NEXT UPDATE -- Tuesday, June 1 by 9 a.m. (Pacific)

Links to press stories are functional at the date of posting.  In some cases, free registration is required at newspapers' sites.  Links sometimes "expire" when the source would like to begin charging for old news.  WSLC Reports Today  links to all stories of interest to organized labor; some positive, some negative. The intention is to inform.  The creation of a link does not constitute an endorsement of that story's content.

Reports for May 24-27, 2004

Previous weeks' news: May 17-21 -- May 10-13 -- May 3-8

THURSDAY, May 27 -- UW grad student employees ratify historic 1st contract
— In today's Seattle P-I -- WestFarm-Darigold, Teamsters settle dispute -- WestFarm Foods and workers resolved a bitter 9-month labor dispute last night as workers, exhausted by one of the longest lockouts in the history of Seattle labor relations, accepted a three-year contract. "I don't think that either one of us has won," said John Faver, who worked at WestFarm for the last 18 years.
— In today's News Tribune -- Darigold workers ratify contract
Also today --Tell Gov. Gary Locke: Don't "trade" away our state's purchasing rights!
— In today's Washington Post -- Trade and Mr. Kerry -- Editorial: Tomorrow, Bush's trade representative will sign the Central American Free Trade Agreement... Mr. Kerry and other opponents of the deal believe the United States should have negotiated more worker protections... (CAFTA) opposition is so strong in Congress, particularly among Democrats, that it is unlikely to gain approval before the election.
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Number of children without health insurance soars after state cuts
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Thousands lose health coverage -- Premiums, co-pays, confusion keep immigrants from state's Basic Health Plan.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Boeing still in tanker hunt (AP) -- All signs point to the company eventually winning a Pentagon contract, even with the failure of the first lease-purchase deal.
...plus -- Everett Community College faculty (AFT) may vote to censure President Earl 
— In Wednesday's Walla Walla U-B -- War on drugs shouldn't hurt local asparagus farmers (editorial)
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Local business owner laments court decision on prison industries 
National news:  Worker safety is a casualty of "special-interest takeover" (at AFLCIO.org)
— In today's L.A. Times -- California Assembly approves minimum wage increase to $7.75 -- State would likely surpass Washington in 2006 as having highest lowest wage. Schwarzenegger mum on veto.
...plus -- White-collar overtime pay suits triple since 1997
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Increases in health premiums slowing -- Premiums expected to rise 10% this year, below the 14 to 18% increases in the last few years but still more than double the inflation rate.
— In today's News Tribune -- Medicare drug plan raises anxiety among seniors (AP) -- In 1988, 66% of companies employing 200 or more offered health coverage to retirees. By 2003, the number was 38%.
— Today at MSNBC.org -- Voters unimpressed by U.S. job numbers
— From Mother Jones -- Public information, private profit -- Long publicly available, a database detailing federal contracts has been outsourced... to a federal contractor. Now it's no longer a public record.

WEDNESDAY, May 26 -- BLET: Fatigued Union Pacific crews put communities at risk
— In today's Washington Post -- Federal workers score a victory -- Federal workers proved they could do their work better and more cheaply than private contractors nearly 90% of the time in competitions last year, according to a new study. AFGE says it proves Bush's privatization efforts are a waste of money. But Bush spinners still project $1.1 billion in savings. (They also predicted 7 million more jobs than we now have and that Iraqis would welcome U.S. soldiers by throwing flowers at their feet.)
— In today's Seattle Times -- Rumsfeld orders delay in Boeing tanker deal -- Boeing says decision will not have any near-term impact on the 767 line in Everett, though it has just two dozen unfilled orders left.
— In today's News Tribune -- 7E7 lures "a lot of interest," says Boeing's Mulally 
— In today's Everett Herald -- City may hit workers with higher health costs -- Under the plan, deductibles rise from $100 to $1,300; out-of-pocket caps rise from $400 to $2,000 for single coverage and from $800 to $4,000 for families; and only 75% of generic drugs and 25% of name-brand meds covered.
...plus -- Everett CC president brushes aside pressure to resign -- EvCC instructors who are members of the AFT plan to meet today to discuss Charlie Earl's leadership, and could take a formal position.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Firefighter pension case goes before Supreme Court -- State seeks to deny pensions to women who paid bills, kept records and answered mail for combined 74 years.
...plus -- Most of Millwood's volunteer firefighters quit after chief put on leave
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Grumbling at Microsoft grows -- Workers say toll on morale will cancel savings from benefit changes. Of discord, WashTech's Courtney says: "I've never seen anything like it."
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- Angry crowd forces postponement of Jefferson Co. hearing on pit-to-pier 
— In today's Seattle Times -- Prosecutor Maleng adds voice to those urging public to be wary of petitions
...plus -- A day without Mexicans -- Navarrette column: The simple but pointed message behind the new film, "A Day Without a Mexican," is that illegal immigrants from Mexico could bring the world's most powerful nation to its knees without lifting a finger. Or rather by not lifting a finger.
Other national news: 
— In today's Washington Post -- Sick about health care -- From the largest corporations to the smallest mom-and-pop shops, business executives identify increases in health insurance costs as the biggest threat to their bottom lines and their future. Yet beyond their vocal complaints, businesses are strikingly absent from the burgeoning political debate and largely unwilling to take sides.
...plus -- Reconsider workplace rule changes for Homeland Security, Lieberman urges
— In today's L.A. Times -- SBC, union agree to 5-year pact -- Both sides declare victory. One expert sees union validation. Another says the phone firm "blinked."
...plus -- Chairs sit well with laborers -- Teenage daughters help Oakland garment workers spark an ergonomics revolution. Now L.A. County is studying the changes.
— In today's N.Y. Times -- An endangered state -- Editorial: Vermont's residents need to think carefully about whether supersize Wal-Mart stores are a real bargain over the long term.
— In The Onion -- Fed-up Cheney enters presidential race himself ...plus overseas outsourcing infographic

TUESDAY, May 25 -- SPEEA urges members to reject Boeing's 2nd offer in Wichita
— In today's Everett Herald -- Boeing faces strike vote in Wichita; SPEEA advises "no" on contract (AP)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing may win 200 7E7 orders; if so, company would best Airbus in 2004
— In the Carolina Journal -- On milking a state's "cash cow" -- Ernst & Young hosts seminars nationwide called “Turn Your State Government Relations Department from a Money Pit into a Cash Cow.” It is based on Boeing's success in extracting $3.2 billion in incentives from Washington state government. Click here to see the presentation. (Click on the Powerpoint or PDF versions of “cost_savannah.”)
Election news -- Ref. 55 volunteers needed at Folklife Festival this weekend
— In today's Seattle Times -- John Kerry to speak Wednesday in Seattle, critique Bush energy policy
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Initiative 892 is a bad bet -- Op-ed: Why are corporate gambling interests pouring so much money into I-892? Consider this. Most gambling initiatives collect up to 80% of slot profits for the government. With this slot-machine scheme only 35% would go to the state.
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Sen. Honeyford's PAC to be fined $5,000 -- PDC will consider negotiated settlement regarding Senate Republicans' PAC funded by tobacco companies, et corporate al.
— In today's King County Journal -- GOP attacks Dave Ross for continuing as talk show host
— In today's Washington Post -- FEC moves to regulate "soft money" groups opposed to Bush
Other local news -- Study finds UW increasingly divided between haves, have-nots
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Hanford injury reports doubted -- Federal audit finds nuclear-cleanup contractors underreported worker injuries and illnesses for three years, creating a false image of safety.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Health care is big business in Spokane -- New study says health care accounts for one in five Spokane jobs, and there's opportunity for even more.
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Wal-Mart collects government subsidies, study says
Other national news -- Workers win tentative contract at SBC Communications (at AFLCIO.org)
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- SBC, CWA reach deal; 100,000 members return to work after 4-day strike
— In today's L.A. Times -- California's new health insurance law faces ballot showdown -- Business-funded referendum would nix requirement that companies with 50+ employees to provide health insurance.
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Preservationists call entire State of Vermont endangered, blame Wal-Mart
...plus -- Delusions of triumph -- Krugman: In 2002, Republican strategists used the impending Iraq war to distract the public from the miserable economic news. Now they're complaining that Iraq is taking voters' focus off the economy. But is the economic news really that good? No. Three years of lousy performance, followed by two months of good but not great job growth, is not a record to be proud of.
— Today at BusinessWeek Online -- Not made in the USA? Who cares? -- Survey finds that it doesn't much matter to many U.S. shoppers -- especially younger ones -- where the stuff they buy comes from.

MONDAY, May 24 -- Labor 2004: Get ready to fight for America's working families
Other election news: 
— In Sunday's Seattle Times -- State's Bush campaign betting on grassroots -- Volunteers compete online  at Bush site's "Leader Board;" they get points for writing Letters to the Editor and calling talk radio. County GOP organizations compete for cash prizes and luxury seats at Safeco Field.
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- I-895 picks up more business support -- NFIB markets Health Care Lite™ as "mandate-free" health insurance. I-895 is the wrong way to respond to the health care crisis. It does nothing to address the causes of skyrocketing costs and instead promotes a deterioration in the quality of health benefits. if I-895 passes, more and more working families will end up on Health Care Lite™, and pretty soon, even that won’t be affordable. When the paid petitioners ask, don't sign I-895.
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Sen. Jim Honeyford's PAC faces steep PDC fines -- PAC pumped more than $220,000 since 1996 from Phillip Morris, Boise Cascade, RJ Reynolds, Services Group of America, etc. to Senate Republican candidates. But despite warnings, it failed to file 45 activity reports on time over the past four years. Some reports were filed almost two years late and a few were not filed at all.
— In the Seattle P-I -- KIRO to keep Dave Ross on the air ...and in the Seattle Times -- Sign off, Dave (editorial)
Other local news: 
— In today’s Bellingham Herald -- Boeing Machinists in St. Louis OK benefit cuts, sign contract (AP)
— In today's Everett Herald -- A fine line -- Everyone moves in the same direction -- and the factory floor is where it all happens -- as Boeing adds its 777 to the "nose-to-the-door" assembly line system.
— In Sunday's Yakima H-R --  When gas prices go up, farm worker income goes down; let's help (editorial)
— In Saturday's Bellingham Herald -- Hours cut for border inspectors (AFGE), 12 in county affected
— In Sunday's Columbian -- Federal government employees' bonuses run amok (editorial)
— In Sunday's Daily News -- Part-time college instructors win $7.4 million for unpaid health premiums
— In Sunday's Bremerton Sun -- Pit-to-pier project is part of the solution, not the problem (op-ed)
— In Sunday's Bremerton Sun -- Locke plays POG (Priorities of Government) for his legacy hopes (AP)
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- In Olympia, POG trudges ahead -- Editorial: June's POG progress report will be another sign that the quiet revolution in how Olympia decides to spend our money is not over.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Wal-Mart supersizes it -- Already a top performer in the state, the supermarket giant expects bigger things from its expanded Marysville store.
Other national news: 
Todat at AFLCIO.org -- Taxpayers foot the bill for Wal-Mart, new report says
— Today at BusinessWeek Online -- Working... and poor -- Cover story: Today more than 28 million people, about a quarter of the U.S. workforce between ages 18 and 64, earn less than $9.04 an hour, which translates into a full-time salary of $18,800 a year. These people live in a netherworld of maximum insecurity, where one missed bus, one stalled engine, one sick kid means the difference between keeping a job and getting fired, between subsistence and setting off the financial tremors of turned-off telephones and $1,000 emergency-room bills that can bury them in a mountain of subprime debt.
— In today's Oregonian -- Drug price surge may force U.S. to act -- After Abbott Laboratories quadruples the price of an AIDS medication, feds may step in and allow other companies to make the drug.
— Today from Reuters -- SBC, CWA negotiate as nationwide strike nears end

Previous weeks' news: May 17-21 -- May 10-13 -- May 3-8

THURSDAY,  MAY 27
UW graduate student employees ratify historic 1st contract

The following press release was distributed Wednesday by GSEAC/UAW Local 4121:

Members of the Graduate Student Employee Action Coalition/United Auto Workers (GSEAC/UAW Local 4121), the Union representing 4,600 Academic Student Employees (ASEs) at the University of Washington, have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a historic first tentative agreement reached between the Union and the University on May 21, 2004.  The vote was 422 in favor and 84 against, an 83 percent margin.

“This is a great day for us” said Amanda Rychel, a Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant in the Biology department. “We have been working for this for a long time, and are happy to have finally negotiated and ratified a contract that improves the terms of our employment here at UW and is enforceable through neutral, third-party arbitration.”

Key features of the contract include guaranteed wage increases for all ASEs, improvements to health insurance coverage, strong workload and non-discrimination/harassment protections, and provisions for protection of job rights and contract enforcement through neutral, third-party arbitration.

“This is a groundbreaking agreement for the academic labor movement,” said Elizabeth Bunn, Secretary / Treasurer and Director of the Technical, Office and Professional Department (TOP) of the UAW.  “ASEs at the University of Washington have set new standards for higher education. We are proud that they are joining the ranks of thousands of UAW members in the academic sector who have fought for and won great contracts.”

ASEs provide crucial service to UW’s research and teaching missions. Teaching Assistants, Readers, Graders and Tutors are responsible for 50% of undergraduate instructional hours.  Research Assistants perform research projects, which brought in over 700 million dollars in federal and private grants and contracts to UW last year.  Staff Assistants are responsible for undergraduate advising, coordinating learning opportunities off campus, and performing administrative work.

The Union was certified as the exclusive bargaining representative for ASEs in early April after ASEs voted in favor of the Union in a representation election administered by the Public Employment Relations Commission.

Certification of the Union capped a four year campaign by ASEs at UW to win the right to collective bargaining.  Negotiations that led to the tentative agreement began soon after the election and took less than two months.

“ASEs’ long struggle for dignity at the University of Washington has finally succeeded,” adds Jim Wells, UAW Region 5 Director.  “We look forward to a constructive relationship with UW in the future.”

The UAW now represents approximately 20,000 ASEs at universities across the country, including those at the University of California, New York University, and the University of Massachusetts as well as UW.

For more information, e-mail GSEAC/UAW, or call H. Gorkem Kuterdem at (206) 229-9282 or Amanda Rychel at (206) 713-9473.

WEDNESDAY,  MAY 26
Tell Locke: Don't "trade" away our state's purchasing rights!

Last fall, Governor Gary Locke signed a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative to make Washington state's procurement laws comply with all pending and future trade agreements. This means that laws that set priorities for how the state spends taxpayer money -- such as to prioritize contracts for
local businesses or to buy recycled products or to restrict offshore outsourcing of jobs -- could be challenged as "unfair barriers" to trade.

As the new restrictions and loss of sovereignty that states will face has become clear -- and with the impending signing of the new Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) -- five other states' governors have reversed course and rescinded their earlier commitment (see May 14 Wall Street Journal article).

Gov. Gary Locke needs to act TODAY to rescind his approval because CAFTA is scheduled to be signed Friday, May 28, and afterwards it will be much more difficult to reverse course.

ACTION ALERT:  Please take a moment to link to Public Citizen's website at the following address to send an automatic e-mail letter to Gov. Locke:
http://capwiz.com/pc/issues/alert/?alertid=5915031&type=TA

Also, call the Governor's office at (360) 902-4111 to express your concern.

WSLC President Rick Bender has already written Gov. Locke to urge him to rescind his support. Here is that letter:

The Honorable Gary Locke
Governor, State of Washington
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Dear Governor Locke:

I write to you on a matter of great urgency.  I am requesting that you write and e-mail the United States Trade Representative rescinding your commitment of last fall that Washington State will abide by any pending or future trade agreements with regards to our state’s procurement policies.  So far four governors, who like you gave the USTR their consent, have recently withdrawn that support.  It is imperative that you do this today.

In your letter to the USTR dated September 30, 2003 you say, “Offering state-level government coverage will ensure that our country receives similar access to the procurement markets of our trading powers.”  This may be so but the downside to tying our procurement policies to pending and future trade agreements have grave implications for our state’s welfare and the democratic process.

Since you signed and sent this letter we now know the procurement rules under the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) to which our state would be bound -- CAFTA are scheduled to be signed on May 28. These rules undermine our ability as a state to promote family wage jobs for Washington state workers and for creating a healthy environment.  Existing laws that conflict with these rules can be challenged as “illegal barriers to trade”, and much new proposed legislation would be prohibited.  For example: 

• Anti-offshoring policies, as 31 states are presently proposing, are forbidden under CAFTA’s procurement rules.
  

• CAFTA limits requirements that can be imposed on contractors forbidding existing laws and policies such as prevailing wage and living wage standards, project labor agreements, and apprenticeship set-asides.
  

• CAFTA limits qualifications that can be placed on bidders including banning the disqualification of bidders for bad labor, human rights, and environmental practices.
  

• CAFTA rules remove any costing requirements that would require private bidders to show substantial savings over public providers in order to receive a public contract.
  

• CAFTA rules disallow policies that prohibit purchases of goods made in sweatshops or goods made with slave labor.
  

• CAFTA rules forbid specifications on how a good is made or how a service is provided thereby disallowing “green” procurement policies such as those requiring recycled content, fuel efficiency, energy efficiency or renewable energy.

These are issues of monumental concern to the labor movement and to the citizen’s of Washington State.  They raise issues of sovereignty and democratic process.  Further it makes no sense to bind Washington State’s procurement policies to future trade agreements that we have not seen and will not be able to deliberate over.

International trade is important to the state of Washington but so too is our ability to create procurement policies which allow us to ensure that our tax dollars are spent in a responsible manner that reflects our common values rather than those of a tribunal of trade lawyers or those of the USTR.

There is still time. But this requires you to notify the USTR that you are withdrawing Washington’s commitment to be bound by the procurement rules in CAFTA and in future pending trade agreements.  We ask you to do this and to request of the USTR that future requests to the states be done in a very public and deliberative manner.

Sincerely,

Rick S. Bender
President

WEDNESDAY,  MAY 26
BLET: Fatigued Union Pacific crews put communities at risk
Union plans rally June 2 in South Seattle to highlight unsafe working conditions

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET) – Rail Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is planning a rally and informational picket on Wednesday, June 2 to warn Pacific Northwest residents and elected representatives of the potential dangers associated with fatigued train crews transporting explosive and deadly chemicals through their communities. All union members and their supporters are invited and encouraged to attend.

The rally, organized by BLET Division 892 to highlight unsafe working conditions on the Union Pacific Railroad, begins at 8 a.m. at the Georgetown Playfield, 750 S. Homer St. in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood. From there, participants will march to the entrance of Union Pacific’s nearby Argo Yard at 402 S. Dawson St., where an informational picket will be staged from 9 a.m. to noon.

The BLET says Union Pacific Railroad is experiencing a major service crisis due to senior management’s apparent bottom-line driven decision not to hire sufficient train service employees to meet their own Wall Street forecasts for business growth. Because railroads are major transporters of nuclear waste, hazardous materials and deadly chemicals, the BLET feels it is critical that communities become better informed of this serious public safety issue.

For more than a century U.S. railroads, guided by their “Eminent Domain” doctrine, have disregarded local government’s rail-safety concerns while hiding behind federal law, which most often preempts local government jurisdictions.  With minimal regulatory oversight this nation's railroads daily transport deadly cargos throughout the United States and put Americans and their interests at risk.  Now because of serious shortages in manpower, an already dangerous industry is on the brink of disaster.

Please make plans to show your support for safe communities and the Union Pacific train crews by attending the rally next Wednesday morning, June 2. For more information, contact Tom Frederick, Chairman of BLET Division 892, at (253) 630-3705.

TUESDAY,  MAY 25
Ref. 55 volunteers needed at Folklife Festival this weekend

Referendum 55, the campaign to allow voters to repeal controversial legislation diverting millions of public school dollars to unaccountable charter schools, needs volunteers this weekend. Signature gatherers are needed to work shifts at this weekend's Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center and in other locations around the state. To volunteer, contact the campaign office at (206) 696-2602.

The campaign has only until Wednesday, June 9 to submit the necessary signatures so this weekend's petitioning is critically important to getting Ref. 55 on the ballot. Delegates from the affiliated unions of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, voted overwhelmingly to support signature-gathering efforts for Referendum 55.

Despite the fact that voters have repeatedly rejected them, a charter schools bill was passed in the last minutes of the 2004 legislative session. Ref. 55 will allow the same bill to come to a vote of the people, where we can vote "No" on charter schools -- again. Petitions are available at many union halls and offices across the state. Petitions may also be ordered online at www.ProtectOurPublicSchools.org or by calling (206) 696-2602. 

Here's why charter schools are the wrong direction for Washington's public schools:

Charter Schools would cost too much and be too distracting.  Instead of spending money on expensive experiments like charter schools, we should be investing in proven solutions we know will improve the quality of all public schools: reducing class sizes and ensuring there is a well-qualified teacher in every classroom.

The State Legislature has a constitutional obligation to provide ample funding for public schools. This charter school law weakens our existing schools by draining away more than $100 million in the coming years.

Charter schools take money from existing schools. Before state government starts pouring millions of public tax dollars into charter schools, it needs to fulfill its commitment to existing public schools and fully fund voter-approved initiatives to reduce class sizes and provide annual cost-of-living increases for teachers.

Charter schools were rejected by Washington's voters already, twice!

Learn more at www.ProtectOurPublicSchools.org.

TUESDAY,  MAY 25
SPEEA urges members to reject Boeing's 2nd offer in Wichita

The following news release was distributed Monday afternoon by the Society of Professional
Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001:

WICHITA, KS -- More than 1,200 technical and professional workers from The Boeing Company's plant here packed the Century II arena today to hear their union's negotiations team recommend members reject a second contract offer from the company.

After hearing about the offer, members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, AFL-CIO's started voting. The ballots include a measure to grant the SPEEA-WTPU Negotiations Team strike authorization power. Each issue will pass with a
simple majority.

SPEEA and Boeing started negotiations Feb. 24 for a new three-year contract for 3,400 workers in the Wichita Technical and Professional Unit (WTPU). Boeing negotiators told the union Thursday (May20) that today's offer would include improvements. Instead of improvements, Boeing negotiators offered less, including removing language that would make the offer retroactive to Feb. 19 when the previous contract expired.

"I've never seen the company reverse its position at the end of negotiations, but that is exactly what they did today," said Charles Bofferding, executive director of SPEEA. "It's unethical and shows no respect for workers."

The union's five-member negotiation team unanimously recommended members reject the offer. The team also recommended members vote to grant their team strike authorization power. The authorization does not call for a strike now, but gives union negotiators the ability to call represented members out on strike if necessary as negotiations continue. The union's WTPU council voted unanimously to support the recommendations.

"The best way to avoid a fight is to show we are strong enough to win," said Bob Brewer, SPEEA's Midwest director.

Members began casting ballots on the contract offer today during an all-member meeting of the bargaining unit at Wichita's Century II arena. Voting continues this week with the count set for Friday.

"We made every attempt to try and work with Boeing and they gave every indication last week that we would see improvement when the offer was made today," said Bob Brewer, SPEEA Midwest director. "The company insulted employees with that first offer and now cannot admit they made a mistake."

The hard-line stance against Wichita employees comes as Boeing's financial picture continues to improve. In the past week the company has announced more than $3 billion in orders.

"We entered negotiations committed to forming a real partnership with Boeing and they said 'we are not interested,'" said Bofferding. "Boeing's Wichita management remains committed to attacking SPEEA institutionally by attacking its own employees in Wichita."

The company's latest offer still contains the significant benefit take-a-ways and only modest wage and salary increases, according to union leaders. Under the offer, employees would see monthly medical premiums jump by 500 percent -- from $30 to $150. Salary increases come from wage pools of 3.5 percent in year one and 3 percent in years two and three of the contract. From the pools, individual employees are only guaranteed $750 in year one, $500 in year two and nothing in year three. While all of the pools must be given out, managers determine employees for the increases.

Last week, Boeing presented an offer to St. Louis employees with higher wage increases. Boeing's management statement regarding the St. Louis offer, which places the workers in the top 25 percent of the local market, stated the offer is one way Boeing can show employees how much they appreciate them.

Organized in 2000, the WTPU includes 3,400 professional and technical workers at the Wichita Boeing plant. Employees recertified the bargaining unit in a close election in February. Boeing campaigned strongly against the union with a dedicated website, mandatory meetings for employees and curtailing union officials' access to the workplace.

SPEEA represents 20,000 engineers, technical and other professional at The Boeing Company.

For more information, visit www.speea.org.

TUESDAY,  MAY 25
Study finds UW increasingly divided between haves, have-nots

The following news release was distributed May 21 by Service Employees International Union Local 925:

The University of Washington is wealthy and growing, but rising revenue is not distributed equally within the University, according to a new study of the institution's budget released by SEIU Local 925.

"While the UW continues as one of the top-rated public universities in the nation, it faces major challenges. Student enrollment is being limited for the first time, tuition is rising, class size is increasing, faculty positions are left vacant, and staff are in the midst of a three-year wage freeze," according to the study.

Service Employees Local 925, representing classified staff at the university, undertook the study as state law gives unionized UW employees the right to bargain over wages and health care costs for the first time. Over 90% of the University's 12,000 classified staff are union members. Contract bargaining for most groups started in March 2004 and must be completed by October, 2004.

"As a long term UW employee, I have nowhere to go in my career," said Cheryl Yates, a program coordinator at the School of Social Work and a 20-year UW employee. "I like my job and love the people I work with, but there is no next step above my current classification. I have been at the top of my pay range for many years, and rising health care costs amount to a pay cut every year."

The report will be presented to Regents meeting on May 21, and to incoming UW President Mark Emmert on Monday, May 24. The full text of the report may be downloaded from the SEIU Local 925 web site.

Key findings include:

• Growing revenues -- In 2003, the University's reserve funds (expendable assets) were $1.5 billion. Net assets grew approximately $236 million between 2002 and 2003 alone.
• Classified staff salaries have been frozen for three years, while health care costs have risen -- in some cases steeply. The result -- the majority of staff cannot afford to raise a single child family in Seattle unless they forgo car ownership.
• An opaque budget process arbitrarily restricts how funds are distributed among programs and departments. The study finds that the unequal distribution is primarily self-imposed, and not the result of external laws or regulations.

The 11,000 SEIU Local 925 members work in university, public school and preschool education, state and local government, and non-profit organizations throughout Washington.  They include university program coordinators, research technologists, child care teachers, paraeducators, custodians, social workers, attorneys and other public service workers.

SEIU Local 925 is proud to be a part of the largest and fastest growing union in the United States, the Service Employees International Union, with over 1.6 million members nationwide.

For more information, contact SEIU 925 Communications Organizer Gretchen Donart at (206) 322-3010 x14.

MONDAY,  MAY 24
Labor 2004: Get ready to fight for America's working families

The 2004 elections are only 161 days away and counting, and we are gearing up for one of the toughest and most important fights of our lifetimes. With so much at stake -- overtime pay, good jobs, health care -- America's priorities -- President Bush's agenda must be stopped. Together, we can beat Bush's corporate special interest power with our people power.

As the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, gears up for this fight, here is what is going on and how you can help.

In June, we are rolling-out a massive door-to-door Labor Neighbor campaign with more people getting involved than ever before.  As union volunteers go door to door, they'll be educating union voters about America's priorities, President Bush's failed record, John Kerry's plans to create good jobs and make health care affordable for all, and the future of our country. These Labor Neighbor walks will be happening in communities across the state.

Learn more about the Labor Neighbor program by reading WSLC President Rick Bender's column from our 2004 Legislative Report.

Here is what is going to happen this week:

1. Later this week, we'll send everyone on the WSLC e-List an e-mail inviting them to sign up online to volunteer for important work in your community during June. When you get it, sign up right away.

2. After you sign up, you can help us build the movement that will stop Bush's agenda: Forward the e-mail to your friends, family and co-workers. Ask them to volunteer with you. (Start now on collecting the list of people you want to invite.) Walking our neighborhoods with friends and families to talk about the election is a fun way to spend a few hours on the weekend, and sets an excellent example for our children about the importance of participating in our democracy.

3. The e-mail you receive will also include a printable sign-up form to use to recruit more volunteers. The WSLC is challenging all labor organizations in Washington state to turn out 3% of their members to volunteer for Labor Neighbor 2004, the state's grassroots political action program for this year's all-important elections.

4. Finally, and most importantly, please show up for one or more of the volunteer events in your community, scheduled for every weekend in June. Mark you calendar now for the weekend day(s) you will participate.

After you sign up by e-mail, a volunteer coordinator in your community will call you with more details.

Right now we're just asking you to get ready for the coming fight for America's working families. Please review the checklist above and look for the coming e-mail.

Bush has been spending millions to mislead the public about his own harmful record. It's going to take the effort of ALL of us to set the record straight. YOU can help make a difference by joining our efforts, volunteer with Labor 2004 -- the union movement's political mobilization to fight for America's working families.