WSLC Reports Today -- April 7-11, 2003

UPDATED DAILY M-F 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 April 7-11, 2003

Previous weeks' news: March 31-April 4 -- March 24-28 -- March 17-21

FRIDAY, April 11 -- WSLC Legislative Update: NO MORE TAX EXEMPTIONS!
At AFLCIO.org -- AFL-CIO calls for immediate halt to U.S. aircraft being repaired overseas
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Forget the clock -- Editorial: With a little more than two weeks left in the legislative session, there's talk legislators may "cut and run" because compromise on raising new revenue may be elusive. Don't do it. Legislators have a job to do, not a clock to beat.
...plus -- Cantwell opening doors to 7E7; proposes new UW research center to aid Boeing efforts
— In today's Everett Herald -- Government, business, labor leaders launch effort to land 7E7
...plus -- Boeing tanker deal put on hold by new Defense Department study
— In today's Seattle Times -- Nethercutt promises three-month limit on considering bid for Senate
...plus -- Dashed hopes for immigrant scholars -- Editorial: Imagine. Giving the benefit of affordable tuition to political refugees but not to the people who toil in Washington's fields, shoring up the state's No. 1 industry, agriculture, with their labor and their taxes. That's what the Senate endorsed Tuesday.
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- No answers yet on illegal immigrant tuition
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Business-backed bill costing cities millions now on Locke's desk
— In today's News Tribune -- Tacoma trauma center at risk from state budget cuts (editorial)
...plus -- Western State therapist sues to force changes in work environment
— In yesterday's Columbian -- Bid to allow simple-majority passage for school levies dies
— In today's Oregonian -- Tax break package aimed at placating WaferTech in Clark County
— In today's Washington Post -- Tech firms including Microsoft lobbying for new $4 billion tax cut -- "This is complete nonsense," says a Brookings Institution director who adds that he turned down a lucrative offer from one tech firm to write a study endorsing the idea. (Welcome to the cynical world of pay-per-"view" think-tank studies endorsing business competitiveness, where noble analysts congratulate themselves on the occasions they don't take the money.)
...plus -- Bill to fund Iraq war stalled -- It's bogged down by internal GOP squabbles involving UPS, Seattle-based Airborne Inc. and former Sen. Slade Gorton, among others.
— Today from Reuters -- House clears 2004 budget, tax cut plan -- By 216-211 vote, budget approved early Friday projecting record deficits while paving the way for up to $550 billion in Bush's tax cuts. Washington's congressional delegation voted on strict party lines: GOP for, Democrats against.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Iraq contract awarded without bidding to Halliburton worth $7 billion
— In today's N.Y. Times -- A plan to recalculate pensions -- Billions of dollars in corporate pension shortfalls would be eliminated overnight under an accounting proposal to make obligations to retirees look smaller, on paper. That would shrink employer contributions, although nothing else has changed.

THURSDAY, April 10 -- Rally April 22 in Bellevue, tell PACCAR to end Peterbilt lockout
...plus -- Lowry: Proposed budget cuts will end up costing us more
— Today at BusinessWeek.com -- Is Boeing bailing out of passenger jets? -- A new study says the giant plane maker's actions point to an exit strategy for the low-margin commercial-aircraft business.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- All Nippon chooses Boeing, orders 45 737s
...plus -- Jennifer Dunn declines to challenge Patty Murray for Senate seat
— In today's Olympian -- Locke OKs first round of budget cuts; makes "technical" vetoes
...plus -- Democrats tout education trust fund, seek $100 million down payment
— In today's News Tribune -- Workforce training cuts would wound entire state (Sen. Carlson op-ed)
— In today's Everett Herald -- House on wrong road to funding roads -- Editorial: More money needed.
— In today's Seattle Times -- We pay bill for sexual harassment (Brodeur column re: Western State)
— In today's Oregonian -- California considering energy reregulation
— In today's Washington Post -- GOP leaders strive for unusual budget deal to delay tax-cut debate
— Today at MSNBC.com -- IMF takes swipe at Bush tax-cut plan -- The International Monetary Fund says proposed tax cuts are ill-timed and too large. If the $726-billion tax-cut plans were “enacted in full, they will significantly worsen the (United States) medium-term fiscal position,” the IMF said.

WEDNESDAY, April 9 -- Call your Senator: Support HB 1214, the prescription drug bill
— In today's Seattle P-I -- We must fight for Boeing 7E7 project (editorial)
...plus -- U.S. House ignores Bush request to deny benefits for laid-off aviation workers -- The Senate plan, sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), would extend by 26 weeks unemployment benefits to aviation industry workers, including Boeing workers, who lost their jobs since the Sept. 11 attacks.
...plus yesterday -- Harborview Medical Center, a state treasure, is at budget risk (editorial)
— In today's News Tribune -- House passes 4-cent gas-tax hike
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Vote goes against in-state tuition for illegal immigrants
— In today's Olympian -- Seniors need a Medicare drug plan (editorial)
At AFLCIO.org -- "Nation needs jobs!" Building & Construction Trades outline priority bills
From the UFCW -- Scabs in the Meat: Tyson Foods to hire replacement workers
— In today's Washington Post -- House, Senate GOP at odds over Bush tax cut
— In today's N.Y. Times -- No new tax cuts (Op-ed by former Senators Bob Kerrey, Sam Nunn and Warren Rudman, two former cabinet secretaries and former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker)
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- United Airlines, IAM agree on 13% wage cuts

TUESDAY, April 8 -- Puget Sound Union Community Fund announces grant recipients
....plus -- Energy deregulation conference in Spokane on April 14-15 is your business
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing may be giving us a final exam -- and we can't put it off any longer -- MUST-READ Virgin column: How much are you willing to pay to land the assembly work for Boeing's next commercial jet, the 7E7? A list of Boeing action items: Transportation, unemployment insurance reform, education, taxes, workers' compensation, energy, building codes and permitting.
...plus on Saturday -- Two ways to cut drug costs -- The state budget office projects that at most 6,000 Washingtonians would enroll and save no more than 2.7% with Republicans' "placebo" bill.
...plus -- Bon Marche wants overpaid workers (UFCW 367) to return money
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Senate panel gives tax breaks to business
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Senate panel OKs $95 million in business tax breaks
...plus -- House passes bill to fix Initiative 790 (supported by Wash. State Council of Fire Fighters)
— In today's Olympian -- House ups gas-tax ante, now supports penny-a-year increases for 4 years
— In today's Everett Herald -- Lawmakers must find a way -- Op-ed by Sen. Reardon (D-38th), who voted for the GOP all-cuts budget: This budget is the first step... By starting the budget debate at zero -- that is, without any new revenue -- we can now publicly debate the priorities of government.
— In today's Idaho Statesman -- Idaho House OKs half-cent sales tax increase
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- FFTF sodium draining begins -- Symbolically, emotionally, politically, legally and practically -- FFTF's euthanization began Monday with no one expecting it to stop.
— In today's Yakima H-R -- Longview Fibre workers laid off
— In today's Wichita Eagle -- SPEEA: Boeing's non-union bonuses violate labor law
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Stock dealing at Ullico creates schism within organized labor
— In today's L.A. Times -- Proposed pension rule scrapped (re: conversion to cash-balance plans)

MONDAY, April 7 -- UFW's Huerta to attend Cesar Chavez Celebration in Seattle on May 17
— In Saturday's Seattle Times -- Sen. Jim West scolded by his late mother's home caregiver
— In Sunday's Spokesman-Review -- Rally outside Sen. West's home backs home care contract
— In Sunday's News Tribune -- Senate budget plan isn't pretty, but it's realistic (editorial)
— In Saturday's Seattle P-I -- Taxes pay for what we need -- Editorial: Both Gov. Gary Locke and Senate Republicans have attempted building a no-new-taxes bridge across the $2.6 billion budget gap. Neither has succeeded in doing so without risking unacceptable harm to some of the state's most vulnerable residents. The burden to produce a realistic budget now falls on House Democrats.
...plus -- Companies cut costs by abandoning 401(k) matching contributions
— In today's Olympian -- Lawmakers get advice on state transportation plan: Fix it yourselves
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- SPEEA files Unfair Labor Practice charges against Boeing
— In today's Everett Herald -- Strain on training: Record numbers of laid-off workers seek new skills
— In today's L.A. Times -- State puts focus on workers' comp -- You think WE got problems? Check out what's going on in California (which privatized its system): employer premiums are doubling, there's a major backlog of claimants and dozens of insurers were bankrupted by a 1990s price war.
— In today's Washington Post -- House GOP leaders pondering a smaller tax cut
...plus -- Wary of higher taxes, official boost fees; tactic that hurts working class, critics say
— In today's N.Y. Times -- China's workers risk limbs in export drive
...plus -- Workers who feel discarded -- Herbert column: Among the many things overshadowed by the war is the substantial human toll that is quietly being taken by the faltering U.S. economy. Putting Americans to work is not part of the agenda of the Bush administration, and the fallout from this lack of interest is spreading big time because the U.S. is hemorrhaging jobs.
...plus -- Again, money follows the pinstripes -- A special report on executive pay: Members of the AFL-CIO have called for shareholder votes on various aspects of corporate pay at more than 150 annual meetings this year.

Previous weeks' news: March 31-April 4 -- March 24-28 -- March 17-21

THURSDAY, APRIL 10
Rally April 22 in Bellevue, tell PACCAR to end Peterbilt lockout

Mark Pigott is the CEO of PACCAR, the Bellevue-based truckmaker that owns Peterbilt. In 2001, Pigott made more than $4 million. Last year, PACCAR's executive officers got $2.4 million in raises amidst one of its most profitable years in company history.

Also last year, PACCAR offered its Peterbilt workers in Madison, Tenn., a 22-cent raise, pension cuts and a 300% increase in health care costs. When the workers said "no," they were locked out of their plant. Seven months later, they are still locked out despite an unconditional offer to return to work. Does that sound fair to you?

It doesn't to the members of the United Auto Workers union and their supporters who plan to rally outside the PACCAR shareholders meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 22 at Bellevue's Meydenbauer Center, 11100 N.E. 6th St. The UAW invites and encourages all Puget Sound area trade unionists to participate in the rally, which will be followed by a march to PACCAR Tower in Bellevue.

PACCAR recently surprised Wall Street analysts with unexpectedly positive earnings reports (see Seattle Times story) and rosy outlook, bucking the national economic trend. The 2002 financial results were PACCAR's fourth-best yearly performance in the company's 98-year history and its 63rd consecutive year of profitability. Its annual report credited the results to adhering to "proven principles" that include "ensuring rigorous cost controls throughout the company."

The company's "rigorous" initial offer to Peterbilt workers last year included:

A 300% increase in health-care costs.

A 600% increase in prescription drug costs.

A 22-cent "raise," eventually upped to 30 cents (still less than inflation). In other words, they were offered a decline in real wages alongside dramatic increases in health-care costs.

A pension offer that also lagged behind inflation.

And stunningly, the company demanded the cancellation of wage progression for workers on leave to serve in the U.S. Military Reserves of National Guard.

UAW Local 1832, which represents the more than 750 Peterbilt workers at the Madison plant, expressed awareness at the bargaining table that the trucking industry was struggling during the recession. So when their contract expired during negotiations, they didn't call a strike and offered to continue working while negotiations continued for a fair agreement.

But the company refused and locked out the workers on Sept. 3, 2002.

CALL TO ACTION: Please show your union solidarity with our locked-out Brothers and Sisters in Tennessee by making plans to attend the Tuesday, April 22 rally and march in Bellevue.

Also, please download, copy, post and distribute a flier (113 KB PDF file) advertising the rally.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10
Lowry: Proposed budget cuts will end up costing us more

The following Letter to the Editor by former governor Mike Lowry appears in today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Proposed cuts will end up costing us more

I compliment you on your Sunday editorial stating that the present attempt in Olympia to build "a no-new-taxes bridge across the $2.6 billion budget gap" is "risking unacceptable harm to some of the state's most vulnerable residents." It is also an economic mistake.
I also compliment the P-I for opposing the "siren's song of more money through expansion of gambling -- because of its dubious fiscal payout and its doubtless negative impact on the social service and economic development work of the state's tribal communities."

While it is always easy for those of us who have been put out to pasture to advise from afar, I think that the depth of the presently proposed cuts will cost more than they save. A temporary small increase in the state's general fund taxes to help pay for education, critical public health and human services, working poor health care, environmental protection and smart capital investments would save money.

There are no easy tax increases available to the governor and Legislature. Of the bad choices before them, I prefer a temporary small increase in the sales tax "sunsetted" at a date certain. An example would be a .5 cent increase that is eliminated in three years.

That would still mean that at least 60 percent of the job of balancing the budget would be borne by cuts in state services, but the minimum necessary state support for our health and economic future would be protected.

As they work to find the best solutions to a difficult budget problem, I hope the governor and legislators will consider the work of the 1993 Legislature, which faced a $1.3 billion deficit and balanced the budget with about $650 million in cuts -- and -- a $661 million general fund tax increase. In that budget, the Legislature was able to protect education, critical health and human services and environmental programs. Four years later, general fund taxes had been reduced $682 million and the 1993 $1.3 billion deficit had been replaced with a surplus (reserve) of almost a half-billion dollars.

The 2003 deficit and economy are worse than in 1993. However, I do think the 1993 example is just one of the many good arguments for a temporary general fund tax increase as part of the solution to this very tough budget problem. As your editorial concluded, "Reasonable taxpayers will understand the need to pay the price made necessary by gloomy economic times."

Mike Lowry
Governor 1993-1997
Renton

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
Call your Senator: Support HB 1214, the prescription drug bill

With the legislative session scheduled to end in a couple of weeks and attention about to turn exclusively to the operating and transportation budgets, it's crunch time for the effort to pass prescription drug reform. (See important CALL TO ACTION below.)

HB 1214, prime sponsored by registered nurse and SEIU 1199NW member Rep. Eileen Cody (D-34th), would create a state prescription drug buying consortium that would earn substantial discounts though bulk purchasing of "preferred" drugs, as selected by an independent panel of doctors and experts. If doctors or patients wanted a drug not on the list, doctors would simply write "prescribe as written" on the prescription.

By thus consolidating and coordinating drug purchasing, the state would save millions of dollars a year at a time the government needs to look everywhere for efficiencies that help deal with the budget shortfall. But most importantly, HB 1214 would allow private groups the opportunity to opt into the buying consortium, passing savings on to many more consumers.

The federal government, large corporations, insurance companies, HMOs and a growing number of state governments (including Oregon) are all able to buy in bulk and negotiate lower drug prices with manufacturers. But Washington consumers are being left out in the cold because previous efforts to pass legislation similar to HB 1214 have been derailed by pharmaceutical and biotech industry lobbyists; there are currently 46 in Olympia, about one for every three state legislators.

This year, their strategy to defeat HB 1214 has been to press Senate Republicans into offering an alternative bill dubbed as a "political placebo" by HB 1214 supporters. GOP spokespeople say SB 5904 "will ease the burden of the high cost of prescription drugs for low-income elderly and disabled residents," but a new analysis by the state budget office projects that that, at most, 6,000 Washingtonians would enroll and save no more than 2.7% under the bill.

HB 1214 STATUS REPORT: HB 1214 easily passed the House way back on Feb. 7 with a bipartisan 64-33 vote, but it has languished in the Republican-controlled Senate. The bill was gutted in the Senate Health Care Committee, which "amended" it by replacing the entire bill with language identical to SB 5904, the GOP "placebo" bill that already passed the Senate. But there's still time to fix it and restore it to it's original form.

Now the bill sits in the Ways and Means Committee, where it will die if not voted out for Senate floor consideration.

Drug company lobbyists are insisting that no vote on the original bill occur because they know it will pass. Last year the Senate approved a similar bill on a 27-20 vote. And significant changes made in HB 1214 from last year's bill were designed to address Republican concerns about the state's oversight of the program, including establishing a public-private governing structure instead of an agency-controlled board. The other significant change is that the program will accept private plans and individual participants sooner, which means private businesses struggling with skyrocketing health care costs could sooner share in the savings.

CALL TO ACTION: Please take one minute to call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 (even if you have already called your legislators on this issue), and leave a message for your State Senator: SUPPORT HB 1214 as it was overwhelmingly approved in the House. We need REAL prescription drug reform!

This call is especially important if your State Senator is Majority Leader Jim West (R-6th) or is on the Ways and Means Committee:

Sen. Dino Rossi (R-5), Chair
Sen. Joseph Zarelli (R-18), Vice Chair, (Capital Chair)
Sen. Mike Hewitt (R-16), Vice Chair
Sen. Darlene Fairley (D-32), Ranking Member
Sen. Erik Poulsen (D-34), Ranking Capital Member
Sen. Lisa Brown (D-3)
Sen. Mark Doumit (D-19)
Sen. Karen Fraser (D-22)
Sen. Pat Hale (R-8)
Sen. Jim Honeyford (R-15)
Sen. Steve Johnson (R-47)
Sen. Linda Evans Parlette (R-12)
Sen. Debbie Regala (D-27)
Sen. Pam Roach (R-31)
Sen. Larry Sheahan (R-9)
Sen. Betti Sheldon (D-23)
Sen. Shirley Winsley (R-28)

Thank you for making this important phone call, and please forward this message to as many people as you can. We need to act NOW to pass real prescription drug reform.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8
Union Community Fund announces grant recipients

The Greater Puget Sound Union Community Fund recently announced funding grants to 11 charitable organizations. More than 70 social services agencies inquired and 39 applications were received. A total of $12,000 was awarded. Awards are being made this month.

Grant Recipients

Affordable Housing

The Tenant’s Union of Washington State – To fund outreach, education and mobilization of tenants for an organizing campaign.
Seattle Emergency Housing Service – Support for case management to transition homeless families to permanent housing.
Washington ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) – Neighbor education and outreach for Financial Literacy, a program to prevent homelessness, promote home ownership and combat predatory lending.
The Homelessness Project – Case management for homeless mothers in their transitional housing program.
Jubilee Women’s Center – To assist women in making a successful transition to permanent housing, sustainable employment and independent living.

Affordable Childcare

Kids’ Place Early Learning Center – To provide childcare subsidies to low-income parents struggling to make a livable wage in a very distressed area of Washington.
Economic Opportunity Institute – To assist in the refunding of the Early Childhood Education Career and Wage Ladder that was zeroed out by the FY 04 and 05 State budgets.
Child Care Resources – To fund a program which recruits, trains and supports low-income, refugee and immigrant women seeking careers in child care.

Immigrant/Workers Right

Wahluke Community Association – To assist in their efforts to inform and educate the Wahluke Community on issues that are important to farm workers.

Livable Wage

Walk with Workers – A project specifically engaged in promoting education, advocacy/organizing among religious and community members to support janitors’ organizing for a living wage contract.
Seattle Alliance for Good Jobs and Housing for Everyone (SAGE) –To support SAGE’s campaign to promote good jobs (through enhanced organizing rights) and increase affordable housing.

The resources granted to these fine organizations are the result of generous contributions made by the following individuals and organizations. This commitment to the community demonstrates that unions and union members view charity as solidarity.

AFGE 3197; Ron Ard, OPEIU 8 ; Maia Astley, OPEIU; Bob Augustin, UFCW 1105; Tom Bass, IAM; Charles Bofferding, SPEEA ; Karen Borman; Roberta Burnett, IUOE 286; Adair Dammann, SEIU State Council; Nels Ekroth, Retired IUOE ; Joel Funfar, SPEEA; Doug Frechin, IBT 174; James Gavin; Robert Gorman, IBEW 46; Karole Gorman; Sandi Hadfield, Sheet Metal 66; Jay Herzmark, AFSCME; IAM 751; IATSE 15; IFPTE 17; ILWU 19 members; Mary Ann Isles-Hassan, AFSCME ; IUPAT 1094; Marcelle Johnsen, SEIU 1199; Letter Carriers Branch 79; King County Labor Council, AFL-CIO; John Kohlsaat, SPEEA; Joanne McCaughan, AFSCME; Musicians 76-493; Ronald Namma; Joseph Nilsson, IAM; Edna Oberman; Operating Engineers 286; Will Parry, Retired, UBC/PSARA; Judy Reynolds, UFCW 1105; Julie Sawyer ; SEIU 6; Ms. Wallie Smith, UFCW 1105; Kirk Stephens, IBT 763; Sprinkler Fitters 699; Teamsters 117; Teamsters 174; UFCW 1001; UFCW 1105; Verlene Wilder, OPEIU 8; Steve Williamson, Teamsters 763 ; Nancy Holland Young, UFCW 1105; Donald Wood, CWA 7800; Jerri Wood, Retired CWA 7800; and Bobby Wooten, Teamsters 174.

To contribute to help make more of these grants possible, send a check to the GPS UCF at 2800 1st Ave., Room 126, Seattle, WA, 98121. Your community thanks you.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8
Energy deregulation conference April 14-15 is your business

The business community is getting together to discuss energy deregulation, and you're invited!

The two-day Northwest Energy Conference entitled "Powering Forward" will be Monday and Tuesday, April 14-15 at the Doubletree Hotel-Spokane City Center, and is hosted by the Spokane Regional and the Tri-City Area Chambers of Commerce. Featured speakers include BPA Administrator Steven Wright, U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and senior-level representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Sponsors include the BPA, Duke Energy, Itron, Inland Power and others.

The conference will explore the effect corporate scandals and market issues are having on public policy at the regional and national levels. This is a great opportunity for representatives of working people and consumers to participate in the discussion of this critical issue affecting family-wage jobs, the environment and our families' pocketbooks.

Topics of discussion will include standard market design, regional transmission organizations, and alternative energy. More information and the conference agenda are available online. The cost is $95 for the two-day conference and $50 for just one day. You can also register online.

MONDAY, APRIL 7
Huerta to attend Cesar Chavez Celebration in Seattle on May 17

On Saturday, May 17, the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO of Washington State will hold its Second Cesar E. Chavez Solidarity Celebration joined by Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the UFW and recipient of numerous national awards for her lifelong dedication to farm workers. The event will begin at 6 p.m. at the IAM Hall, 9125 15th Place South in Seattle, and feature Mexican food and live entertainment.

This celebration is an annual event to gather religious, political, labor and business leaders, farm worker allies and the farm worker community to celebrate leaders who have significantly contributed to the farm worker movement for justice in Washington state. The 2003 honorees include Becki Smith, Tomas Villanueva, Consul Jorge Madrazo and WSLC Research Director Jeff Johnson.

The UFW's First Solidarity Celebration was a huge success due thanks to overwhelming support from local labor unions. This year, which marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Cesar E. Chavez, is a painful year of budget cuts, attacks on immigrants, and war. So the farm workers need your support more than ever to keep Cesar’s legacy alive in Washington state.

With a $1,000 donation to the event’s 501(c)(3) sponsor, La Union del Pueblo Entero, your union can show support for Latinos in Washington. This non-profit organization has sponsored the Fair Trade Apple Campaign, which is bringing together farm workers, growers and packers in an historic effort to develop a more equitable and sustainable model for the Washington apple industry.

Your donation will entitle you to our Águila (Eagle) sponsorship. Benefits include a "union" card size ad in the program book and 10 reserved seats for the May 17 celebration. Please contact La Union del Pueblo Entero for more information by emailing apple@ufwmail.com or calling (206) 789-1947.

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.