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FRIDAY, May 6 -- All WA Democrats in Congress co-sponsor Employee Free Choice Act
— In today's Seattle Times -- CAFTA falls far short of a consensus on trade -- Op-ed by Reps. Baird, Larsen and Smith, all of whom announced their opposition to the CAFTA this week. Learn more.

Local news -- WSLC urges support for construction of Black Rock Reservoir
— In today's Olympian -- Democrats: Early raise is reward -- Top Democratic budget writers say a two-month delay in pay raises for nonunion state employees was as much a reward for the efforts of state employees in unions as it was a cost-saving measure.
— In today's Seattle Times -- The heavy burden for Republicans -- Editorial: Judge John Bridges must be careful before allowing a dry statistical formula to overturn Gov. Christine Gregoire's election. Invalidating an election surrounded by uncertainty should be done only if a new approach provides greater certainty. Proportional analysis raises as many questions as it answers. (Ditto.)
— In The Stranger -- Berendt backs ouster of faux Democratic Sen. Tim Sheldon -- Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt says he agrees with the complaint alleging that the state senator is violating a state law that prohibits holding two public offices. "This is a front-burner issue," says Berendt.
— In today's Seattle Times -- King Co. threatens Snohomish Co. over denial of crucial Brightwater permits
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- La Clinica's troubles not easily repaired (editorial)
— In today's News Tribune -- "Dump the Bosses" will recall Wobblies (preview of Saturday concert)
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Bremerton School District must lay off 22 teachers
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Mayor West sorry, but staying

Boeing news: — In the Everett Herald -- Murray to IAM: U.S. should appeal to WTO on Airbus subsidies
...plus -- Everett not among finalists for Airbus factory -- Four Southern cities chosen. Hold your press releases, business lobbying groups. The only way we would could have "competed," experts say, is if we were on the East Coast, closer to French factories. We're pretty sure that'd be cost-prohibitive.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- After political pressure from both sides, Polish airline chooses 787 over Airbus 
— In today's Seattle Times -- Northwest Airlines puts in order for 18 Boeing 787s, options for 50 more

Social Security news: — In the Yakima H-R -- Cut benefits? Why not eliminate the wage cap? (editorial)
— Today from AP -- Most not ready to forfeit Social Security benefits to help poor, poll finds

National news: — In today's NY Times -- States and employers duel over health care -- The relentless rise in health care costs is causing states and businesses to fight over whose job it is to insure workers. Nearly two dozen states, struggling with the growing burden of assisting people with jobs but no insurance, are looking to shift more of the financial burden onto the workers' employers.
...plus -- A serious drug problem -- Krugman column: The 2003 Medicare bill is an object lesson in how special interests hold America's health care system hostage.
— In today's Washington Post -- Hospital services performed overseas -- "Nighthawk" companies are taking advantage of time-zone differences and the latest technology by having radiologists read images from such far-flung places as Hawaii, India, Australia, Switzerland, Israel and Brazil.
...plus -- Half-measures -- Editorial: Given the absence of a meaningful, overarching federal immigration policy, it is perhaps not surprising that members of Congress have created a host of narrower, poorly conceived immigration policies to fill the vacuum.

THURSDAY, May 5 -- Reps. Baird, Larsen and Smith will oppose CAFTA
— In today's Seattle Times -- Three lawmakers balk at trade pact -- Their stand marks a significant shift for the Washington delegation, which has largely supported trade deals over the years.
— In today's News Tribune -- Smith opposes free-trade bill -- “This is not the first time we have expressed these concerns (about worker protections),” Smith said. “We have been met with deafening silence.”
— In today's NY Times -- Democrats reject CAFTA as lacking worker protections

Local news: — In today's Olympian -- WFSE membership, income to double -- Leaders of the largest union of state workers say they've weathered most of the backlash from opposition groups.
— In today's Seattle Times -- Performance audits are great; great performance takes money -- Op-ed by Chris Dugovich of AFSCME Council 2: The only thing Tim Eyman's I-900 will do is create extra layers of bureaucracy -- and with it extra cost for cash-strapped local governments around the state. How ironic: a big government initiative from the man who makes a living railing against government.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Jim West tied to sex abuse in 1970s -- Spokane mayor and former GOP Senate Majority Leader accused of using office to lure young men.
— Today from AP -- Democrats now claim 544 felon voters cast ballots in 2004
— In today's Seattle Times -- CEO talks of Safeco's future, puts aside talk of politics -- "Flattered" Mike McGavick won't rule out U.S. Senate bid against Maria Cantwell in 2006.
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- LTI Inc. milk tank truck drivers (IBT 231) approve contract
— In today's Olympian -- 11-year DSHS employee to lead Children's Administration

National news: — In today's NY Times -- U.S. warns AFL-CIO on Social Security protests -- The Bush administration is "very concerned" pension plans might be spending workers' money to "advocate a particular result in the current Social Security debate." At issue is the AFL-CIO effort to pressure Charles Schwab, Wachovia Corp. and other investment firms to end their support for privatization.
— In today's Washington Post -- Bush says he won't give up pushing Social Security privatization
— In today's Seattle Times -- Don't let politicians turn Social Security into welfare -- Harrop column: Man has invented no better way of sinking a government program than turning it into welfare. President Bush proposes just that for Social Security.

WEDNESDAY, May 4 -- Panel discussion of AFL-CIO reorganization this Saturday at UW
— In today's Washington Post -- AFL-CIO to cut 167 jobs, spend more on organizing
— Today at the Confined Space blog -- AFL-CIO kills Safety and Health Department

Local news: — In today's Olympian -- Dept. of Retirement Systems employees vote to decertify WPEA
...plus -- Pay raise strategy may backfire -- Delaying pay raises for state employees without union contracts might cost the state just as much as lawmakers expected to save by putting off the raises.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- KIRO radio employees dissatisfied with contract seek to oust AFTRA
...plus -- Groups sue to block tax-hike plan -- The Grange, Farm Bureau, NFIB, BIAW and EFF sue the state alleging Democrats misused the "emergency clause" that immediately enacted I-601 changes -- and rendered them referendum-proof. They want a repeal referendum on the fall 2005 ballot.
— In today's Seattle Times -- Fight legislative arrogance with 900-pound gorilla -- The Times gives free advertising space to initiative salesman Tim Eyman in this op-ed preview of next year's product line.
— In yesterday's P.S. Business Journal -- SPEEA, Boeing cut off talks in Wichita
— In yesterday's Walla Walla U-B -- It's time for NW states to protect gays from discrimination (editorial)
— In yesterday's News Tribune -- Arbitrator's decision sinks Alaska pilots' spirits; pay will be cut 26%
— In today's King County Journal -- Kirkland Police Guild votes down contract proposal
— In today's News Tribune -- Don't look to Wal-Mart for health-coverage answers -- Burbank column: Wal-Mart has figured out how to outsource its benefits (at no cost) to other employers (through those employers’ dependent coverage), the government and the taxpayer. As Brown and Cole CEO Craig Cole says, this situation makes “good employers feel like chumps for paying for the health care of their workers’ families, for the health care of their competitors’ families, for uncompensated care and for the state’s caseload.”

Social Security news: — From Gannett -- Bush gets worst rating yet in Social Security poll -- Most Americans expect eventual benefit cuts, but only 35% approve of Bush's handling of the issue.
— In today's NY Times -- Seeking support, Bush offers assurances on cuts -- He takes his campaign back on the road, seeking to reassure workers about his new call to cut Social Security benefits.
— In today's Seattle Times -- Stacking the deck on Social Security -- Dionne column: Opponents of Bush's cut-and-privatize project -- they include not only Democrats but also skeptical Republicans -- do have a responsibility. Their task is to subject half-baked concepts to the criticism they deserve and insist that they be fully baked before serious discussions can begin.

National news: — In today's Tri-City Herald -- Latinos left behind in U.S. economic growth
— In today's NY Times -- Unite Here sues CWA in war over who can organize California's tribal casinos
...plus -- Can't Wal-Mart, a retail behemoth, pay more? -- With most of its workers earning less than $19,000 a year, a number of community groups and lawmakers have teamed up with labor unions in mounting a campaign aimed at prodding Wal-Mart into paying its 1.3 million employees more.
— In today's SF Chronicle -- Hotel workers arrested in march to increase pressure for new contract
— In today's LA Times -- Flight attendant loses secondhand smoke case
— Today from -- Poll: Most Americans say Iraq war not worth it -- In new poll, 41% say it was worth it, down from 48% in February. In April 2003, shortly after the war began, 73% thought it worth it.

MONDAY, May 2 -- Felons for Rossi: Why Dino's do-over lawsuit is destined for dismissal
— In Sunday's Seattle Times -- Calculating illegal votes' impact could be key to election lawsuit
— Sunday from AP -- Dems say felon voters missed outside King Co., accuse GOP of "cherry-picking"
— In today's King County Journal -- An interview with Rossi -- On the '05 session: "The state employees' union put millions of dollars into (Gregoire's) campaign. So they raised everybody's taxes so they could give raises to state employees... I wouldn't have gutted unemployment insurance reform.

Local news: — In today's Tri-City Herald -- La Clinica remedies pains -- One of the two labor unionizing efforts last summer at La Clinica was successful. OPEIU Local 8, representing the nonmedical staff, was certified last week and the interim CEO promised to recognize, respect and work with the union. The other unionizing effort by USNU (UFCW) Local 141, for doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, is on appeal awaiting certification from the National Labor Relations Board.
— In today's News Tribune -- Legislature loads up governor's to-do box -- Gov. Christine Gregoire has signed or vetoed 226 bills sent to her by the Legislature – and she isn’t even halfway done.
— In the Everett Herald -- Legislative decisions irk local Chamber -- Business group vows to get political.
— In today's P.S. Business Journal -- Bell now tolls for transportation -- Editorial: The portion of the Legislature's $8.5 billion transportation package that relates to mega-projects in the central Puget Sound area is designed to spur local governments to get their acts together on funding their share.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Private ferry operators hope to land Southworth
— In today's Seattle Times -- Arbitrator orders pay cut for Alaska Airlines pilots (IBT)
— In today's Oregonian -- Hospital near Vancouver sorts 15,000 applications for 550 jobs
...plus -- Wage rules could tangle public-private development -- Oregon labor officials have recently threatened to require Oregon cities to pay a legally set "prevailing wage" for construction work done through public-private partnerships.

National news: — In today's Wash. Post -- 4 unions want members off AFL-CIO's lists -- Four dissident union presidents (SEIU, Teamsters, Laborers and Unite Here) have demanded that their members' names be removed from the AFL-CIO's master list, accounting for about one third of all names.
— In today's NY Times -- With little fanfare, a new effort to prosecute unsafe employers
...plus on Sunday -- A new spin on Social Security -- President Bush has chosen to recast the 70-year-old retirement program as one that would keep the lowest-income workers out of poverty but become increasingly irrelevant to the middle class and the affluent.
...plus -- A gut punch to the middle -- Krugman: The attempt to turn Social Security into a program for the poor is not driven by budget cuts but ideology: Bush comes to bury Social Security, not save it.
— At BusinessWeek Online -- Bush's reluctant business allies -- Corporate lobbyists are being told to back the Social Security crusade -- or else.
— In the USA Today -- Bush's Social Security gamble put pressure on Democrats (editorial)
— Today from Cox News Service -- Wage earners feel the squeeze -- Pity the paycheck earner. The April employment report likely will show that hourly wage earners are still losing the battle against inflation.
— Today from Bloomberg -- Wal-Mart store closing chills union drive in 25 Canada outlets
— In today's LA Times -- Shipping out U.S. jobs -- to a ship -- SeaCode Inc. wants to house 600 foreign software engineers on a ship moored three miles off California's coast to circumvent local labor rules.

Dear ___________:

On behalf of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and its over 430,000 affiliated members, I am writing to let you know how strongly we support the Black Rock Reservoir. Construction of Black Rock will provide important construction employment opportunities as activities at Hanford scale down and the Tri-cities works to reposition itself.

More importantly, Black Rock has the potential to serve as the foundation for job and economic growth throughout all of Central Washington for many decades to come. Black Rock will be an asset for all of us. It will ensure that irrigators have enough water to grow high quality, high value crops, even in drought years like this one.

Agriculture is the biggest job sector in Central Washington. It is the engine that drives the regional economy. But it is beginning to run dry. This year’s drought is expected to cost $1 billion. It will be the third $1 billion drought to hit Central Washington in twelve years. And by 2040, this year’s drought condition is expected to be the norm.

In addition to providing enough water to ensure a healthy agriculture sector, Black Rock will provide needed water for business growth and municipal use. And, with close proximity to Yakima, the Tri-Cities and some of the best wineries in the world, it is expected to become a world-class destination for flat-water recreation activities.

Black Rock is ambitious, but thinking big is the only way to achieve a lasting solution. I urge you to support creation of the Black Rock Reservoir.

Sincerely,

Rick S. Bender
President

For more information, see "Black Rock to be discussed at free barbecue Saturday" , which appeared in Thursday's edition of the (Ellensburg) Daily Record.