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Reports for July 12-16, 2004

Previous weeks' news: July 6-9 -- June 28-30 -- June 21-25

— At the Seattle P-I website -- Boeing plans to add thousands of workers -- The company says it plans to recall about 1,000 machinists, some engineers and technical workers.

FRIDAY, July 16 -- On Saturday, tell the nation's governors to Put People First
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Governors could use hand in promoting common good -- An excellent op-ed by former Govs. Albert D. Rosellini, Booth Gardner and Mike Lowry.
Grocery talks update: Negotiators agreed Thursday night to meet next week to continue work on a Puget Sound-area contract. The UFCW and Safeway, QFC, Albertsons and Fred Meyer agreed to extend their contract until Friday, July 23. Take action to support the workers.
Also today -- Seattle local's resolution on protecting free media now AFTRA policy
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Bush's NLRB overturns TAs right to organize (AP) -- Decision affects only private universities. UW's TAs, who recently ratified their historic 1st contract, are protected by state law.
...plus -- Premera for-profit bid denied -- "Investor-driven profit margins and goals would put subscribers and the insurance-buying public at an unacceptable risk for excessive rate increases," said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, nixing the state's largest health insurer's two-year bid to reorganize.
— In yesterday's Columbian -- Wal-Mart plans third Clark County store
— In today's Yakima H-R -- Farm worker housing to be built in Grandview
Boeing news: — In today's Everett Herald -- Some 737 workers could get rehired; Boeing won't confirm
...check out the original report in yesterday's Wichita Eagle -- Boeing to rehire 200 local workers
— In today's Seattle Times -- Sen. Murray, U.S. officials riled by EU's Airbus loans
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Airbus awaits tanker news, hints they'd build it in U.S. if they get contract
— In today's King County Journal -- Majority in Renton willing to pay more in property taxes -- 11% want their taxes lowered, but 55% favor a tax increase of at least 1% to maintain current level of services.
Election news: — In today's Tri-City Herald -- Cheney coming to Tri-Cities July 26 for Rossi fundraiser
— In today's News Tribune -- Cash flows to Senate race; Nethercutt outpaces Murray
Other national news: — In today's N.Y. Times -- Medical class warfare -- Krugman column: Bush is offering a health plan to cover less than 5% of the uninsured and give the affluent a new tax break.
— In today's S.F. Chronicle -- Macy's to stay open during one-day UFCW strike by 1,500 on Saturday
— In today's L.A. Times -- Winning one vote at a time -- Volunteers who work phones and knock on doors give presidential politics the personal touch. It's repetitive but rewarding duty. Find out for yourself!

THURSDAY, July 15 -- Group Health nurses, caregivers vote to authorize strike
Also today -- New report: States increasingly contracting public services offshore
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Most states send work offshore; governments don't know how much, study finds
...plus -- Alcoa ready to restart Wenatchee smelter; talks with union could put 400 back to work
— In today's Yakima H-R -- Hiring lawsuit gains class-action status -- A federal judge has dramatically increased the number of plaintiffs -- from three to upwards of 20,000 -- in a groundbreaking lawsuit accusing Selah-based Zirkle Fruit Co. of conspiring to keep wages low by hiring illegal immigrants.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Brightwater sewage plant faces on final obstacle
...plus -- Boeing stretches its 777 ... plus -- More airlines make 7E7 cash deposits
— In today's Seattle Times -- Seattle to host U.S. governors this weekend
...plus -- As governors meet, groups plan to voice concerns -- Put People First rally is Saturday.
...plus -- Hiring freeze, retirements are squeezing air traffic controllers
...plus -- Qwest retirees sue for pension audit data to explain lost $6 billion (AP)
...plus -- Free trade Down Under -- Free-trade-at-any-cost editorial says every member of Congress should support latest pact, even though it "is not perfect." The Times mentions politically inspired agriculture exemptions, but omits the fact that the pact allows pharmaceutical companies to prevent cheaper drug imports to the U.S. and also to challenge decisions by Australia about what drugs should be covered by the country's health plan and the prices paid for them. That's far from perfect.
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Deaconess, Valley hospitals may see layoffs of RNs, technicians
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Premera's for-profit bid is likely to be denied today, observers say
— In today's King County Journal -- Issaquah teachers ratify contract, ending talk of another strike
At AFLCIO.org -- Bush rules could cost 6 million overtime pay, harm working families
— In today's Seattle Times -- Scope of new overtime rules disputed (AP)
— In today's Olympian -- Washington among 18 states with own OT rules, provoking confusion (AP)
Other national news: — In today's Olympian -- Teachers' union (AFT) releases salary survey (AP)
— Today from AP -- Exiting union leader (AFT President Sandra Feldman) presses for change
— Latest BusinessWeek cover story -- The benefits trap -- Old-line companies have pledged a trillion dollars to retirees. Now they're struggling to compete with new rivals, and many can't pay the bill.
— In today's Washington Post -- Our broken health care system -- Broder column: The United States spends almost 15 percent of its income on health care, far more than other advanced countries. That's about $5,540 a year for every man, woman and child. Costs are rising four times as fast as wages. And everyone, on both sides of the political aisle, agrees the next president will have to deal with it.
...plus -- The CIA's prisoners -- Editorial: According to the International Red Cross, a number of people apparently in U.S. custody are unaccounted for. Most are believed to be held by the CIA in secret facilities outside the United States. Contrary to the Geneva Conventions, the detainees have never been visited by the Red Cross; contrary to U.S. and international law, some reportedly have been subjected to interrogation techniques that most legal authorities regard as torture. The independent Human Rights Watch says this exceptional practice is "perhaps unprecedented in U.S. history."

WEDNESDAY, July 14 -- Janitors across U.S. to protest sweatshop conditions Thursday
...plus -- Press conference Thursday to discuss Saturday's Put People First rally
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Group Health workers (SEIU 1199NW) reject 3 contract offers, authorize strike
— In today's UW Daily -- UW labor proposals upset unions -- University wants to bargain for allowing management to lay off current UW employees and subcontract work to private companies.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Candid talk from Boeing CEO Stonecipher -- "People talk about me being anti-union and so forth... My father was a member of the unions. I loved him very much. I'm not anti-anything." (The Seattle Times reported an internal Boeing document says the company's first two imperatives are "reduce union leverage; reduce union employees." Would Harry "reduce" his dad?)
— A related story in today's Seattle Times -- Jobless find new work, not old standard of living -- Trent Burks used to earn $24 an hour as a painter for Boeing, but now gets $14 an hour as a nonunion electrician.
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Union election (IBT 839) in works at J.R. Simplot plant in Pasco
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Facing $2.9M deficit, Bellingham may slash city jobs and services
— In today's Olympian -- Facing $1.7M deficit, Olympia may slash city jobs and services
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Jurors award $1.8 million to recruit hurt in firefighter training drill
— In today's Seattle Times -- Rep. Adam Smith backtracks on vote opposing Patriot Act change
...plus -- Insurance commissioner should deny Premera's for-profit bid (op-ed)
— In today's Oregonian -- Back at Freightliner, workers complain -- Anger builds as union leaders are accused of tampering with a contract vote and the company is accused of breaching its contract.
At AFLCIO.org -- Former Labor officials say Bush OT pay plan will hurt working families -- Effective Aug. 23, employers may begin to reclassify their employees as exempt -- denying them the right to overtime pay. Congress must act in July to stop the Bush OT pay take-away. TAKE ACTION. 
— In today's Washington Post -- AFT President Sandra Feldman to retire
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Medicare law seen as leading to drug cuts for retirees -- The feds now predict exactly what the AFL-CIO predicted before the law passed, that employers will drop existing benefits for millions of retirees. During the bill's debate, Bush said in his State of the Union speech: "Seniors happy with the current Medicare system should be able to keep their coverage just the way it is.''
— In today's L.A. Times -- Catholic hospital group, nurses reach tentative contract -- Three-year deal for 4,000 nurses includes 18% to 29% wage increases, mandatory overtime ban and pension increases.
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- Survey: One in 4 large employers read employees' outgoing e-mail 

TUESDAY, July 13 -- Group Health nurses to rally Wednesday over health benefit cuts
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing needs more job cuts, Stonecipher says -- CEO: "(We) have to get out of a lot of these manufacturing jobs, service jobs, all kinds of jobs."  The whittling away of Boeing jobs is a frustrating issue for Boeing engineers and the Machinists, who barely voted against striking in 2002. "I can't find a member now who will admit to voting for that contract," says IAM 751's Mark Blondin.
— In today's Everett Herald -- Stonecipher's pull-no-punches style helps Boeing (AP)
— In today's Yakima H-R -- Marchers rally for respect after week of fear over rumored immigration raids
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Immigrant-worker reform stalled in Congress -- Bush in January called on Congress to pass immigration reform for all the nation's illegal workers. The votes are there, but the Hispanic Caucus says Republicans don't want to put a bill on Bush's desk before the election.
— In today's News Tribune -- The governor's wrong call -- Editorial: Locke should have minded his ethical p's and q's in soliciting contributions from businesses for this weekend's governors meeting in Seattle.
Election news: — Today from AP -- Poll: Kerry seen as smart; Bush as decisive, arrogant 
Other national news: — In today's Houston Chronicle -- Bush: CAFTA will have to wait until after election
— In today's N.Y. Times -- The foster affair -- Editorial: Congress must get to the bottom of what looks like a conspiracy to withhold information about last year's Medicare bill.
...plus -- Machine at work -- Krugman column: The collapse of Enron has revealed how strong the ties are between corporations and the Republican hard-liners.
— In today's Washington Post -- GE lobbyists mold tax bill -- In pursuing its financial interest, General Electric lobbyists shaped the legislation that would replace the WTO-banned export-promotion law in ways that allow the company to save as much, if not more, in taxes. It may also have turned the U.S. corporate tax code away from domestic manufacturing and toward expansion of operations abroad.
— In today's News Tribune -- UFCW workers at 2 (Bon-)Macy's stores in San Francisco authorize strike

MONDAY, July 12 -- Order a customized "Rossi: Compassionate?" flier for your union
— In today's News Tribune -- Governors conference has steep entry fee -- Have an idea or a question you'd like to bounce off the more than 30 governors at this weekend's National Governors Assn. conference? It'll cost you $10,000 (unless you want to DO IT FOR FREE at the Put People First rally Saturday).
...plus -- Locke didn't heed ethics advice on donations -- Against the "nonbinding" advice from an ethics panel, Locke personally solicited donations from businesses for this weekend's NGA conference.
— In Saturday's Seattle Times -- Grocery workers stay on job as contract talks extended another week
— In the P.S. Business Journal -- Prevailing wage laws pile costs onto public projects -- The latest in a series of about how workers make too much money and employment taxes are too high written by some Seattle lawyer whose firm apparently can't afford its own website.
— In today's Seattle Times -- Working conditions jeopardize safety, airport screeners say -- On any given day, federal workers who screen passengers and luggage at the nation's airports stand a good chance of being berated by bosses, harassed on the job, injured while lugging heavy bags, ordered to work extra hours or cheated on their pay. (Bush & Co. took away screeners' right to collective bargaining.)
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Private ferry operator to open direct Kingston-Seattle route this fall (AP)
— In today's Olympian -- Proposed sales-tax deduction limited; only one-third in state would get it (AP)
— In Sunday's Bremerton Sun -- Democrat Rep. Smith votes with House GOP to retain Patriot Act (AP)
Election news: — In Sunday's Olympian -- Candidate Sims risks all to embrace state income tax (AP)
— In today's News Tribune -- Eyman's irresponsible property-tax initiative meets deserved fate (editorial)
Other national news: — In Saturday's N.Y. Times -- AFL-CIO looks beyond unions -- Seattle is one of the pilot cities where the AFL-CIO is aiming to enlist one million nonunion people to join the labor federation's new community affiliate, Working America.
— In today's N.Y. Times -- New trade pact might undercut inexpensive drug imports -- Congress is poised to approve a trade agreement negotiated by the Bush administration that allows pharmaceutical companies to prevent drug imports to the U.S. and also to challenge decisions by Australia about what drugs should be covered by the country's health plan and the prices paid for them.
— In Sunday's Everett Herald -- Lack of retiree health insurance a major concern, study says

Previous weeks' news: July 6-9 -- June 28-30 -- June 21-25

FRIDAY, JULY 16
Seattle local's resolution on free media now AFTRA policy

NEW YORK -- Authored by Seattle AFTRA President Steve Krueger a resolution backing a free and unfettered news media won approval by acclamation from
the AFTRA National Board this week.

Former National President Frank Maxwell who remembers the dark days of the McCarthy Era said, "This is an historic day for me." He recalled that never in the history of AFTRA had the national union stood up to approve an essentially political resolution, including "taking a stand against what that Son-of-a-bitch (McCarthy) was doing."

Here's the Seattle resolution, reprinted from the original:

 

The right of Americans to know -- and for reporters to tell -- is facing a crisis of historic proportions.  Unchallenged bans on images of flag-draped military caskets; seizures by federal marshals of reporters' tape recordings; and the admission by a network chief news editor that his war reporting would be in the context of a "patriot first and a journalist second" rightly leave many in the public questioning the reliability of
their news media.

As the union representing America's broadcast journalists, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists must take a principled, inflexible and unflinching stand on behalf of the right of Americans to know the truth...and of reporters to tell that truth.

AFTRA must support all of its member-journalists in the exercise of their explicit First Amendment rights.  We enjoy a rare and protected status within the United States Constitution; virtually the only profession protected from government interference by "black letter law".  To accept unconstitutional limits imposed by government -- either by edict or coercion -- is to turn our back on those who awarded us that protection and those reporters who came before us.

To that end;

1.  AFTRA urges all of its broadcast members to resist, by every means appropriate, all illegal government restraints on the reporting of news, including the improper seizure by law enforcement personnel of notes, tapes, film or other media.

2.  AFTRA urges all of its media employers to utilized their considerable resources to defend employees' right to report, including timely legal representation and political lobbying.

3.  AFTRA demands that all federal, state and local government agencies and their employees immediately cease all efforts to limit the freedom to report and the freedom to know.

4.  AFTRA calls on the 2004 Presidential candidates of all major parties to reaffirm their support for the First Amendment through a public commitment that their administrations will not attempt to illegally restrict the right of reporters to gather and disseminate information and the right of the public to full access to matters of public concern.

For more information, contact Seattle AFTRA Executive Director John Sandifer at (206) 282-2506.

THURSDAY, JULY 15
Report: States increasingly contract public services offshore