees voted in favor of being represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for the purpose of collective bargaining. In the hours post-election, a Union supporter’s hours were cut in half. Later that week, another employee’s job was eliminated. Another was fired for not being ready to work; she had wet hair. Several unfair labor practices on behalf of the wronged employees were filed and even now are being processed. The rights of these workers have been blatantly violated by this employer, and your help is needed to send a very clear message.

The labor community makes up more than 50 percent of this dealership’s business. Our members build the bikes, we buy ‘em, and ride ‘em. Who are these guys to say we shouldn’t service ‘em?

CALL TO ACTION:  Please join us Saturday, April 10 beginning at 11 a.m. for a rally in support of these workers outside Skagit Harley-Davidson/Buell, 1337 Goldenrod Road in Burlington. Also please download and post a rally flier (in MS Word) at your office or worksite. For more information, contact IAM 751 organizer Jesse Cote at (206) 764-0308.

From northbound I-5: Take Exit 230: "Highway 20, Anacortes and the San Juan Ferries." Turn west to the first stop light under the bridge. Turn left at that stop light on to Goldenrod Road. Drive past the McDonald's to the end of that road: about a quarter mile. Goldenrod Road jogs to the left: follow it to Skagit H-D, about a quarter of a mile on the right-hand side.

From southbound I-5: Take Exit 230: "Highway 20, Anacortes and the San Juan Ferries." You will come to a stop sign on Goldenrod Road. Turn left and go about an eight of a mile to the end of that road. Goldenrod Road actually jogs left at the stop sign. Follow it to Skagit H-D, about a quarter of a mile on the right-hand side.

FRIDAY,  APRIL 2
Evergreen State holding young workers' conference May 7-8

The following news release was distributed Wednesday by The Evergreen State College Labor Education and Research Center:

The Evergreen State College Labor Education and Research Center is holding a second annual conference for workers under the age of 30 on Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8. The conference, entitled Young Workers: Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, will be held at Dumas Bay Centre, 3200 SW Dash Point RD, Federal Way, Washington.

The conference will provide young workers a space to come together to discuss their experiences as workers and as union members. Among the issues to be discussed are:

• What young workers have in common
• How younger workers can create an identity and an agenda in the labor movement
• How young people can use their own ways of organizing to breathe new life into labor rallies

Themes and issues discussed throughout the conference will be turned into a "Tool Kit" that will hopefully be useful to young people trying to stay active in the labor movement.

This conference, like a similar one held in May, 2003, comes about because more and more young people are interested in how unions might help them on the job, despite the difficulties of union organizing.  Due to the state of the economy, young people mostly work in precarious, service-oriented, non-union jobs.  They are frequently forced to hold two or three part-time positions, which can represent an obstacle to traditional worksite organizing.

Moreover, young workers who become active in unions often have different issues than their older counterparts and sometimes feel like outsiders in the organization.  They may be ignorant of meeting procedures and organizational rules, and face internal resistance to new ideas.  All these things work as deterrents to young people becoming active in their unions.

Nevertheless, as Steve Hughes, conference organizer, says, "It is clear that young people have begun to see unions as socially relevant organizations.  Many are more willing than ever to see unions as viable options for making gains in their working lives.”

The registration fee for the conference is $100, which includes room and board and materials.  For information about scholarships, or for general information about the conference, contact Lucilene Lira Whitesell at Evergreen’s Labor Center. Her phone number is (360) 867-6055 and whitesel@evergreen.edu. The Labor Center’s web page is www.evergreen.edu/laborcenter.

THURSDAY,  APRIL 1
Report: 21,500 in Washington state (and counting) to lose federal jobless benefits

The following news release was distributed Wednesday, March 31 by the offices of U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell:

Sens. Murray, Cantwell Release New Government Report Showing 21,500 Workers in Washington to Lose Unemployment Benefits

Today is the last day for any federal unemployment benefits to be paid out.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell released a report showing that 21,500 workers in Washington state have exhausted unemployment benefits in the first three months of 2004 and that if unemployment benefits are not extended, an additional 24, 663 workers in the state will lose benefits in the next three months. (Download the report in PDF format.)

The new report also finds that extending federal unemployment insurance benefits would provide $320 million in economic stimulus to Washington state.

Murray and Cantwell released the report on March 31, the final day of the most recent extension of the federal unemployment insurance program, which began phasing out in late December 2003.  As of today, more than one million Americans have seen their benefits expire. 

Murray said, “The Administration’s hopeful predictions for the future do not help those who are hurting right now. Over 21,000 workers in Washington state who were depending on Congress to act are set to lose benefits they depend on today.  Extending unemployment insurance for out of work Americans puts money back into their hands, and they in turn put it back into the economy.  This is the right thing to do for our workers and it is the right thing to do for our economy."

Cantwell stated, “It is wrong for the federal government to abandon unemployed workers during these difficult economic times.  Families are struggling to make their house payments and put food on the table while they worry about where their next paycheck will come from.  We need to help families while we try to create new jobs.”

Murray and Cantwell are asking for a six-month extension of federal unemployment insurance, to provide 13 weeks of additional benefits for jobless workers.

WEDNESDAY,  MARCH 31
Bush takes next step in overtime pay grab

The following report was posted by the AFL-CIO on Tuesday:

The Bush administration moved one step closer to taking away overtime pay protections from more than 8 million workers when it sent a final rule gutting workers’ overtime to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

Bush’s overtime take-away would revise the overtime provisions of the nation’s Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Bush Labor Department had vowed to issue the rule by the end of March. The OMB process has up to 90 days to issue a rule but has been known to approve a final rule in only one day.

 

8 Million Workers Could Lose Overtime Pay Protections

Some 8 million workers, including police officers, nurses, store supervisors and many others, could lose the right to any extra pay for the time they work beyond 40 hours a week. They would become subject to even more unpredictable work schedules and reduced pay because of an increased demand for extra hours for which employers would not have to compensate workers at all, according to an Economic Policy Institute report. The changes also would take away overtime pay protections from many of America’s veterans.

 

Since Bush made the overtime pay proposals public in March 2003, workers have expressed their outrage over Bush’s attack on their overtime pay. More than 550,000 people have signed electronic and paper petitions and sent more than 1.7 million faxes to President George W. Bush, urging him to withdraw his proposal to gut workers’ overtime pay protections.

 

Both houses of Congress voted last year to prohibit the Bush Department of Labor from issuing any new rule that would take away workers’ overtime pay protections. But back-room wheeling and dealing and White House arm-twisting prevented the overtime pay protection from becoming law.

 

Senate Republicans Halt Effort to Save Overtime Pay

On March 25, fearing a successful vote on a Foreign Sales Corporation tax bill amendment that would have barred the Bush administration from taking away overtime pay protections, Senate Republican leaders pulled the bill from consideration. The tax bill is keenly sought by the Bush administration because the United States faces steep fines under a ruling by the World Trade Organization, which has declared current U.S. tax breaks for corporations an illegal export subsidy.

 

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), author of the overtime pay protection amendment, says the Republican leaders’ action shows “the lengths they are willing to go to try and prevent an up or down vote on overtime….The Bush administration and the Republican leadership would rather pay tariffs to Europe than pay overtime to American workers.”

 

According to The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress, an agreement had been reached to allow a vote on Harkin’s amendment, but Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says the overtime pay protection amendment “was instrumental in killing a deal that would have allowed a vote.”

 

The Hill notes that McConnell is husband of Bush Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, who has vigorously promoted the Bush overtime take-away.

 

The paper reported that both Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) had agreed to a vote on the Harkin amendment.

 

“Several sources on both sides of the aisle and from outside Congress say Frist, like Grassley, had been willing to allow a vote on the overtime amendment, but McConnell insisted that it be dropped,” according to The Hill.

 

Harkin and Senate Democratic leaders have said they will continue to fight to protect workers’ overtime pay by offering the Harkin amendment to other bills.

 

“This issue isn’t going to go away. We are going to offer it again and again and again,” says Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).

 

Take action now!

• Tell President Bush to withdraw his overtime pay take-away.

• Sign or download and circulate a petition urging Bush to withdraw his overtime proposals.

TUESDAY,  MARCH 30
SPEEA to picket Boeing HQ over outsourcing, contract offer

The following press advisory was distributed Monday by Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, IFPTE Local 2001:

SPEEA to picket Boeing in Chicago over outsourcing and a bad contract offer
for Kansas

CHICAGO, IL -- Employees from several states will picket The Boeing Company's headquarters on Tuesday to protest the aerospace giant's continued efforts to cut its United States workforce while expanding overseas employment.

Members and union officials from the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, AFL-CIO, will set up pickets at 9 a.m., (Tuesday, March 30) outside Boeing World Headquarters, 100 North Riverside Plaza. Around noon, the group will march to Chicago City Hall to draw attention to the $22 million of city-backed incentives used to attract Boeing.

Boeing cut more than 35,000 employees from its U.S. workforce in the past three years. The names of 4,122 of those employees who were represented by the engineers, technical and professional union, are contained on informational flyers and a 12-foot banner the picketers are bringing to Chicago.

The union is also drawing attention to Boeing's efforts to implement a poor contract on 3,400 employees in Wichita, Kansas. Employees in the Wichita Technical and Professional Unit (WTPU) of SPEEA rejected Boeing's initial offer last week by a margin of 3 to 1. The offer would have given the employees the lowest wage increases and the highest health care premiums of any group of Boeing employees at the 12,000-employee Wichita plant. Negotiations started last month after union members beat back a management-backed effort to decertify the bargaining unit.

SPEEA President Jennifer MacKay, said Boeing cannot be allowed to hide from employees in its corporate high-rise.

"We have tried to work these issues through regular channels," Mackay said. "That has not worked. It's time to start educating people about the decisions that are coming out of Boeing World Headquarters."

MacKay, a manufacturing engineer from Spokane, Washington, saw employees get laid-off, benefits cut and wages decreased by 3 to 15 percent when her plant was sold to Triumph Composite Systems, Inc. Boeing moved some of the work previously performed in Spokane to a Boeing-backed plant in South Africa. Ironically, two weeks before the South Africa plant opened, the state run South African Airlines decided to stop buying Boeing airplanes.

Steve Smith, Chairman of the WTPU Negotiation Team, is on the line to put pressure on Boeing to improve its contract offer in Wichita.

"Boeing is using this contract offer to punish employees for belonging to a union," Smith said.

Alton Folks, a numerical control programmer from Auburn, Washington is seeing work from his plant go to South Africa, Korea and Japan. Dave Bain, who works at the most sophisticated composite fabrication plant in the United States in Frederickson, Washington, said some of his co-workers are being used to train employees from Mitsubishi Industries in Japan. Boeing is transferring machinery and knowledge to Mitsubishi and Kawasaki Industries who will build the wings for the new 7E7.

Steffan Gillyard, an engineer in Seattle, is on the line to draw attention to the ongoing transfer of work to a Boeing design center in Moscow, Russia. Gillyard is also working to stop Boeing from transferring the engineering and writing of the aircraft maintenance manuals overseas. Boeing recently delayed plans to transfer the work to a firm in Chile.

Other workers, from Kansas and Washington, are on the line to draw attention to Boeing's ongoing transfer of work to less experienced and less costly workers in the People's Republic of China, Italy, Korea and other locations.

Foreign outsourcing is not the only concern. This week, Boeing announced plans to cut 135 SPEEA-represented jobs and send the work to Dell computers.

Boeing moved its corporate headquarters to Chicago in September, 2001. The citizens of Chicago and Illinois provided $63 million in tax breaks, grants and other incentives to attract the corporate headquarters and its 500 employees.

SPEEA, IFPTE Local 2001 represents 20,000 engineers, technical workers and other professionals at The Boeing Company. Members are located in Washington, Kansas, Oregon, California, Texas, Utah and Florida.

MONDAY,  MARCH 29
Support grocery workers in struggle to maintain health benefits

Negotiations begin Friday for new contracts covering some 27,000 grocery workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union in the Puget Sound area. The first set of contracts covering employees at local grocery store chains such as Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC and Albertsons expires on May 2.

Given the experience of grocery workers in other parts of the nation, local workers will likely face tough bargaining. Led by Safeway CEO Steve Burd, grocers have sought dramatic takeaways of health care benefits. The hard-line bargaining led to a 5-month strike in Southern California and may soon lead to additional strikes in Washington, D.C. and other areas. The last time Puget Sound-area workers struck was for 81 days in 1989.

In preparation for the pending contract talks, the UFCW Puget Sound Coalition for Affordable Health Care, which includes UFCW Locals 44, 81, 367, 381 and 1105, has established a website at www.ProtectHealthBenefits.org to keep members and the public informed about the issues, the press coverage and the progress of negotiations.

In addition, the UFCW coalition is rallying community support for their struggle to maintain good jobs with affordable health benefits. And that's where you can help.

CALL TO ACTION:  Please download the Protect Health Benefits resolution supporting local grocery workers. (It is a 89 KB PDF file requiring free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print.) Urge your union, community or religious organization to adopt the resolution, and return a signed copy to the UFCW via fax at (206) 763-2803 or (253) 735-2679, or mail it to the UFCW at 960 E. Main, Auburn, WA, 98002.

Following is the text of the resolution:

WHEREAS: In the next eight weeks 25,000 grocery workers will begin negotiating a renewed contract with the Puget Sound area grocery stores. These negotiations follow on the heels of draconian proposals by the same companies in other states to slash health benefits to UFCW members.

WHEREAS: If these corporations succeed in imposing the changes in workers health care insurance benefits that they have demanded in other states, it is only a matter of time before other employers will follow suit.

BE IT RESOLVED: That these highly profitable companies, with billions of dollars in assets, can afford to do the right thing and maintain their commitment to providing health insurance benefits to their hard working employees.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Puget Sound Health Coalition and all Americans who care about access to decent health care call on area grocery store companies to continue to provide affordable health benefits for all of its grocery workers.