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FRIDAY, May 13 -- Alaska Airlines fires 472 baggage handlers (IAM), contracts out jobs
— In today's Everett Herald -- More than the mail will be on their backs -- Editorial: Letter carriers will be collecting food donations left at mailboxes on Saturday. Learn more. 
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Teamsters say goodbye to Seattle hall steeped in labor history
— In today's Everett Herald -- Tulalips agree to pier -- The accord allows the Port of Everett to go ahead with construction of a state-funded pier for incoming Boeing airplane parts.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Gregoire tells WEA that bill is ready to sign -- At union's convention, governor says she'll sign a $1.7 million study of how the state pays for public education, including preschool, K-12 and higher education, something the WEA and others have sought for years.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Seismic power shift -- Editorial: Gov. Christine Gregoire on Monday signed SB 5513, legislation that represents a tectonic shift in the politics of transportation in this state.
— In today's Seattle Times -- A timely veto -- Editorial: Gov. Christine Gregoire should veto the Legislature's last-minute raid on the state's tobacco-prevention fund.
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Congressional panel agrees to restore Hanford budget -- Thursday's effort to get the amount DOE proposed increased by $122 million was led by Rep. Rick Larsen (D-2nd).
— In today's Salem S-J -- State of Oregon strikes deal with 2nd largest union (AFSCME) -- 3,000 workers get 2% pay increases and will continue fully paid health insurance premiums in the next two years.

National news: — In today's Chicago Tribune -- Union discord heads to Chicago -- With the AFL-CIO convention in Chicago just over two months away, the nation's major unions are caught up in an unprecedented spiral of anger and unbrotherly love. If the rhetoric continues to escalate, one of President John Sweeney's close advisers predicts, "It will be very ugly. It will get nastier."
— In today's Washington Post -- Bush brings in backup to help sell CAFTA -- Central American leaders imported to cast the pact as key to Bush's mission of spreading democracy throughout the world.
...plus -- Fraying free-trade coalition -- Dionne column: Trade agreements can't pass without significant help from Democratic moderates. The defection of several "free-trading" Democrats (including our own Rep. Adam Smith) is a signal of a large shift in the nation's debate over trade, and a symptom of how Washington's new partisanship is breaking up old alliances that once seemed so durable.
...plus -- Who pays for pensions? -- Editorial: Congress's hesitation to embrace Bush's pension proposal is especially depressing because the airline industry is making an eloquent case for reform.
— In today's NY Times -- Always low wages. Always. -- Krugman column: The downgrading of Ford and GM bonds to junk status was a reminder of how far we have come from the days when hard-working Americans could count on a reasonable degree of economic security.
...plus -- House Social Security hearings opens with sharp partisan debate
— In today's Washington Post -- GOP battles public displays of division on Social Security
— In today's LA Times -- Bipartisan bill would revamp immigrant worker rules
...plus -- With deaths of 5 young girls, China's use of child labor emerges from the shadows
...plus -- Thousands of laborers, leaders mourn "the real Miguel Contreras" -- Maria Elena Durazo, Contreras' widow who also is a labor organizer and president of Unite Here Local 11, exhorted those present to fully realize Contreras' legacy, "With the example of Miguel's life and work as our guide -- with the sacrifice and suffering of ordinary workers who organize, march and walk a precinct every day -- let us continue the fight to grow this movement, seeking divine assistance and inspiration yet recognizing that ultimate success or failure rests in our own hands." Then, to the cheers of workers, Durazo said, "Sisters and brothers, there are certain things in life that are worth fighting for. For jobs that provide working people with a decent life, fight! For dignity and respect, fight!"

THURSDAY, May 12 -- Panel discussion on NLRB's hot topics May 20 in Seattle
— Today from AP -- Right-wing talk radio hosts will seek initiative to overturn gas-tax increase
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Critics of gas tax should halt deceit -- Editorial: A visit to the Web site of the right-wing radio talk show hosts who want to repeal the 2005 transportation package reveals arguments thick with hyperbole and hysteria and thin on factual information.
— In the Columbia Basin Herald -- Sen. Mulliken defends gas-tax vote -- "This was a good economic move and a good public safety decision," says the Republican from Grant County.
— In today's King Co. Journal -- Democrats "balanced" budget by skipping pension payments -- Editorial: Fiscally unsound move could lead to a suit against the state for violating its contract with employees.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Firms can no longer take "dead peasant" insurance on workers in Washington
— In today's Seattle P-I -- House Republicans may shake up leadership
— In today's Washington Post -- Making the most of a shaky victory -- Broder column: As a loyal Democrat, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire would never name President Bush as her role model. But in an odd way, she is demonstrating the same leadership traits that Bush has put on display.

Other local news: — In today's King Co. Journal -- Boeing to add 737 production line at Renton plant
— In today's Yakima H-R -- More farm workers will find housing -- The state has increased its commitment to build permanent and seasonal housing for agricultural employees over the next two years.
— In today's USA Today -- Alaska Airlines dispute could cost baggage handlers (IAM) their jobs
— In today's Seattle Times -- Choice passenger-only ferry routes shouldn't be privatized (Rep. Murray op-ed)
— In today's Oregonian -- Portland board to sue state over prevailing wages -- The Portland Development Commission says the state's prevailing wage law does not apply to private projects it funds.

United / pension news: — In today's NY Times -- Unions threaten to strike after United pension default
...plus -- United's pension debacle -- Editorial: The plight of United Airlines employees should compel Congress to take the necessary steps to protect Americans' pensions.
— In today's SF Chronicle -- United still wants more concessions from unions
— Today from AP -- In United's wake, more airlines look at dumping pensions
— In today's News Tribune -- United pension default presages a wide crisis -- Editorial: Anyone receiving a private pension or expecting one should feel chilled by United's success in dumping its obligations.
— Today from AP -- The demise of retirement security -- First in steel, now in airlines, tens of thousands of workers and retirees counting on promised pension checks have watched troubled companies turn over the responsibility for underfunded benefit plans to the U.S. government.
— Today from AP -- Traditional pension plans may be in "death spiral"
— At Forbes.com -- The end of pensions -- Commentary: In the future, will any company offer a pension? The answer is probably not, and the future is getting closer all the time.

Other national news: — In today's LA Times -- CAFTA on slippery slope -- Bush will pursue his top trade initiative today as he welcomes six Latin American leaders to the White House, but CAFTA faces serious trouble in Congress and could be defeated by his fellow Republicans.
— In today's NY Times -- The estate tax: Efficient, fair, misunderstood -- By a 3-to-1 margin, Americans say they support repealing the estate tax. When told the resulting revenue shortfall would entail raising other taxes, cutting services or increasing borrowing, they oppose repeal by almost 4-to-1.
...plus -- The young and the jobless -- Herbert column: Wealth and power in the United States has become so dangerously concentrated that an entire generation of essentially powerless workers are largely at the mercy of their employers -- if they can find one who'll hire them.
— Today from Gannett News Service -- Workers told not to smoke... ever -- Some employers are now firing or banning the hiring of workers who light up -- even on their own time.
— In today's SF Chronicle -- Fat people making less money -- Employers may be compensating for the expected higher health costs of obese workers by giving them slimmer paychecks, says new study.
— Today at BusinessWeek.com -- Culture wars hit Corporate America -- As Microsoft has learned (the hard way), business must weigh in on hot social issues -- and suffer interest groups' slings and arrows.

WEDNESDAY, May 11 -- Todd Whitrock, former WSLC Vice President, dies at 50
— In today's Seattle Times -- Democrats do the math, say Rossi still loses on illegal felon voter issue
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Locke weighs in, tells Rossi to give up on lawsuit -- GOP boss (and backup to the backup U.S. Senate candidate) Chris Vance responds: "Yeah? Well... Democrats raise taxes."
— In yesterday's Columbian -- State budget unfair to nonunion workers (column by AWB President Don Brunell)
— In today's News Tribune -- Road revenues are the wrong target for anti-tax crowd (editorial)
— In today's Everett Herald -- Transportation taxes must be clear, logical (editorial)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Tax-mad liberals gouge residents with wild spending schemes (Horsey cartoon)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Legislature no friend of business -- In op-ed, Kirkland attorney rails against UI changes, apprenticeship utilization, gas tax, emission standards, estate tax and... what else ya got? 
— In today's King County Journal -- No Issaquah hospital -- The state Department of Health rules that Issaquah is served by enough hospitals, and has turned down two applications to build a new one.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Port of Everett has plenty of work, not enough cranes -- The port has two surplus container cranes from Seattle waiting to be installed. Earlier, it planned to refurbish the South Terminal for the cranes. Now it's interested in putting one of the cranes at the Pacific Terminal.

Boeing news: — In today's Seattle P-I -- The boom is coming back at Boeing -- The company plans to open a second production line in Renton that will push output there to a record 31 planes a month. It is also requiring some 777 workers in Everett to work overtime and will replace a key executive there amid a series of production problems before it boosts output of that twin-aisle jetliner as well.
— In today's Seattle Times -- China's appetite for 737 shows no sign of slowing
— In today's Everett Herald -- Politics cuts both ways for Boeing, Airbus (Corliss column)

Wild, Wild West news: — In today's Spokesman-Review -- FBI to look into West allegations
...plus -- Former mayors urge West to resign ...plus -- Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch faces new challenge

At AFLCIO.org -- Workers tell Congress: "Yes" to good jobs, "no" to CAFTA
— In today's Washington Post -- CAFTA could fall to big sugar -- Pearlstein column: The problem for Bush is that CAFTA doesn't offer enough benefits to exporting industries to get them juiced up about this fight. Even supporters of CAFTA estimate that it will boost exports by $3 billion a year, a rounding error in an economy running a $600 billion annual trade deficit. It will be too easy just to vote no.

Other national news: — In yesterday's NY Sun -- Dissidents warn of death of labor movement -- At the Teamsters conference in Las Vegas, five union presidents urgently called for sweeping reforms to the AFL-CIO and dismissed President John Sweeney's restructuring plan as woefully inadequate.
— In yesterday's Las Vegas Sun -- Union chiefs call for a shift in AFL-CIO leaders
— In today's NY Times -- United Airlines wins right to default on pensions -- Decision sets off the largest pension default in the three decades that the government has guaranteed pensions.
— In today's LA Daily News -- "Paycheck protection" ballot measure targets California union dues (again)
— In today's Washington Post -- Poll cites GOP gains since 9/11 -- The terrorist attacks helped redraw the political landscape in America, giving Bush and the Republicans an advantage over the Democrats.
...plus -- The man who changed L.A. -- Meyerson column: On Tuesday Los Angeles will elect a mayor, and the polls show Antonio Villaraigosa -- a liberal with a background in labor -- in the lead. The tragedy is that Miguel Contreras, the man who changed L.A. into a city that could elect someone like Villaraigosa, will not be there to see it, or to help steer the city through incarnations yet to come.

TUESDAY, May 10 -- Bender: Like its big brother, CAFTA is bad for workers
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Bush's CAFTA faces trouble in Congress -- With record trade deficits, concerns about lost jobs and an overarching fear that the U.S. is losing out in the accelerated pace of global changes, the sentiment in Congress is shifting away from approving new free-trade agreements.
— Today from Knight Ridder -- U.S. textile groups split on CAFTA trade pact
— In today's Seattle Times -- On balance, state must support trade -- Times editorial sticks to the Free-Trader Playbook, equating principled CAFTA opposition to lack of support for trade, in general.

Local news -- Nominations sought for Elsie Schraeder, Bruce Brennan awards
— In today's Everett Herald -- Letter carriers' food drive deserves support -- Rep. Rick Larsen letter: I will volunteer Saturday at the Everett Post Office by helping offload the trucks full of the food generously donated by Snohomish County residents. I invite you to join me to see the results. Learn more.
— In today's News Tribune -- Mail carriers make it easier to donate to area food banks on Saturday
— In today's Olympian -- Changes in store, says state union leader (Q&A with WFSE's Greg Devereux)
...plus -- Future of Ecology union on ballot -- The 1,200 classified employees there make up the biggest bargaining unit still undecided in the debate among state workers over remaining in a union.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Ash Grove Cement workers seek to unionize with ILWU 19 (brief, scroll down)
— From AP -- Unions struggle to organize academics -- Today's union drives require organizers to change the way the public views white-collar workers and how the employees view themselves.
— In today's King County Journal -- Boeing continues hiring spree; adds another 456 jobs last month
— Today from AP -- Gov. Gregoire signs transportation funding package  
— In today's Everett Herald -- King County sues Snohomish County over delays in Brightwater project
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Rep. Hastings says he'll fight for more funding for Hanford cleanup
...plus -- Kennewick schools overspent $3.4 million; now layoffs loom

Wild, Wild West news: — In today's Spokesman-Review -- Mayor Jim West to take leave
...plus -- West's votes on gay-rights issues at a glance -- Among other things, he co-sponsored a bill to bar gay men and lesbians from working in schools, day-care centers and some state agencies.

National news: — In today's LA Times -- L.A. labor leader leaves big gap to fill -- Miguel Contreras, who died Friday night at 52, had a knack for turning around tough situations with big ideas. Labor scholars and colleagues said that was how he built a thriving coalition of unions and community groups in L.A., while labor in much of the rest of the country continued to see its size and influence decline.
— In today's Washington Post -- Battle in high gear over truckers' hours behind the wheel
...plus -- Women returning to Democratic Party, poll finds -- Women voted for Bush last year in large numbers, but have begun migrating back to their traditional home among Democrats as the agenda shifts from homeland security and terrorism to domestic concerns such as jobs and the economy.
...plus -- Virtual secretary puts new face on Pakistan -- Receptionist Saadia Musa greets employees and visitors via a flat screen on the lobby's wall. Although they are 9 hours behind and nearly 7,500 miles away, her U.S.-based bosses rely on her to keep order during the traffic of calls and meetings.

MONDAY, May 9 -- Give -- and volunteer -- for the NALC Food Drive this Saturday
Local news: — In today's News Tribune -- Alaska Airlines baggage handlers reject offer -- IAM: 87% reject a contract that drastically cut pay to protect some 1,000 jobs; 85% vote to authorize a strike.
— In today's Olympian -- Some agencies rethink representation -- Decertification ballots are on the way at Ecology, Military, and Liquor Control; insufficient support for decertification at DSHS, L&I, Employment Security, and Agriculture; and conferences set for some other state departments.
...plus -- Mixed interests fight unions; critics say goal of conservative groups is to cut state jobs -- WFSE says the EFF, BIAW and the National Right to Work foundation are fundamentally opposed to workers rights and only support anti-contract efforts as a way to weaken workers unions.
...plus -- Big business looms on donor list of Evergreen Freedom Foundation
— In Saturday's Yakima H-R -- Growers stand to gain from CAFTA
— In Saturday's Seattle P-I -- Microsoft now backs gay rights bill ...and today -- Back from neutrality (editorial)
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- Priorities of Government plan must be re-embraced in 2006 (editorial)
— In today's Seattle Times -- Bring elections back to the people -- Editorial: Party bosses can't stop trying to wrest control of the state's primary election from the people.
— In today's Everett Herald -- The future is now for pension problems -- McCusker column: Private and public sector pension funds are in trouble, and they got there in much the same ways -- a human weakness for making dubious promises and leaving problems for others to clean up later.
— In Sunday's Spokesman-Review -- Light rail could pump up area -- A line between downtown Spokane and Liberty Lake could bring more than 16,000 jobs and increase property values, says analysis.

Wild Wild West news: — In today's Spokesman-Review -- Mayor denies sex act in City Hall
...plus on Sunday -- City council divided on whether to seek West's resignation
— In Sunday's Seattle Times -- West must resign as Spokane mayor (editorial)

National news: — In Sunday's NY Times -- AFL-CIO lays off 105, but discord grows louder -- The presidents of five unions (SEIU, Teamsters, LIUNA, UFCW and UNITE HERE) plan to gather in Las Vegas today to discuss whether to back a challenger to AFL-CIO  President John J. Sweeney.
— In Saturday's LA Times -- Miguel Contreras, leader who restored labor's clout in L.A., dies at 52
...plus on Sunday -- Labor, political leaders praise Contreras -- "Not only is there no one in Los Angeles who can take his place, there is no labor leader anywhere in the nation" to replace him, says one.
— In today's NY Times -- The final insult -- Krugman column: To avert the danger of future cuts in benefits, Bush wants us to commit now to, um, future cuts in benefits. This accomplishes nothing, except, possibly, to ensure that benefit cuts take place even if they aren't necessary.
...plus -- On Social Security, a search for rivals -- The White House and its allies are increasingly prodding, imploring, mocking, daring and threatening Democrats in the hopes of forcing them to put on the table their ideas for dealing with the system's projected long-term problems.
— Today at BusinessWeek online -- Bush's blunder on Social Security -- Commentary: Americans have taken a long, hard look at the idea of private accounts, and most don't like it. Bush needs to rethink.
...plus the cover story -- "I want my safety net" -- Why so many Americans aren't buying into Bush's Ownership Society.