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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 May 3-8, 2004

Previous weeks' news: April 26-30 -- April 19-23 -- April 12-16

SATURDAY, May 8 -- WSLC endorsement results from 2004 COPE Convention

FRIDAY, May 7 -- A new vision for our energy future -- Bender column: It’s time to take a bold step forward for our country to achieve a future of energy independence with the new Apollo Project.
— At Murray.Senate.gov -- Sen. Patty Murray: Victory in fight to save Walla Walla VA hospital
— In the Walla Walla U-B -- VA hospital will stay after all — In today's Tri-City Herald -- VA hospital spared
— In today's Oregonian -- VA hospitals in WA will stay open; Sen. Murray sways Bush administration
— At AFLCIO.org -- Help the Letter Carriers stamp out hunger on Saturday, May 8
— In today's Everett Herald -- Mail carriers to collect food on Saturday; food banks need donations
Other local news: 
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing chief makes clear that workers do matter -- Stonecipher: "We all know what the big problem is (re: impending contract talks). It's health care. It's a problem for the nation, a problem for the company and a problem for employees. We have to find a way to make progress."
— In today's Seattle Times -- Boeing wins China Air's $425 million 747 order
...plus -- Health fears have workers at Hanford seeking answers
...plus -- Calls issue warnings on initiatives -- As many as half a million area households are receiving recorded phone calls this week in a campaign funded by the Washington State Council of County and City Employees warning voters to beware of initiative drives because some paid signature gatherers have criminal pasts and may "say anything to get your signature."
Other national news: 
— This morning from Reuters -- Job growth strong for 2nd month; 288,000 new jobs reported
— In today's Oregonian -- Investment firms endorse CEO Burd's ouster from Safeway board
— In today's L.A. Times -- Kerry plan would boost teachers, but with a price -- The $20-billion plan would increase hiring and pay. But it also makes it easier to fire faculty, risking conflict with teacher unions, whose leaders offered general praise for the plan but did not endorse its controversial details.
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- SBC Communications, CWA talking again -- But both sides are preparing for a possible nationwide strike affecting 100,000 workers that could begin as soon as Saturday. 

THURSDAY, May 6 -- May 14 forum to discuss "Solutions to Covering the Uninsured"
...plus -- Rep. Adam Smith invites union members to May 10 health care forum
...plus -- State's residents concerned about health care worker shortage, says new poll
— In today's Washington Post -- Bush, Kerry health care plans analyzed -- Kerry's plans are more ambitious and targeted more directly at middle-income workers. A new analysis illustrates the widely divergent views of the two presidential candidates on an issue high on the list of voter concerns.
— At AFLCIO.org -- With Medicare drug cards, many seniors will pay more
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Medicare drug cards: Little help, badly done -- Editorial: The White House and Republican leadership in Congress are pushing hard to peddle the new Medicare drug discount cards that go into effect June 1. Too bad they didn't push as hard to make the new Medicare law really pay off for older Americans instead of for the drug companies.
Grocery contract news: 
— At ProtectHealthBenefits.org -- Puget Sound community leaders support grocery workers
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Labor dispute serves no one -- Editorial: (Puget Sound-area grocers and the UFCW) say they are at an impasse, with both sides now able to terminate the contract on 72 hours' notice. Negotiators also have scheduled sessions for May 13, 14, 19 and 20. A grocery store strike or lockout would help no one... so we sincerely hope that cooler heads will prevail.
Other local news: 
— At IAM751.org -- IAM loses arbitration hearing on Boeing maintenance subcontracting
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Machinists lose arbitration ruling on Boeing subcontracting
— In today's Seattle Times -- Stand up to Europe's threat to our aerospace industry (Sen. Murray op-ed)
— In today's News Tribune -- Sen. Murray blasts Airbus tactics, urges Boeing tanker deal -- "If we reward (Airbus's) underhanded methods, if we let them steal the tanker contract away from American workers, then American taxpayers will be paying Europe to help finish off our aerospace industry."
— In today's Olympian -- DSHS official was forced to quit amid sexual harassment allegations
...plus -- Agency's office romance policy draws criticism -- "Overly broad" rule remains controversial among DSHS staff members and managers alike, says WFSE's Greg Devereux.
— In yesterday's Walla Walla U-B -- States have no business selling booze -- Editorial: Oregon will let large supermarkets in five cities sell hard liquor. If it goes well, Washington should consider a similar plan.
...plus -- Bush proposal spurs illegal immigration -- Editorial: What's needed is a complete overhaul of the immigration system, not a piecemeal approach.
— In today's Everett Herald -- I-884 splits staffs at Everett, Edmonds community colleges
— In today's King County Journal -- Public School Employees Union moving to uptown Auburn
Other national news: 
— In today's Washington Post -- Senate rejects business tax proposal -- Still at issue is a proposal by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to give unemployed workers an additional 13 weeks of jobless benefits, reviving a benefits program that expired several months ago. As of last night, it was not clear whether Republicans would try to defeat the proposal, negotiate a compromise or attempt to block the vote.
— In today's L.A. Times -- For many in U.S., money talks while jobs walk -- Americans are anxious about offshore outsourcing, yet their spending seems to support the practice.
— Today at BusinessWeek Online -- John Kerry talks economics -- The Bush Administration's treatment of working people is the "worst... since I've been in public life," Kerry says. Read about his solutions.
— In today's Oregonian -- 2 drugstore chains (CVS, Walgreens) support drug importation (Bush doesn't)
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Wal-Mart's big city plans stall again -- Setbacks in Chicago and Inglewood, Calif., reflect the increasing difficulty Wal-Mart is facing as it tries to push in to more urban markets.
...plus -- Disney's craven behavior -- Editorial: Give the Walt Disney Co. a gold medal for cowardice for blocking its Miramax division from distributing a film that criticizes President Bush and his family. A company that ought to be championing free expression has instead chosen to censor a documentary that clearly falls within the bounds of acceptable political commentary.
...plus -- Restoring our honor -- Must-read Friedman column: The Bush administration needs to undertake a total overhaul of its Iraq policy; otherwise, it is courting a total disaster for us all. That overhaul needs to begin with President Bush firing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld -- today, not tomorrow or next month, today. (Fire Rumsfeld, the Seattle P-I agrees today.)

WEDNESDAY, May 5 -- Donate generously to Letter Carriers Food Drive this Saturday
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Letters Carriers in Kitsap County to collect food on Saturday
Grocery contract news: 
— In today's Seattle Times -- Safeway still affected by fallout from strike -- Although the UFCW and grocers both say they want to avoid a strike locally, the talks have already produced ugly moments.
— In today's L.A. Times -- Safeway earnings fall 73% on strike -- Worse-than-expected results add to the pressure on CEO Steven Burd, who is under fire from several public pension funds.
Boeing news: 
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Sen. Murray: U.S. sits idly by as Airbus "creams" Boeing
— In today's Washington Post -- Boeing buys ads to defend proposed tanker deal
— In today's Seattle Times -- Tanker deal backers go on offensive for Boeing
...plus -- Boeing denies report of 737 replacement due in nine years
Other local news:
— In the Seattle Weekly -- The outsourcing source -- As the issue of offshore outsourcing has heated up, WashTech/CWA has attracted national and even international attention. The organization is not just regularly quoted by the likes of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and CNN. It is a behind-the-scenes force that has planted numerous stories with those news outlets and others after doing much of the investigative legwork. The union has boosted its news-making capability by hiring professional freelance journalists. It has also been aided by leaks about corporate practices from its embittered and knowledgeable constituency: high-tech workers.
— In today's Seattle Times -- KIRO radio's Dave Ross eyes run for Congress in 8th
...plus -- 1st District Rep. Jay Inslee may not need war chest -- Republican leaders have all but given up finding a serious challenger to the Bainbridge Island Democrat. "I wish it were otherwise, but I don't believe in lying," says State GOP Boss Chris Vance with a straight face.
— In today's Olympian -- Sex scandal exposed at DSHS as 3 women file harassment suit
— In today's News Tribune -- Grange effort to restore old primary gets paid signature drive -- Meanwhile, court showdown begins today to overturn Locke's veto and run a Top 2 primary this year.
...plus -- Gambling initiative foists cynical shell game on voters (Burbank column)
Other national news: 
— At AFLCIO.org -- Senate takes first step to block Bush overtime pay takeaway
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- U.S. Senate OKs maintaining overtime pay (AP)
— In today's Washington Post -- Senate rebuffs Bush, blocks new rules on overtime pay
— At AFLCIO.org -- AFL-CIO backs Kennedy immigration reform bill introduced Tuesday
— In today's Seattle Times -- Benefits differ for immigrants under two plans -- Seven months after riding a Freedom Ride bus cross-country to drum up support for immigrant workers, local activists sounded their message closer to home in support of Sen. Kennedy's new immigration reform proposal.
— Today from Reuters -- U.S. jobs cuts rise 6.1%; report suggests April employment data may lag
— In today's L.A. Times -- Despite Bush's opposition, passage of drug import bill seen as inevitable
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Disney forbidding distribution of film that criticizes Bush -- The film, "Fahrenheit 911" by Michael Moore, links Bush and prominent Saudis -- including the family of Osama bin Laden -- and criticizes Bush's actions before and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

TUESDAY, May 4 -- Bipartisan Senate vote blocks Bush's misguided OT rules
Senate approves Harkin amendment, 52-47, protecting overtime pay for America's working families.  Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both of whom co-sponsored the amendment, voted "yes."
...plus at EPInet.org -- New analysis: Complex new 500-page OT rule rife with ambiguity
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Overtime changes likely to have lawyers working OT (column)
— In today's Olympian -- Labor Secretary Chao touts overtime changes (AP)
— In today's Washington Post -- Overtime improvement -- Editorial: Depending on how they are implemented, (the Bush administration's overtime pay) exemptions, and others, could be reasonable reflections of a modern workplace, or they could be abusive incursions on workers' overtime rights.
Boeing news: 
— At SPEEA.org -- SPEEA members take issues to Boeing shareholders meeting in Chicago
— In today's Seattle P-I -- After a nose dive, Boeing takes off again
— In today's Seattle Times -- 2008 Olympics push China toward major 7E7 order
— In today's L.A. Times -- Boeing, Long Beach workers reach deal; raises but higher medical costs
— In today's Long Beach P-T -- Grocery strike on minds at Boeing? -- The length and bitterness of the grocery strike/lockout may have spurred Boeing workers to accept health care concessions.
Grocery news: 
— Today from Reuters -- Still feeling pinch from SoCal strike, Safeway posts sharply lower profit
— Today from the AP -- Safeway dumps 3 board members, but CEO Burd will stay
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- Safeway board shakeup fails to appease CalPERS
Other local news: 
— In yesterday's Skagit Valley Herald -- Farmworkers march, seek better working conditions
— In Labor Notes -- Tyson decertification try in Walla Walla foiled by Teamsters -- Tyson shipped in more than a dozen managers to interrogate and coerce union supporters in round-the-clock captive audience meetings. Managers' tactics were guided by a 34-page company manual on union busting.
— In today's News Tribune -- Phil Lelli was a leader we will miss (Pat O'Malley op-ed)
...plus -- Steilacoom teachers, district reach a quick contract deal
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Premera pushes bid to gain for-profit status
Other national news: 
At NALC.org -- 12th annual Letter Carriers' National Food Drive is Saturday, May 8
— In today's L.A. Times -- With strike looming, SBC Communications and CWA are still far apart
— In the American Prospect -- Roadkill -- In an effort to steamroll Democrats, Republicans are holding up an important bill that would help U.S. highways.
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Agency says White House withholding of Medicare data was illegal
— Today at BusinessWeek Online -- Drug prices: A new covenant -- By using their combined negotiating power, the states' large buyers groups should force prescription drug prices down. But people without drug coverage could pay even higher prices than they do now.
— In today's Financial Times -- U.S. unions discover how to get a voice in the boardroom

MONDAY, May 3 -- WSLC's political endorsement convention is this Saturday in SeaTac
— In Sunday's Long Beach (CA) Press Telegram -- Boeing labor deal narrowly OK'd -- Boeing Co. employees who build the 717 passenger jet and C-17 military cargo plane narrowly approved a 3-year contract that was opposed by their union leaders (UAW Local 148).
— In Sunday's Seattle Times -- Clocking overtime at $100,000 a year? -- Editorial: (State law protecting Washington workers from Bush's overtime pay takeaway) put this state at a competitive disadvantage in yet one more thing regarding labor. This state has a higher minimum wage, higher worker-compensation costs, higher unemployment-compensation costs (still), and now this.
...plus -- Hats off to new Georgetown job center -- Vesely: Where Hats and Boots stood for 35 years, a coalition of education, labor, business and government is redefining the region's industrial worth.
— In Sunday's News Tribune -- Labor rally praises workers, pummels Bush
— In today's Olympian -- Front-runner Gregoire lacerated by challengers' barbs (AP)
— In Sunday's Yakima H-R -- Fret not, state income tax bypasses Governor's mansion (editorial)
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- City employee's salaries squeezing Bremerton's budget
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Microsoft still has not paid former temps in 2000 settlement
— In Sunday's Columbian -- Outsourced assembly jobs return -- Vancouver manufacturing company brings some jobs back after offshore outsourcing resulted in quality problems.
...plus on Saturday -- Rep. Baird ridicules GOP economic policies
— In Sunday's Oregonian -- The strain of retraining -- Manufacturing workers with no college education face difficulties trying to use the program to find jobs that pay as much as their previous ones.
...plus today -- View of trips for union pension trustees will dictate fate of Capital Consultants figure
At AFL-CIO.org -- Teamsters shift into organizing overdrive -- As part of a bold new campaign to help workers win a voice on the job, Hoffa’s Teamsters are retooling their programs and rechanneling resources to focus on the union movement’s bottom line: helping new members organize.
— In today's Detroit News -- Mob stigma again haunts Teamsters -- Organized crime investigator's resignation casts pall over union that was gaining respect. “It is not good,” say's IBT spokesman. “Does it set us back? Absolutely. Does it kill us? No.”
— In Sunday's Washington Post -- Benefits bust: No job-paid health, no pension, more time to miss them -- Far fewer of today's workers can look forward to the lifetime company pension and medical insurance those who retired between the end of World War II and 1980 learned to expect.
— At BusinessWeek Online -- Take that, U.S. farmers! -- A WTO court ruling on subsidies could tip the power balance in world trade talks to the small struggling nations.
— In Sunday's N.Y. Times -- As a center for outsourcing, India could be losing edge -- Rising wages and rapid turnover may put a dent in the cost savings U.S. firms enjoy when they ship work abroad.

Previous weeks' news: April 19-23 -- April 12-16 -- April 5-9

SATURDAY,  MAY 8
WSLC endorsement results from 2004 COPE Convention

Hundreds of union delegates from around the State of Washington gathered in SeaTac today for the Washington State Labor Council’s 2004 Convention of the Committee on Political Education (COPE).  Delegates representing WSLC-affiliated unions debated and voted upon endorsements for the 2004 elections for Congress, statewide offices, State Legislature, State Supreme Court and ballot measures.  A two-thirds majority of delegates present and voting was necessary for endorsement of a candidate or ballot measure.

Delegates will again convene to consider further endorsement action at the WSLC's annual convention Aug. 23-26 at the Tacoma Sheraton Hotel.

Following is a list of candidates and ballot measures endorsed today by the Washington State Labor Council (you can also download/print a one-page list of the endorsements):

CONGRESS:
Senate – Patty Murray
1CD – Jay Inslee
2CD – Rick Larsen
3CD – Brian Baird
4CD – (dual) Craig Mason and Sandy Matheson
5CD – Don Barbieri
6CD – Norm Dicks
7CD – Jim McDermott
8CD – Alex Alben
9CD – Adam Smith  

STATEWIDE OFFICE:
Attorney General – Deborah Senn
Auditor – Brian Sonntag
Governor – no action, except to OPPOSE Dino Rossi
Insurance Commissioner – Mike Kreidler
Lands Commissioner – Mike Cooper
Lt. Governor – Brad Owen
Secretary of State – Laura Ruderman
Sup’t of Public Instruction – no action
Supreme Court 1 – (dual) Mary Kay Becker and Robert Alsdorf
Supreme Court 5 – no action
Supreme Court 6 – no action
Treasurer – Mike Murphy

STATEWIDE INITIATIVES:
Ref. 55 (to repeal charter schools) – endorsed
I-864 (prop. tax cut) – opposed
I-884 (education trust fund) – endorsed
I-892 (gambling) – opposed
I-895 (small business health care) – opposed

STATE LEGISLATURE:

1LD House 1 – Al O’Brien
1LD House 2 – Mark Ericks
1LD Senate – Rosemary McAuliffe

2LD House 1 – Larry Nelson
2LD House 2 – Tom Campbell
2LD Senate – Marilyn Rasmussen

3LD House 1 – Alex Wood
3LD House 2 – Timm Ormsby
3LD Senate – Lisa Brown  

4LD House 1 – James Peck
4LD House 2 – no action
4LD Senate – Tim Hattenburg  

5LD House 1 – Barbara DeMichele
5LD House 2 – Jeffrey Griffin
5LD Senate – Kathleen Huckabay  

6LD House 1 – Don Barlow
6LD House 2 – no action
6LD Senate – Laurie Dolan  

7LD House 1 – no action
7LD House 2 – no action

8LD House 1 – Shirley Hankins (limited endorsement)
8LD House 2 – Jerad Koepp
8LD Senate – John David  

9LD House 1 – no action
9LD House 2 – Eileen Macoll
9LD Senate – Gail Rowland  

10LD House 1 – Nancy Conard
10LD House 2 – no action
10LD Senate – no action  

11LD House 1 – Zack Hudgins
11LD House 2 – Velma Veloria
11LD Senate – Margarita Prentice

12LD House 1 – no action
12LD House 2 – no action
12LD Senate – no action

13LD House 1 – Dale Hubbard
13LD House 2 – no action  

14LD House 1 – no action
14LD House 2 – Clarence Gipson
14LD Senate – no action

15LD House 1 – no action
15LD House 2 – no action  

16LD House 1 – Thomas Schmerer
16LD House 2 – Bill Grant (conditional)
16LD Senate – no action

17LD House 1 – Ilene Ferrell
17LD House 2 – Deb Wallace
17LD Senate – Paul Waadevig

18LD House 1 – Pam Brokaw
18LD House 2 – Brian Beecher
18LD Senate – David Seabrook  

19LD House 1 – Brian Hatfield
19LD House 2 – Brian Blake
19LD Senate – Mark Doumit

20LD House 1 – no action
20LD House 2 – no action
20LD Senate – Chuck Bojarski

21LD House 1 – Mary Helen Roberts
21LD House 2 – Brian Sullivan

22LD House 1 – no action
22LD House 2 – Sam Hunt
22LD Senate – Karen Fraser  

23LD House 1 – Sherry Appleton
23LD House 2 – Terrell Ducheane
23LD Senate – Phil Rockefeller

24LD House 1 – Kevin Van De Wege
24LD House 2 – no action
24LD Senate – no action

25LD House 1 – Linda Quinn
25LD House 2 – Dawn Morrell
25LD Senate – Jim Kastama

26LD House 1 – Patricia Lantz
26LD House 2 – Derek Kilmer

27LD House 1 – Dennis Flanagan
27LD House 2 – Jeannie Darneille
27LD Senate – Debbie Regala  

28LD House 1 – Deborah Srail
28LD House 2 – Tami Green
28LD Senate – no action

29LD House 1 – Steve Conway
29LD House 2 – Steve Kirby

30LD House 1 – Mark Miloscia
30LD House 2 – Joseph Henry

31LD House 1 – no action
31LD House 2 – no action

32LD House 1 – Maralyn Chase
32LD House 2 – no action

33LD House 1 – Shay Schual-Berke
33LD House 2 – Dave Upthegrove  

34LD House 1 – Eileen Cody
34LD House 2 – Joe McDermott

35LD House 1 – Kathy Haigh
35LD House 2 – Bill Eickmeyer

36LD House 1 – Alice Woldt
36LD House 2 – Mary Lou Dickerson

37LD House 1 – Sharon Tomiko-Santos
37LD House 2 – Eric Pettigrew

38LD House 1 – John McCoy
38LD House 2 – Michael Sells
38LD Senate – Jean Berkey

39LD House 1 – Joel Selling
39LD House 2 – no action
39LD Senate – no action

40LD House 1 – no action
40LD House 2 – no action
40LD Senate – Harriet Spanel

41LD House 1 – no action
41LD House 2 – Judy Clibborn
41LD Senate – Brian Weinstein

42LD House 1 – no action
42LD House 2 – no action

43LD House 1 – Ed Murray
43LD House 2 – Frank Chopp

44LD House 1 – Hans Dunshee
44LD House 2 – John Lovick

45LD House 1 – no action
45LD House 2 – Larry Springer

46LD House 1 – Jim McIntire
46LD House 2 – Phyllis Kenney

47LD House 1 – Geoff Simpson
47LD House 2 – Patrick Sullivan  

48LD House 1 – Ross Hunter
48LD House 2 – no action

49LD House 1 – Bill Fromhold
49LD House 2 – Jim Moeller
49LD Senate – Craig Pridemore

THURSDAY,  MAY 6
May 14 forum to discuss "Solutions to Covering the Uninsured"

Did you know that there are 41 million people in America without health insurance?  And that eight out of 10 of those folks are in working families?  In our state, more than 600,000 are uninsured, gambling that they won’t get sick or hurt.

All union members and others interested in health care issues are invited to “Crisis in Health Care: Solutions to Covering the Uninsured,” a CityClub luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 14 at the Columbia Tower Club, 701 Fifth Ave., 75th floor, in Seattle. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.

Sponsored in conjunction with Cover the Uninsured Week -- which includes seminars, health care enrollment fairs and outreach events May 10-16 in Seattle and Tacoma and in the Tri-Cities -- the May 14 forum in Seattle will feature the following panelists:

• Chris Barton, R.N., Secretary-Treasurer, Service Employees International Union, District 1199NW
• Laura Boyd, President, Health Care Purchasers Assn.; & Vice President, Human Resources, Fisher Communications
• Tony Lee, Advocacy Director, Fremont Public Association; Policy Director, Statewide Poverty Action Network
• Karen Merrikin, Director, Health Policy Development, Group Health Cooperative
• Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director, Public Health – Seattle & King County
• Moderator: Don Sloma, Policy Coordinator, Washington Health Foundation

Every day brings us news of a new group facing challenges with getting or maintaining health coverage.  Among the most recent is the proposed federal rule allowing companies to drop coverage for retirees who become eligible for Medicare.  Will it hold?  What about the 12,000 people in families where both spouses work for Washington state, who are now precluded from secondary coverage on each other?

Most labor issues center on health care benefits costs.  Both employers and the self employed are experiencing huge premium increases.  How did we get here and why should we all care?  Who has the answers to this very complex, frustrating and frightening problem -- business, labor, government or the insurance industry?  What are the major options being considered -- and what is happening locally?

All of Washington's working families, whether insured or uninsured, have a stake in this debate. Join in this important conversation!  The luncheon forum costs $30 for CityClub members, $35 for members of unions affiliated with the Washington State Labor Council or guests of other co-presenters (see below), and $40 for the general public. Advance credit card payments will be accepted before Tuesday, May 11 by calling CityClub at (206) 682-7395. No refunds after May 11. You can also pay at the door, but must reserve your seat by calling ahead with a credit card number.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is again sponsoring “Cover the Uninsured Week,” May 10-14, to promote awareness of this daunting problem across the nation.

The 2004 Health Care Series Sponsors are Davis Wright Tremaine, Group Health Cooperative, Virginia Mason Medical Center, KING 5 TV and The Seattle Times . Co-Presenters are Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, Health Policy Analysis Program-University of Washington, Pacific NW Research Institute, Washington Health Foundation, Washington Policy Center, Washington State Hospital Association, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO and YMCA .

THURSDAY,  MAY 6
Rep. Smith invites union members to May 10 health care forum

Rep. Adam Smith (D-9th) has asked the Washington State Labor Council to extend the following invitation to all rank-and-file union members and other workers concerned about health care issues to a Monday, May 10 lunchtime forum at the Carpenters Hall in Seattle:

Dear Friends,

I would like to invite you to attend a forum on Monday, May 10th, to discuss the "Accessibility of Healthcare for America's Workers" with myself and your peers in the labor community. 

The rising costs and dwindling accessibility of healthcare in this country is a mounting crisis, the effects of which are felt hard by the American worker.  In the last year, the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters went on strike against the Association of General Contractors; the Hotel Employees Restaurant Employees Local 8 walked the picket lines for weeks in front of the SeaTac DoubleTree, Hilton and RedLion; the members of Teamsters Local 66 are still locked out of local Darigold facilities and the United Food and Commercial Workers are right now engaged in extremely difficult negotiations.  In each unfortunate case, bearing the burden of increasingly expensive healthcare benefits has been one of the greatest points of contention. 

This country's healthcare crisis needs to be addressed now so the American worker does not have to fight tooth and nail for basic benefits in the future.  I would like to invite you to join me to discuss these issues in length. 

I will be hosting an "Accessibility of Healthcare for America's Workers" forum at the Carpenters Local 131 Hall at 209 Vine Street, Seattle 98121 from 11:30-12:30pm.  Please RSVP to (253)593-6600 or Chelsea.Mason@mail.house.gov.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope you will be able to join us.

Sincerely,

Adam Smith
Member of Congress

THURSDAY,  MAY 6
State's residents concerned about health care worker shortage

The following press release was released in conjunction with today's National Nurse and Health Care Worker Day by District 1199NW of the Service Employees International Union:

NEW POLL SHOWS WASHINGTON PUBLIC CONCERNED ABOUT SHORTAGE OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS

SEIU 1199NW Nurses and Health Care Workers Launch Campaign for Real Solutions to Protect and Improve Quality of Care

WASHINGTON -- A new poll shows that Washington residents are concerned that the shortage of health care workers is a problem.

In a survey of 400 Washingtonians, 61 percent said they are aware that local health care facilities are facing a shortage of health care workers. Of those who were aware of the shortage, 76 percent said they consider the shortage to be a problem for them personally. While previous polls have shown wide awareness of a shortage of registered nurses, this new survey indicates that Washington residents are aware of the shortages of other kinds of health care workers as well.

"When there are staffing holes, it puts a lot of stress on my unit. Especially if we're dealing with a lot of trauma cases, it can get incredibly stressful," said Richard Roybal, an anesthesia technician at Harborview Medical Center and a member of Service Employees International Union District 1199NW.

SEIU 1199NW health care workers released A Time to Care: Frontline Health Care Workers' Real Solutions for Washington's Health Workforce Crisis , a white paper that spells out workplace improvements that health care workers believe need to be made to recruit and retain more caregivers.

The white paper is available online at www.seiu1199nw.org

More than 12,000 SEIU registered nurses, hospital employees, and mental health workers from major Washington health care employers including Swedish Medical Center, Group Health Cooperative, Harborview Medical Center, and DSHS are negotiating new contracts during 2004.

This historic round of contract bargaining gives health care employers an important opportunity to work with frontline caregivers to make improvements that address some of the causes of the health workforce crisis.

Washington's health care employers can afford to make investments to improve recruitment and retention. Washington hospitals' profit per average patient visit has increased 239.3 percent over the past three years.

SEIU 1199NW is Washington's largest union of nurses, hospital employees and mental health workers, uniting more than 18,000 health care employees working in facilities across Washington.

For more information, contact Carter Wright, SEIU 1199NW Communications Director, at (425) 917-1199. For more information, visit the AFL-CIO website and learn about the AFL-CIO's Safe Staffing Campaign for Nurses.

WEDNESDAY,  MAY 5
Donate generously to Letter Carriers Food Drive this Saturday

Every day many hungry Washingtonians make impossible choices between the essentials of living -- paying utilities, rent or mortgage, or buying food. We can all help by supporting the 2004 National Association of Letter Carriers' Food Drive this Saturday, May 8.

The NALC National Food Drive has become the largest single volunteer event in America each year, and to date has collected more than half a billion pounds of food to help the hungry. Millions of Americans will leave non-perishable food items near their mailbox -- or in many cases, in bags provided by letter carriers on Friday -- for pick up on Saturday. Last year, the one-day drive raised 61.7 million pounds of food for local food banks and pantries.

"I urge all union members to help the letter carriers restock our state's community food banks," said Rick Bender, President off the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. "Please leave a generous donation of non-perishable food by your mailbox on Saturday, and help make this year's Food Drive the most successful yet."

The NALC National Food Drive, now in its 12th year, works in partnership with the AFL-CIO, United Way of America and its local organizations, the U.S. Postal Service and America's Second Harvest, and is conducted in more than 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

The summer months are particularly difficult for children facing hunger since most school lunch programs are suspended and young students must look elsewhere for nutrition.

For more information on the NALC Food Drive, visit www.nalc.org.

TUESDAY,  MAY 4
Bipartisan Senate vote blocks Bush's misguided overtime rules

The following statement by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney was released this afternoon:

Statement by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
On Senate Vote on Harkin Amendment to Prohibit Overtime Pay Cuts
May 4, 2004

Today’s bipartisan Senate vote for the Harkin amendment to stop the Bush Administration from cutting workers’ overtime pay while allowing updates to the overtime rule is a common sense decision that will mean real help for many working Americans.  There is simply no reason for the Bush Administration to slash a single worker’s overtime pay, especially in this economy, when middle-income families are already so hard pressed.   

The Bush Administration’s fierce determination to restrict the ability of workers who make between $23,660 and $100,000 a year to receive overtime pay -- such as registered nurses, financial service workers, team leaders and others -- is misguided. 

And rather than simplifying the law, the ambiguous language in the Department of Labor’s overtime pay regulation will create a flood of lawsuits and deprive millions of workers of hard-earned overtime pay.  

To add insult to injury, many of these overtime changes appear to have no justification other than to satisfy the desires of business groups.  The Administration’s final regulation is rife with special interest fixes for industries that have been unable to secure them from Congress. 

It is puzzling that the Administration is pressing forward in defiance of a strong bipartisan majority of Congress.  Last year, Congress twice directed the Administration not to take away workers’ overtime rights.

The Harkin amendment is necessary to strike troubling provisions of the final regulation that are intentionally cloaked in complex details to confuse workers.  We urge the House to support the Harkin amendment and reassure all working Americans that their rights to overtime pay will be protected.

MONDAY,  MAY 3
WSLC's political endorsement convention is this Saturday

The Washington State Labor Council’s 2004 Convention of the Committee on Political Education (COPE) will be Saturday, May 8 at the SeaTac Hilton Hotel, 17620 Pacific Hwy. South.  Hundreds of delegates representing WSLC-affiliated unions will attend and vote on endorsements for the 2004 elections.  They will consider candidates for Congress, statewide offices, State Legislature, State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and ballot measures.  A two-thirds majority of delegates present and voting is necessary for endorsement of a candidate or ballot measure.

“Our endorsement process demonstrates the commitment labor unions have to democracy,” said WSLC President Rick Bender.  “Labor has a fair, open and democratic process for deciding which candidates and causes to support, unlike the corporate interests who often oppose us.”

COPE Convention registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and the convention starts at 9 a.m. In the morning, candidates for statewide and congressional offices will address the delegates. After lunch, the hall will be closed to guests and reporters, and endorsement action will commence.  Delegates must have registered by noon Saturday to participate in endorsement action. 

All endorsements will be posted at this website shortly after adjournment.

On Friday night, the Statewide COPE committee will meet at the hotel at 7 p.m. (check-in at 6:30).  This panel debates and votes on endorsement recommendations. If it recommends a candidate, convention debate in that race will begin with a motion to endorse that candidate.  The Statewide COPE panel includes the WSLC executive officers and board, representatives from each regional central labor councils and from each international union that has more than 10,000 affiliated members, and the WSLC Political Director.  Any member of an affiliated union may attend and observe the Statewide COPE meeting, but it is not open to the candidates or the press.

If your union organization has not pre-registered for the COPE Convention, you may still register at the door. Credential forms signed by an officer of the union must be presented.  These forms, along with notification of how many delegates each union is entitled to, were mailed in March.  Call Karen White at (206) 281-8901 if you need credential forms or have questions about registration.