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 April 5-9, 2004

Previous weeks' news: March 29-April 2 -- March 22-26 -- March 15-19

FRIDAY, April 9
Tyson workers in Wallula say "Union Yes!" and keep their union
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Wallula workers rally before vote; Tyson seeks to decertify union (IBT)

Also Friday -- Donate now to help send Congress a message on outsourcing
— Today at BusinessWeek Online -- A double standard on trade -- Column: Corporations that offshore jobs need to play fair. That means abandoning protectionist stances when it comes to their products, like preventing Americans from buying cheaper prescriptions drugs overseas. 
At SPEEA.org -- SPEEA insists on involvement if Boeing sells Wichita plant
— In today's Seattle Times -- Boeing confirms it may sell Wichita plant -- IAM 751's Mark Blondin: "I'm not sure this is going to work out for Boeing, this flowing to just final assembly."
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing weighs Wichita sell-off -- Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.): "The Boeing corporate strategy has proven to be bad for Boeing, bad for Wichita and bad for America."
...plus -- Report blasts 767 tanker deal, says Boeing overcharging up to $4.5 billion
— In today's Everett Herald -- State tries to lure Boeing 7E7 suppliers, touts tax breaks
Other labor news:
— In today's Everett Herald -- Marysville teachers to vote on proposal; no recommendation from union
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Bill to avert teacher strikes still on the agenda (editorial)
— In yesterday's Walla Walla U-B -- Jobs are key benefit of prison expansion plans, study says
— In today's L.A. Times -- After 8-month effort, Bush finally creates first manufacturing job
— In today's Washington Post -- Senate breaks stalemate on corporate tax measure -- Amendment votes will be allowed, but will Bush impose OT pay takeaway before Senate votes (again) to block it?
— In today's Olympian -- Job training definition gets a facelift -- Old definition shows funding cut, so White House redefines "job training;" $425 million in planned community college cuts no longer count.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- OSHA claims success reducing work deaths -- With a straight face, OSHA boss credits Spanish-language web site for reducing deaths among Mexicans. White House may redefine "Hispanics" to exclude Central and South Americans (whose death rates are up).
— In today's N.Y. Times -- One good month -- Krugman: This election will be a contest between a candidate who seeks a return to economic policies associated with 8 years of solid job growth, and one who advocates continuation of policies that have yielded exactly one good monthly jobs report.
— In today's Washington Post -- Facing up to the corporate income non-tax -- Pearlstein: In 1996 to 2000 -- some of the best years for corporate profits the United States has ever seen -- roughly 60% of U.S.-based corporations paid no corporate income tax at all. That this revelation is not treated as a national scandal speaks volumes about how inured we've become to the inequities of the tax code.
...plus -- Unions take note of Kerry's vow on deficit to cut 100,000 contractor jobs

THURSDAY, April 8 -- Bush administration aims to silence critics with new FEC regulations
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Wal-Mart officially coming to Pasco -- Pasco city officials say they welcome the hundreds of jobs and thousands of dollars of tax revenue the store will bring.
— In today's News Tribune -- Boycott would lighten shadow of Wal-Mart on workers (Burbank column)
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Voters in L.A. suburb say "no" to a big Wal-Mart
— In today's L.A. Times -- Wal-Mart downplays voter rejection, plans to continue area expansion
In other labor news:
— In yesterday's Seattle P-I -- Majority of U.S. corporations haven't paid any income tax since 1989
...plus today -- Bush's job-training proposal empty -- Op-ed: Somebody should advise President Bush that it's the Workforce Investment Act, not the Workforce Lip Service Act. Before our skilled work force does a disappearing act along with the skilled jobs, we'd better spring for the investment.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Union (AFSCME) blasts Everett mayor for cutting city jobs
— In yesterday's Spokesman-Review -- Kaiser warns workers about Trentwood pollution probe
— In yesterday's Walla Walla U-B -- Eyman's lawmaking pays well (editorial)
— In yesterday's Seattle Times -- Politics may help save Walla Walla veterans' hospital
...plus -- State pension fund joins bid to oust Safeway CEO Steven Burd
...plus in today's S.F. Chronicle  -- CalPERS to oppose Safeway CEO, directors
— In today's L.A. Times -- Labor study is alone under governor's budget ax -- Of the hundreds of research institutes in California's public university system, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has targeted just one for elimination: a think tank dedicated to organized labor.
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- CWA warns it may strike California's biggest phone company soon 

TUESDAY, April 6 -- USWA presents Global Justice Tour at area colleges this week
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Bush's public approval slips (AP) -- Citing his handling of Iraq, job approval ratings drop to 43%, a low point for Bush's presidency, and down from 56% in mid-January. 
...plus -- Veteran lawmaker Helen Sommers gets surprise challenge (AP) -- Democrat Alice Woldt, a friend of Speaker Frank Chopp, seeks to unseat the 32-year veteran budget chairwoman.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Hearst (P-I) to appeal ruling for Seattle Times to State Supreme Court
— In today's Olympian -- Outsourced workers forced to train replacements -- Computer programmer Stephen Gentry's last assignment at Boeing was to train the worker from India who took his job.
— Today from the Business Journals -- New report: 63 of 100 biggest metros lost jobs in Bush years
— In today's Seattle Times -- Productivity gains help companies, not always employees
— In today's Oregonian -- Nader's 1,000 fail to show up -- Nader dismisses failure to get on Oregon ballot as temporary setback, blames basketball game and a very special episode of "7th Heaven."
At AFLCIO.org -- Bush record on worker training is one of "consistent and repeated failure"
— In today's N.Y. Times -- U.S. appeals court backs state efforts to curb drug costs -- "Preferred drug lists" used by more than half of states survive legal challenge from pharmaceutical industry.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Safeway investors confer on CEO Steve Burd's fate -- Safeway brushes off shareholder attacks as a misguided campaign of public pension funds beholden to labor groups.
— In today's Chicago Tribune -- Illinois move to block Bush's OT pay takeaway riles business
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- Wal-Mart in the neighborhood? Voters in Inglewood will decide today
— In today's Washington Post -- The buck doesn't stop -- Cohen column: In another country, Bush administration officials would quit in shame over Iraq. In this one they can't even quit being smug.
...plus -- Bank of America to cut 12,500 jobs after merger -- What could be more American than that? 

MONDAY, April 5 -- Rep. Inslee hosting April 13 forum in Seattle on Apollo Energy Project
— In Sunday's Bellingham Herald -- Contract dispute looms over grocery workers' health benefits
...plus -- Health care expenses a bitter pill for workers; insurance taking bigger bite of paychecks
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- Shift in priorities: With 7E7 landed, Machinists want jobs
...plus -- For some benefits, it's only at the top -- AT&T Wireless execs will get $5-$15 million each in stock options, plus two years of outplacement services to help them find new jobs, plus full medical benefits for at least 2½ years. Several thousand workers who'll lose their AT&T jobs won't fare so well.
— In Saturday's Seattle Times -- Left, right merge over Gregoire -- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Talmadge shares opposition research on Christine Gregoire with Rossi-backing builders at BIAW.
— In Saturday's Seattle P-I -- State ferry menus to go upscale -- Smaller of two new food contractors says agreement with union "close," but the other predicts "a challenge." Meanwhile, the ferry system still appealing decision that says new contractor(s) must negotiate with the union (IBU).
— In Saturday's Olympian -- Water bottler buys brewery; 40 of 400 to be put back to work
— In Sunday's Daily News -- What Alcoa got in swap, sale of Longview Aluminum smelter
— In Sunday's News Tribune -- In computer era, it's easy to "cut" employee's hours (illegally)
...plus -- The wrong way to win a Boeing tanker deal (editorial re: Rep. Dicks' plan to exclude Airbus)
...plus -- Bush to call for more job training today -- His plan contains no new money, but will force state and local governments to spend less on "administrative expenses" associated with job training.
— In today's N. Y. Times -- Stymied by politicians, Wal-Mart turns to voters
...plus -- We're more productive. Who gets the money? -- Herbert: U.S. workers have been remarkably productive in recent years, but they are getting fewer of the benefits of this increased productivity. In fact, an awful lot of American workers have been had. Fleeced. Taken to the cleaners.
...plus -- Threat on the Yellow Brick Road -- Editorial: The president's impending veto of the highway and mass transit bill is a transparent campaign flourish to make him appear deficit-conscious.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Hitch in California workers' comp reform -- State legislators debate whether imposing rate caps on premiums would relieve employers or drive away insurers.

Previous weeks' news: March 29-April 2 -- March 22-26 -- March 15-19

FRIDAY,  APRIL 9
Tyson workers in Wallula say "Union Yes!" to keep their union

The following press release was distributed late Friday afternoon by Teamsters Local 556:

Tyson Workers Say ‘Union Yes!’
Local 556 members vote to keep their union at Tyson Foods!
Members gear up their contract campaign for a safe workplace and a better future!

Tyson Foods workers voted to stick with their union, Teamster Local 556.  Members voted 708 to 657 to officially recertify Local 556 as their bargaining agent in balloting conducted by the National Labor Relations Board on April 8 and 9—despite a highly-financed anti-union campaign which included numerous legal violations by Tyson management officials.

The victory was the first step in a campaign by Local 556 members to negotiate a new contract at Tyson Foods that will provide for a safer workplace, improved workers’ rights, and a more secure economic future for workers and their families.

“Tyson workers have spoken loud and clear. They want a new union contract with better wage and benefits, more safety protections, increased rights, and treatment with dignity and respect,” said Local 556 Secretary Treasurer Maria Martinez. “Members wanted this vote before contract negotiations began so it would be crystal clear where they stand.  Now Local 556 members and the company can focus on negotiating a new contract that delivers positive changes for Tyson meatpacking workers.”

Tyson Foods waged a costly campaign to try to convince workers to drop their union, shipping in additional management personnel to pressure workers to vote against the union. But management was unable to match the campaign launched by hundreds of Tyson workers who passed out informational flyers, wrote personal pro-union testimonials, wore ‘Vote Yes’ stickers, and organized rallies to demonstrate members’ support for their union.

“The company tried to take away our union and our voice, but we stuck together because we want to negotiate a just contract and a better future for ourselves and our families,” said Maria “Gaby” Lopez, who works in the processing department on the second shift at Tyson. 

“The company tried to make this election about Local 556 officials, but workers showed they are the union and are ready to negotiate their contract,” said Local 556 President Melquiadez Pereyra.

The current contract between Tyson Foods and Local 556 members expires on May 30. Negotiations are set to begin later this month. 

Local 556 members are currently negotiating a new contract at Smith Frozen Foods in Weston, Oregon where key issues include affordable health insurance, increased workers’ rights and safety improvements to protect both workers and consumers.

For more information, contact IBT 556's Maria Martinez at (509) 386-7203.

FRIDAY,  APRIL 9
Donate now to help send Congress a message on outsourcing

The following announcement was distributed this week by WashTech, the Washington Alliance for Technology Workers/CWA and TechsUnite.org, an online community dedicated to exploring the issues facing tech workers:

Are you serious about addressing the loss of U.S. jobs?

Help Send A Message To Congress
Outsourcing of American jobs is hurting the economy.

Help us place this ad in a major news publication, and get the message to Congress.

Your financial contributions will help determine the size, and the publication.

Please consider a donation of $25 or more and donate now; then ask your family and friends to do the same. Alone we cannot afford to send this urgent message, but together we can.

We are considering a number of major publications for placing the ad -- from the Congressional Roll Call, to the New York Times, to Business Week. A sample ¾-page ad costs $90,000 for the New York Times, and $70,000 for Business Week. (Click here to download at 267 KB PDF file of the advertisement.)

We will be accepting donations until July 15th,and the ad will be placed during the week of July 21, 2004.

We are counting on our members, subscribers, and their families to get this message to CONGRESS! Thank you for your support!

THURSDAY,  APRIL 8
Bush & Co. aim to silence critics with new FEC regulations

Your freedom of speech is in jeopardy. There's no other way to characterize the latest outrageous assault on your fundamental rights by President George W. Bush. 

In an attempt to silence unions and other advocacy groups on issues like overtime pay, the Bush administration has proposed new Federal Election Commission rules that would redefine and broaden the definitions of political organizations and speech. At the election-year urging of the Republican National Committee, the FEC is proposing new regulations and restrictions on issue advocacy and nonpartisan voter outreach that would apply to any union, group, corporation, advocacy group, charity or nonfederal "527" political organization that says anything that might lead the FEC to conclude that the purpose is to influence the election.

Television advertisements critical of Bush policies, such as impending overtime pay takeaway or last year's Medicare giveaway to insurance and pharmaceutical companies, could be restricted if the partisan FEC bureaucrats decide they are intended to hurt the re-election chances of President Bush. These FEC rules are intended to circumvent Supreme Court decisions that protect issue advocacy and voter outreach as free speech not subject to campaign restrictions.

And they are clearly intended to silence the president's independent critics in an election that Bush has amassed an unprecedented campaign war chest he is already using to attack and distort the record of his rival, Democrat Sen. John Kerry. In the face of the lowest approval ratings of his presidency, Bush's well-heeled re-election campaign is flooding the radio and television airwaves with negative political attack ads months earlier than has ever occurred in a U.S. presidential election.

And now his desperate strategy to retain the presidency includes muzzling his non-partisan critics and abridging the First Amendment rights of working Americans.

TAKE ACTION: The FEC is accepting written comments about these regulations before the close of business this Friday, April 9. Please take a minute right now to submit your comment by clicking on this link: www.unionvoice.org/campaign/fec/ 

After you act, please ask your friends, family and co-workers to get involved. You can send them an alert by visiting www.unionvoice.org/campaign/fec/forward and entering their e-mail addresses.

Thank you for taking a moment to comment on this critically important issue.

TUESDAY,  APRIL 6
USWA presents Global Justice Tour at area colleges this week

The following press advisory was distributed last week by the United Steelworkers of America:

Luis Adolfo Cardona, a Colombian trade unionist at Coca-Cola who narrowly escaped being murdered by an anti-union death squad in his home country, is accompanying  United Steelworkers of America Associate Member representatives on a two-month,
7-state tour to raise awareness of the local and international effects of free trade.

Luis will be the featured speaker at "Pacific Northwest Global Justice Tour" events this week around Western Washington. USWA Organizer Rebecca Cooper will present a powerful spoken word performance and USWA Staff Representative Tara Widner, an organizer for the March to Miami rallies protesting the Free Trade Area of Americas, will present a documentary, film and discussion.

Here's the tour schedule for Western Washington:

• Wednesday, April 7 - Seattle University, noon, Casey Atrium

• Wednesday, April 7 - The Evergreen State College in Olympia, 7 p.m., Lecture Hall

• Thursday, April 8 - University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, noon, Student Union Bldg, Room 101

• Thursday, April 8 - University of Washington in Seattle, at 4:30 p.m., Thomson Hall, Room 134

• Friday, April 9 - Western Washington University in Bellingham, 7 p.m., TBA

The Steelworkers' Associate Member program allows students, activists, unemployed workers and those without a collective bargaining agreement in their workplace to become members of a union -- a mainstream organization fighting for economic justice. For more information about the Associate Member program or the Global Justice Tour, visit the USWA website at www.uswa.org/am.

MONDAY,  APRIL 5
Rep. Inslee hosting April 13 forum on Apollo Energy Project

U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee will host a forum on the New Apollo Energy Project on Tuesday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the 4th-floor auditorium of the Jackson Federal Building, 915 2nd Ave. in Seattle.

The New Apollo Energy Project is a bold, new energy policy that will marshal the resources of the federal government to provide a vision of how to solve the following challenges: 1) breaking our addiction to Middle East oil and thereby improving our homeland and national security; 2) addressing the threat of global warming; and 3) expanding our economy and creating millions of new jobs.

With our well-trained and highly talented workforce, intellectual capital and entrepreneurial spirit, the Northwest is uniquely poised to lead the country, and the world, in the development of these clean energy technologies.

This forum will look at problems associated with our country's current energy consumption patterns, and discuss efforts to create a new energy future. Following the forum, the public will have the opportunity to visit a technology expo of Northwest Clean energy companies.

If you are interested in attending this forum, please RSVP at http://www.house.gov/inslee/energy_newapollo_register.htm. Here's the forum agenda:

Welcome -- Rep. Jay Inslee and Sen. Maria Cantwell (invited)

Implications of Our Dependency on an Oil Economy
Opportunities for the Washington Workforce -- Rick Bender, Washington State Labor Council, AFLCIO
Overview of Energy Security -- Gal Luft, Institute for the Analysis of Global Security
Possible Impacts of Climate Change on the Northwest -- Philip Mote, University of Washington

Solutions
Economic Benefits of New Energy Technologies -- Professor Daniel Kammen, University of California
NW Poised to Benefit -- KC Golden, Climate Solutions
Overview of New Apollo Energy Project -- Bracken Hendricks, Apollo Alliance

Moving Forward & Audience Discussion -- Rep. Jay Inslee, Sen. Maria Cantwell (invited) and Sid Morrison, former U.S. Congressman from Eastern Washington and former Washington State Secretary of Transportation

Technology Expo
Presentation of Technology Expo: Clean Energy Technology Companies in Washington State -- Introduction by Lee Cheatham of the Washington Technology Center