WSLC Reports Today -- August 7-9, 2002

WSLC Reports Today logo UPDATED DAILY -- M-F by 9 a.m. Pacific

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

Reports for August 7-9, 2002

Previous weeks' news: July 29-Aug. 1 -- July 22-26 -- July 15-19

FRIDAY, August 9 -- Don't miss Labor-Neighbor kickoff Sunday, Aug. 18 in Spokane
-- Tentative agenda for WSLC Convention in Spokane Aug. 19-21

— In today's Vancouver Columbian -- Home care workers mull joining union (SEIU 6)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- State Supreme Court rejects Boeing appeal of workers' hearing-loss case
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Energy Department: New rules will help sick Hanford workers
— In today's Everett Herald -- Snohomish School District teachers set Aug. 27 strike deadline
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Nethercutt discusses Medicare -- Priceless exchange: Donna McArthur told Nethercutt she travels to Canada to buy prescription drugs for 60% less than she would pay here. She said the U.S. needs drug price controls. Nethercutt: "We can't pick and choose what we want from the Canadian health-care system." McArthur: "Yeah, we can. I'm doing it."
— In today's Oregonian -- Georgia-Pacific chief visits to Oregon, bearing jobs
At AFLCIO.org -- Support for ILWU bargaining (Don't forget about Monday's rally in Seattle.)
— In today's Washington Times -- Port workers' union tells Bush to butt out
— In today's Washington Post -- US Airways pilots agree to wage cuts; flight attendants next?— In today's N.Y. Times -- Farm union's binding-arbitration bill holds peril for California's governor
...plus -- Bush's economic forum to feature GOP donors -- Next week's forum features execs from major donors Charles Schwab, Caterpillar, Cisco Systems and... UBC President Douglas McCarron.

THURSDAY, August 8 -- 450 UW research, scientific techs vote to join SEIU 925
...plus -- Citing new report, SEIU renews call for nursing crisis solutions
— In the new Business Week -- Boeing's high-speed flight: A pivotal fight is brewing over plans to ship more work abroad
— In the new Seattle Weekly -- The Machinists' last chance: Everyone from the governor on down is worried about Boeing's biggest union
...plus -- The hiring freeze that wasn't: City, county hiring continues because of freeze exemptions
— In today's Yakima H-R -- Farm workers drum up support -- Re: Legalization rally Sunday
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- State workers to see health costs rise
— In today's Seattle Times -- Money, time running out for many local jobless
...plus -- Battered industrial city of Longview steels itself for the future
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Aluminum industry part of power solution (op-ed by Alcoa and IAM reps)
— In today's Olympian -- State GOP leaders unveil party agenda
...plus -- State Dems could face campaign fund forfeiture as well (hundreds of thousands at stake)
— In yesterday's Vancouver Columbian -- Zarelli chides Baird over his vote against Fast Track
— In today's Tri-City Herald -- Angry ill nuclear workers vent frustrations at meeting with feds
— Today from MSNBC.com -- Qwest posts $1.1 billion loss
— In today's Minneapolis Star-Tribune -- Struggling Qwest has workers on hold

WEDNESDAY, August 7 -- ILWU Solidarity March and Rally on Aug. 12 in Seattle
— In today's Everett Herald -- Boeing wing plant workers uneasy despite kudos
...and yesterday -- Unions pledge support for Machinists at Boeing
— In today's News-Tribune -- Boeing tanker lease under fire from Bush administration
— In today's Seattle Times -- Dicks wants Boeing's help in tanker deal (avoid strike, for starters)
...and yesterday -- After Boeing, few new jobs await laid-off workers
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- In-home caregivers put state on notice
...plus -- WSLC Convention here to draw top guest (AFL-CIO President John Sweeney)
— In today's Yakima H-R -- The care of caregivers (re: home-care workers' organizing with SEIU 6)
...plus -- Providence Medical Center cuts staff, bit also adds staff (SEIU 1199NW mention)
— In today's Olympian -- WFSE chief attacks state health plan, increased costs for workers
...plus -- PDC must be consistent -- Editorial: PDC request for $6.6 million forfeiture from state GOP shows public disclosure agency doesn't play favorites. (Also see Aug. 2 story re: the PDC request.)
— In today's Bremerton Sun -- PSNS parking issue spurs unfair labor practice complaint
— In today's South County Journal -- New Safeway center brings 1,600 jobs for Auburn
— In today's Salem (Ore.) S-J -- Union home-care activist fights to retain spousal-care pay
— In today's Washington Post -- The nursing bill: A quiet triumph (Broder column)

Previous weeks' news: July 29-Aug. 1 -- July 22-26 -- July 15-19

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9
Don't miss Labor-Neighbor kickoff Sunday, Aug. 18 in Spokane

The first Labor-Neighbor event of the 2002 campaign season is set, and the Washington State Labor Council challenges all union organizations to have representatives join in the fun in the sun on Sunday, Aug. 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Spokane’s 6th Legislative District . (What's Labor-Neighbor, you ask? See below.)

All delegates attending the Washington State Labor Council’s convention in Spokane Aug. 19-22 should makes plans to come early on Sunday and experience firsthand how powerful -- and fun -- it is to walk neighborhoods to bring labor’s message home to fellow union members. But you don't have to be a convention delegate to participate; all union members interested in helping elect pro-worker candidates are invited.

Meet at the IUOE 370 Hall at 510 S. Elm (off I-90, exit at Maple Street, Exit 280) Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. — Training begins at 12:30 p.m.

Volunteers will distribute literature comparing 6th District candidates like incumbent State Rep. John Ahern, who voted against collective bargaining rights for public employees, co-sponsored a tip credit bill for minimum wage earners and advocates laying off 18,000 more state employees to balance the budget. His labor-endorsed challenger, Sheila Collins, supports your union’s position on all of those issues.

Likewise, labor-endorsed Senate challenger Laurie Dolan will be compared to Sen. Jim West, who also voted against collective bargaining rights, opposes worker ergonomic safety rules and has a dismal 10% lifetime labor voting record.

What's Labor-Neighbor? Here's how WSLC President Rick Bender described it in his column for the 2002 WSLC Legislative Report and Voting Record:

LABOR-NEIGHBOR: Grassroots political action comes up big

Money alone can’t buy you love in Olympia.

Witness the comments that appeared in The Seattle Times this session from a business executive visiting Olympia to promote the gas-tax measure: “I’m not sure the business community wants to pay for a referendum campaign. We’ve already paid to elect legislators.” Clearly, for some, the definition of political action is writing a check.

For all the cynicism about a political system that relies on massive contributions to parties and candidates, what a breath of fresh air it was to participate in last fall’s Labor-Neighbor program, coordinated by Washington State Labor Council Political Director Diane McDaniel. It was grassroots politics at its best.

This volunteer-based effort sought to have union members walk the neighborhoods handing out written materials and discussing the candidates with fellow union members around the district. Months of these household walks culminated in a massive, but focused get-out-the-vote effort on Election Day. The response both from the hundreds of volunteers who participated and the members they contacted was so positive, it exceeded our wildest expectations.

And it worked. In the two targeted special elections, both labor-endorsed candidates won. In the 21st District, where 95% of Labor-Neighbor efforts were conducted, first-time candidate Brian Sullivan scored a stunning 12-point victory over Rep. Joe Marine (R-21), who spent a record-setting $273,000 in his losing effort. Voter turnout in that district was 54.7%, more than nine points higher than in the neighboring district.

End result: the 49-49 tie in the House that has stymied labor-supported legislation for years was broken. What difference did a 50-48 Democratic majority make? Ask the tens of thousands of state and university employees who have finally won collective bargaining rights. Ask nurses who will no longer be forced to work overtime. Ask domestic violence victims forced to flee their jobs who may now collect unemployment. Ask the other working families who benefit from progressive legislation detailed in this Legislative Report.

But also note the many issues from prescription drugs prices to business subsidy disclosure that we failed to achieve progress on, and the serious budget and tax reform challenges that lie ahead. That’s why we must do even more.

Let’s face it. Labor is never going to have the kind of money corporate interests are able to “invest” in politics. And while we are certainly going to do what we can to help pro-working family candidates raise the money they need to run competitive races, we must never be lulled into thinking that cutting a check is political action.

Labor’s strength is, and always has been, in its members. The same energy and commitment that rank-and-file members bring to organizing campaigns and community volunteerism, they also bring to political activism.

The WSLC and central labor councils around the state are coordinating an expanded Labor-Neighbor effort this fall in several districts. If we can achieve a stronger majority of pro-worker legislators in both houses, we can expect more success in the coming biennium on our issues.

Get involved! Contact WSLC Political Director Diane McDaniel TODAY at (206) 281-8901.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9
Tentative agenda for WSLC Convention in Spokane Aug. 19-21

Some 600 delegates representing the affiliated organizations of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO will assemble at Spokane's Ridpath Hotel for the 2002 WSLC Constitutional Convention on Aug. 19-22. Under the theme "Labor is Your Neighbor," the agenda is packed with important speakers, panel discussions and workshops on union organizing, the health care crisis, state transportation needs, Enron and pension security, strategic initiative campaigns, and much, much more.

Here is the tentative agenda, but keep in mind that times are subject to change (links are provided for more information about events and speakers' bios):

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18

11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. -- LABOR-NEIGHBOR ACTION – Meet at IUOE 370 Hall
4:30 – 6 p.m. -- Industrial Union Section Meeting – Terrace A & B
Food & Beverage Section Meeting – Cougar Room
Miscellaneous Trade Section Meeting - Gonzaga
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. -- WISHA Monitoring and Industrial Insurance Committee meeting – Gallery
6 – 8 p.m. -- Early registration – Outside Empire Rooms
6:30 – 8:30 -- RECEPTION hosted by the Industrial Union & Miscellaneous Trades Sections – Empire B/C

MONDAY, AUGUST 19

7:30 a.m. -- Rules of Order Committee & Sergeant-at-Arms Breakfast – Gonzaga Room
8 a.m. -- Registration opens - Outside Empire Rooms
8 – 9 a.m. -- New Delegate Orientation – Legend A
9 a.m. -- CONVENTION OPENS – Empire A, B, C
Color Guard and Flag Salute; Call to Order; Invocation; Greetings from Spokane Mayor John Powers; Introduction of WSLC Vice Presidents; Rules and Order of Business
9:30 a.m. -- Opening Speech – WSLC President Rick Bender
9:50 a.m. -- TRANSPORTATION PANEL – Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald, Rep. Mike Cooper, and Washington State BCTC Executive Secretary Roger Boatwright
10:45 a.m. -- Sue Schurman, President of the National Labor College of the George Meany Center for Labor Studies
-- Congressman Brian Baird
-- Congressman Jay Inslee
-- Presentation of the Bruce Brennan and Power to the People awards
11:20 a.m. -- Recognition of organizing and political victories
-- KEYNOTE SPEAKER -- AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
12:15 p.m. -- Teller Nominations
-- Break for lunch
1:30 – 2:45 p.m. -- WORKSHOPS:
-- "Roads, Rails, Planes, Boats and Buses: Why We Need a Transportation Budget NOW!" – Legend A
-- "Get a Labor Studies Degree While You Continue Working! Programs of the George Meany Center's National Labor College" – Terrace C
-- "Ecstasy: From Rave to Grave (The Club Drug Culture)" – Legend B
2 – 5 p.m. -- COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
-- Constitutional Committee – Terrace A
-- Resolutions Committee – Terrace B
-- Safety Committee – Gonzaga
-- Legislative Committee – Gallery
(from 3 to 4 p.m.) -- Labels & Lists Committee – University
(from 4 to 4:30 p.m.) -- Report of Officers Committee – University
(from 4:30 to 5 p.m.) -- Grievance Committee (if needed) – University
3 – 4:30 p.m. -- WORKSHOPS:
-- "Union Women Making Union History" – Legend A
-- "Effective Member Communications and Websites" – Terrace C
-- "The Enronization of Social Security" – Legend B
6 – 7 p.m. -- Statewide COPE meeting – Terrace C
7 – 9 p.m. -- SPECIAL PUBLIC FORUM: “A Community/Labor Discussion: The Economic Crisis, Its Impact on Our Families and How We Fight Back” – Empire A, B & C

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20

8:30 a.m. -- “Rosie the Riveter” Video – Empire A, B, C
9:00 a.m. -- GENERAL SESSION – Empire A, B, C
Flag Salute and Invocation
-- Clayola Brown, Vice President of UNITE and AFL-CIO Executive Council member
9:25 a.m. -- ORGANIZING PANEL – SEIU International Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina, UFW of Washington State Regional Director Lupe Gamboa, AFL-CIO State Director Bob Gorman, and WSLC Research and Organizing Director Jeff Johnson
10:10 a.m. -- Enron Presentation – Patrick Daniels, Byron Georgiou and William Lerach, Attorneys at Law
-- Working Capital Presentation – Robert Pleasure, AFL-CIO Center for Working Capital
11:10 a.m. -- Health Care Crisis in Washington – Barbara Flye, Executive Director of Washington Citizen Action
-- Legislator Awards
-- Mother Jones Award
-- Break for lunch and rally
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. -- RALLY: SEIU invites all delegates to join in a rally in support of Group Health nurses and caregivers at a nearby facility (transportation and box lunches available)
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. -- President’s Club Luncheon – Terrace B & C
Guest speaker: Tom Keefe
1:30 – 2:45 p.m. -- WORKSHOPS:
-- "Corporate Greed vs. Working Capital" – Legend A
-- "Workers' Compensation: Know Your Rights" – Legend B
-- "A Prescription for Action: Lowering the Cost of Prescription Drugs" – Empire A & B
3 – 4:30 p.m. -- WORKSHOPS:
-- "Organizing in Washington State" – Legend A
-- "Using Workforce Development to Achieve the High Road in Economic Development" – Legend B
-- "Mom, Pop and Apple Pie: The State Revenue Crisis and the Move Toward More Just Taxation" – Empire A & B

5:30 – 8 p.m. -- COPE BARBECUE – Riverfront Park

8:30 – 10:00 p.m. -- MOVIE: “10,000 Black Men Named George,” a film dramatizing the 12-year battle of A. Philip Randolph to unionize the Pullman porters. Free, with donations accepted for the Union Community Fund – Legend A

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21

8 a.m. -- Bill Moyers' "Trading Democracy" documentary on NAFTA – Empire A, B & C
9 a.m. -- GENERAL SESSION – Empire A, B & C
Flag Salute and Invocation
-- Gloria Johnson, President of the Coalition of Labor Union Women
-- Presentation of plaques for retiring Vice Presidents
9:30 a.m. -- Statewide COPE action (if necessary)
-- RESOLUTIONS action
10:15 a.m. -- STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PANEL
11 a.m. -- Teller Elections
-- Presentation of Elsie Schrader Award
Noon -- Workers’ Memorial
-- Break for lunch
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. -- Women’s Committee Lunch – Terrace A, B & C
Guest speaker: CLUW President Gloria Johnson
1:30 – 4 p.m. -- GENERAL SESSION Reconvenes – Empire A, B & C
-- Governor Gary Locke
-- Statewide COPE action (if necessary)
-- Lifetime Achievement Awards
2:15 p.m. -- Jim Hightower
-- RESOLUTIONS action
6 – 7 p.m. -- RECEPTION – Pool Deck & Upper Lobby
7 p.m. -- CONVENTION BANQUET with guest speaker King County Executive Ron Sims – Empire A, B & C
-- Women’s Committee Silent Auction – Ballroom Foyer
-- Presentation of Mother Jones Award
9 p.m. – 1 a.m. -- DANCE – Empire A, B & C

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

9 a.m. -- GENERAL SESSION – Empire A, B & C
Flag Salute and Invocation
9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.(?) -- RESOLUTIONS action (until finished)

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8
450 UW research, scientific techs vote to join SEIU 925

By a nearly two-to-one margin, some 450 University of Washington research and scientific instructional techs who work with senior research scientists have voted to join Service Employees International Union, Local 925. The ballots were counted Tuesday in Olympia by the Public Employment Relations Commission and employees voted by a 130-77 margin to organize with SEIU 925.

This election is the first to be held under the new state employee collective bargaining law, which was passed in the 2002 state legislative session.

SEIU Local 925 is currently in contract bargaining with the University of Washington for its 4,500 members in hundreds of job titles, including secretaries, administrative assistants, program coordinators and patient service representatives.

"The next step is to negotiate a fair contract with the university," said research tech Michael Paulsen.

SEIU Local 925 represents 9,500 public service workers throughout Washington state, including at the University of Washington, the UW and Harborview Medical Centers, public school districts, local government and private non-profit organizations. Nationally, SEIU is the largest and fastest growing AFL-CIO union, representing 1.5 million workers in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

For more information, contact SEIU 925 organizer Tyler Bass at (206) 322-3010 x24.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8
Citing new report, SEIU renews call for nursing crisis solutions

A dramatic report on the nation’s nursing crisis lends new urgency to the call for solutions to a critical shortage of nursing care that is putting patients in America’s hospitals at risk, say leaders of the 110,000-member SEIU Nurse Alliance.

“Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Addressing the Evolving Nursing Crisis,” released Wednesday by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), concludes that the growing shortage of nurses across the country will only be solved if hospital CEOs, policymakers, nurse executives, physicians, private industry, insurers, and many other players are held accountable for improving conditions that are driving nurses away from hospitals.

See also today's N.Y. Times story on the report: Patient deaths tied to lack of nurses.

“With evidence mounting that patients are getting sick and dying in hospitals because there aren’t enough nurses to provide quality care, the time for action is now,” says Diane Sosne, RN, president of SEIU 1199NW and co-chair of the national SEIU Nurse Alliance. Sosne was a participant on the JCAHO roundtable that produced the report.

As the nation’s largest union of nurses, SEIU has spearheaded efforts to improve staffing levels in hospitals through contract negotiations where nurses have united to form a union and by building support for safe staffing legislation in several states. But a national solution to protect patients is still needed.

“After two decades of managed care, understaffing in our hospitals has become the norm,” Sosne added. “We need to turn that around to protect patients and keep nurses in the profession.”

Under the present system, payments to hospitals from public sources (such as Medicare and Medicaid) and private insurance companies create financial incentives to provide minimal care.

The JCAHO report recommends changes that would tie hospital funding to the quality of care patients receive.

In Washington State, more than 6,500 nurses belong to SEIU 1199NW, including RNs Harborview Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, Valley Medical Center, Yakima Valley Memorial, and Group Health Cooperative. The SEIU Nurse Alliance is part of the 1.5 million-member Service
Employees International Union, America’s largest and fastest growing health care union.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7
ILWU Solidarity March and Rally on Aug. 12 in Seattle

All union activists and workers' rights supporters in the community are invited to participate in a National Day of Action to show solidarity with longshore workers at a March and Rally to Support the ILWU on Monday, August 12 in Seattle:

2:30 p.m. — BARBECUE at Pier 37 at Alaskan Way and Royal Brougham (near Safeco Field)

4:30 p.m. — MARCH from Pier 37 to Pier 66, heading north on Alaskan Way

5:00 p.m. — RALLY at Pier 66 Cruise Terminal

The ILWU contract with Pacific Maritime Authority (PMA) expired July 1 and the PMA still hasn’t made an acceptable proposal, so the workers are still without a contract. Meanwhile, the Bush administration has been threatening to send in the military to take over their jobs to preempt any action on the part of the ILWU. They claim that a strike or slowdown would threaten national security. Additionally, large corporations that fear the flow of their imported products could be disrupted by a work stoppage — including Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Nike and The Gap — are pushing the federal government to intervene in negotiations.

Let’s send a message to the port bosses and the Bush administration that workers all along the West Coast — from Bellingham to San Diego — strongly support their Brothers and Sisters who work on the waterfront. Solidarity actions are scheduled in various West Coast cities on August 12 in support of members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, AFL-CIO seeking a fair contract.

Please download, print, post and circulate this flier for Monday's rally and encourage your co-workers to attend. (It is a 299KB PDF Acrobat file. Click here to download and install a free copy of Adobe Acrobat on your computer.)

This contract fight affects not only the thousands of Longshore Union members along the West Coast, but also all other union contract struggles. It’s critical that we stand together now and show the power of labor in solidarity. We must send a message to the Bush administration that we are united in opposing the trampling of worker rights, on behalf of corporate interests, in the name of national security.

If you have news items regarding unions or workplace issues in Washington state that you would like to see posted here, please submit them via e-mail to David Groves or via fax to 206-285-5805.