Local news:  ■  Thai worker abuse here shows why we need AgJobs (UFW GetActive campaign)
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Let voters trust transportation planning (op-ed) -- Initiatives are crude remedies and do collateral damage but a "starve-the-beast" approach is the only way ordinary voters can hope to change things. It's far better to address the causes of voter disillusionment.
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Times issues new loss notice in JOA fight with Hearst, P-I

Political news:  ■  In today's Seattle P-I -- It's time to ask tough questions of politicians (Connelly column) -- Dino Rossi says he has no position on Initiative 912, the gas tax rollback. He's doing a duck dive.
■  Today at On the Road to 2008 blog -- I-912 Republican flip-flop politics -- When the Republican Party chooses to endorse I-912, you must consider why 18 Republicans voted FOR the bill that I-912 would kill. These legislators will either stand firm behind that vote, or wither like weeds under the scrutiny of us, their constituents, who want strong leaders, not sycophantic party hacks.
■  At NW Progressive Institute blog -- Where does Mike McGavick stand on I-912? -- If the company he leads (Safeco Corp.) contributes a thousand dollars to the opposition campaign, doesn't that mean Senate candidacy explorer McGavick must be opposed to Initiative 912? Where's Mike?
■  In today's LA times -- DeLay helped cement GOP ties to business lobbyists -- He turned the Washington lobbying establishment into a critical cog of the Republican political machine.
■  In today's NY Times -- The wrong-way Congress (editorial) -- In their shameless refusal to present a new broom to the nation, House Republicans are following Tom DeLay's game plan.

National news:  ■  Today from AP -- Union leaders urge Bush to reinstate prevailing wage law for Gulf
■  In today's Seattle Times -- The more disclosure the better for CEOs (editorial) -- You might expect the AFL-CIO to take an interest in this issue, and it does, but the concern is not limited to unions.
■  Today at BergerMarks.org -- New report focuses on how women can organize women -- "Women Organizing Women: How Do We Rock the Boat Without Getting Thrown Overboard" highlights the experiences and insights of a group of highly skilled union organizers.
■  In today's NY Times -- After nearly 3 months in jail, freed NY Times reporter will testify -- Reporter Judith Miller's source on the Valerie Blame's CIA outing, who let her sit in prison for 12 weeks, has finally given her a "waiver." It is Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby.
■  In today's LA Times -- Kaiser Permanente, unions agree on contract covering 82,000
■  Today from Reuters -- Schwarzenegger vetoes California minimum wage increase
■  In the LA daily News -- Most California voters still oppose governor's measures

THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 ■  Machinists vote today! -- Votes will be counted at the Seattle Union Hall following the close of the polling places at 6 p.m. A press conference will be held as soon as the votes are counted to announce the results, as well as posting on the IAM website. They hope to have the ballots counted by 7:30 p.m.  All members are invited to come to the Seattle Hall to hear the results.
■  At IAM751.org -- Summary of new proposed contract: Union recommends acceptance (pdf file)

State of the Unions:  ■  From American Prospect -- The second front (op-ed) -- Essentially, Change to Win will be a strategic organizing center, staffed by researchers ferreting out employers' financial vulnerabilities and organizers building support for campaigns.
■  In today's Hartford Courant -- Connecticut AFL-CIO prepares for loss of breakaway unions -- The loss will lead to a decline in revenue and could undermine organized labor's political clout in Connecticut. "We're all kind of brokenhearted," says state fed president. "We're not angry."

Political news:  ■  This morning from C-SPAN -- Roberts confirmed by 78-22 vote
■  In today's Spokesman-Review -- State's senators split on Roberts -- Cantwell "no;" Murray "yes."
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Initiative 912: The "no" party (editorial) -- Disregarding the clear benefits to business, dismissing the creation of thousands of family-wage jobs, disregarding the votes of respected Republican legislators, ignoring Hurricane Katrina's lessons in neglected infrastructure, rejecting long-needed highway safety improvements on hundreds of miles of two-lane highways, forestalling repairs to dozens of dangerous bridges -- that's the Republican transportation agenda.

Other Grand Old Party news:  ■  Today from AP -- Indicted House leader DeLay temporarily replaced by his ethical twin
■  In today's NY Times -- Tom DeLay behind the curtain (editorial) -- DeLay should have resigned, but instead it obvious to everyone that he will run the show from the wings. Win or lose in court, he  should be permanently stripped of his leadership powers... DeLay's indictment is a reminder of the Ethics Committee's failure to enforce its own rules. (What's up, Chairman "Doc"?)
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- GOP steamroller suddenly hits troubles -- Scandals and setbacks have buffeted Bush and Republican leaders in Congress, transforming what might have been a victory lap into a political scramble.
■  Today at BusinessWeek online -- Delay's woes: The GOP's tipping point? -- Party consultants worry that voters may start seeing Republicans as aloof and arrogant. And the damage may get worse. A federal grand jury probing the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame is close to winding up its work, stoking fears among some White House aides that political guru Karl Rove might be next.
■  In today's King Co. Journal -- Von Reichbauer endorsed by "various and sundry Asian people"

National news:  ■  Today at AFLCIO.org -- Hurricane relief? Not much for Gulf Coast survivors -- Displaced workers hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina live in the three states with the lowest average weekly unemployment insurance benefit levels in the nation.
■  In today's Washington Post -- Union, management spar in court over Homeland Security workrules
■  Today at the Working Life blog -- Northwest Airlines coming back for more concessions
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- War's foes have found a voice, but too few are listening (Jamieson column) -- The war is getting ignored, the lost lives of American soldiers and Iraqi civilians are no longer front-page news. That leaves the under-publicized anti-war movement fighting to be heard.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28  ■  Bush robbing Gulf workers to benefit his contractor buddies
■  Today at MSNBC -- Hurricanes give lobbyists hope -- With Congress dangling $200 billion in aid, lobbyists for oil companies, airlines, manufacturers and others are clamoring to get their share.
■  In today's Washington Post -- Don't let industry win with disaster bailouts (Pearlstein column) -- Hold on to your wallets, America. Congress is in session, Katrina relief is on the agenda and special interests are drumming up schemes to help themselves under the guise of helping others.
■ At HorsesAss.org -- Ex-FEMA director Brown blames local HorsesAss blog -- Disgraced FEMA honcho says relief efforts were hampered when his "press office became bombarded with requests to respond to false statements about my resume and my background. Ironically, it started with an organization called horsesass.org." (You're doing a heckuva job, Goldy!)

Boeing news:  ■  In today's Everett Herald -- Boeing deal works for all (MUST-READ Muhlstein column) -- It's easy to be jealous. It's hard to be happy for workers who get what you don't have. Think, though. Think hard. When a new CEO walks in the door fresh from 3M and immediately gets a supplemental pension benefit worth $22 million, at whom should your ire be directed? Should you really resent some Boeing worker who's been on the job 20 years and will someday get 70 bucks a month for each of those years? (Don't get jealous, get a contract!)
■  Today from AP -- Boeing supplier keeping close eye on vote
■  In today's Everett Herald -- Aerospace tax breaks to kick in (Corliss column) -- Starting Saturday, the B&O tax rate for aerospace companies will drop 12.5%. The rate will fall again in 2007 if Boeing starts assembly of the first 787 by the end of that year.
■  Related story in the Wash. Post -- Supreme Court to rule on building incentives -- It'll decide whether state governments can use tax breaks to entice companies to build manufacturing plants.

State of the Unions news:  ■  In today's NY Times -- Breakaway unions start new federation -- The inaugural convention was full of critical talk -- about Republicans, Democrats and the AFL-CIO.
■  Today from AP -- New labor coalition seeks to organize Wal-Mart, those left jobless by Katrina

Political news:  ■  In today's Everett Herald -- Measure the value of your time in weighing I-912 (op-ed by UW economist) -- On the surface, choosing between better roads and higher taxes seems like a tough decision. But run the question through a simple economic analysis based on the cost to you and your family, and the value of your time in traffic, and it's a no-brainer. Vote no on I-912.
■  In yesterday's Columbian -- State Republican Party backs effort to repeal gas taxes
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Bus-tunnel epitomizes transit screw-ups (Connelly column) -- A new I-912 poll has it ahead 52-41. Asked whether they trusted that gas taxes would be spent wisely, only 25% said yes. Given such experiences as the bus tunnel, can we fault the public for its skepticism?
■  In today's Yakima H-R -- Doctors, lawyers put big money into I-330 campaign
■  In today's NY Times -- Supreme Court takes on spending limits for candidates -- Some say the justices might be ready to revisit their 29-year-old precedent equating money with free speech.
■  Today in The Onion -- Report: Some sort of primary election just happened -- OLYMPIA, WA -- A primary election of some sort is believed to have occurred in the past week or two in cities and counties across the nation, according to a report published by a citizens advocacy group.

National news:  ■  This afternoon in the Wash. Post -- Delay indicted -- A Texas grand jury today indicted Rep. Tom DeLay on a criminal count of conspiring to violate state campaign finance law, and DeLay announced he would temporarily step down as House majority leader.
■  In today's Washington Post -- Senate leaders agree on pension legislation -- The bipartisan deal is likely to mean it will pass as a stand-alone measure, not as a piece of a larger retirement security bill that would include Bush's call to partially privatize Social Security.
■  In today's Washington Post -- Outsourcing our safety (Meyerson column) -- Since last week's safe landing by a supremely competent pilot steering a JetBlue airliner with jammed front wheels, we've learned that much of JetBlue's aircraft maintenance is done by mechanics in El Salvador who make $300 to $1,000 a month. Only about a third of the Salvadoran mechanics have passed the FAA's licensing exam, while such licenses are required for all aircraft mechanics in the U.S.
■  Today from AP -- U.S. Postal Service expects $1.8 billion deficit in 2006
■  Today in The Onion -- Bush's approval rating of other Americans also at an all-time low

TUESDAY, SEPT. 27  ■  No on 330: Don't let insurance companies take away your rights

Boeing news: ■  In today's Everett Herald -- We got what we wanted, striking Machinists say -- IAM 751 President Blondin: "This was a situation where the company had to make a lot of movement... I've got to believe that Gephardt was counseling the company team to do the right thing."
■  In today's Everett Herald -- What's next for strikers -- Machinists will vote on the contract Thursday.
■  In today's Chicago Tribune -- Machinists triumph in showdown at Boeing -- Management blinked in the 24-day game of chicken between Chicago-based Boeing Co. and its biggest union.
■  Today from Dow Jones -- IAM contract may raise stakes in Boeing's engineer talks -- The contract may strengthen the hand of SPEEA in its negotiations for a new three-year contract.
■  In today's Seattle Times -- Boeing says strike changed nothing; analysts foresee more outsourcing -- Having apparently won this contract battle, will the Machinists lose the long-term war? Will Boeing react to paying higher benefits and health-care contributions by outsourcing even more work in the future? Labor leaders hope not. The company said no. Analysts differ.
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing pact is a "win-win" -- Boeing gave a lot of ground to reach a tentative agreement, but industry analysts say the company did not give away the farm.
■  Today from AP -- "Call it a draw:" Both side can claim victory in Boeing deal, analysts says
■  Today from Reuters -- Boeing averts deeper pain by settling strike, analysts say
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- In strikes and comedy, timing is everything (Virgin column) -- The news that the Machinists held the line with a relatively short strike is good for an American labor movement that hasn't had a good summer -- but it doesn't portend a reversal of fortune for other unions.
■ In today's News Tribune -- A welcome end to Machinists' strike (editorial)
■  In today's Everett Herald -- Kudos to union, Boeing for focusing on a deal (editorial)
■  In today's Seattle Times -- Strike to end; time to build airplanes (editorial)
■  In today's King County Journal -- End to the Boeing strike would benefit all (editorial)

State of the Unions news:  ■  In today's Salem S-J -- Oregon AFL-CIO cuts staff, budget -- The state federation has slashed its budget and eliminated one-third of its paid staff due to disaffiliations.
■  Today at Working Life blog -- Tuesday at CTW -- At his delegate meeting, (LIUNA President Terry) O'Sullivan reaffirmed that the Laborers leaving the AFL-CIO is a matter of "when not if." Look for something definitive to happen by Oct. 15 if something is not worked out that satisfies the Laborers on the issue of solidarity charters. (Jonathan Tasini is covering the inaugural convention of the Change to Win Coalition that begins in St. Louis today. Visit his blog for regular updates.)
■  In today's Washington Post -- Anna Burger to head breakaway labor group -- A tough-minded organizer and political strategist, Burger was handpicked by the leaders of insurgent unions.
■  Today at BusinessWeek online -- Labor's new face, new tactics -- A new union federation, already not much smaller than the AFL-CIO, is behind a stepped-up organizing drive. Corporate America will have to pay attention.

Political news:  ■  In the P.S. Business Journal -- Group forms to oppose gas-tax initiative -- The No on 912 campaign will be co-chaired by environmental leader Denis Hayes, former Western Wireless executive John Stanton, and Washington State Labor Council President Rick Bender.
■  At KNDU.com -- State Republicans endorse gas-tax repeal -- GOP Boss Chris Vance previously said: "This issue personally gives me more heartburn than anything else." That's because his party is forced to choose between its corporate financers who oppose I-912 and its rabid anti-tax, anti-government base who support it. Apparently, the party has chosen the latter.
■  In today's Spokesman-Review -- 1,450 recall signatures accepted -- Elections workers begin checking signatures on petitions calling for a vote on Mayor Jim West's ouster as West looks on.

Local news: ■  In today's Bellingham Herald -- Workers to picket Ferndale schools -- Union (PSE) representing food service workers and teachers' assistants files state labor complaint.
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Mayor offers $760 million budget -- It calls for more police and firefighters.
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Seattle monorail: Too little, too late (editorial) -- The latest shorter-line ballot measure is an unacceptable proposal that we recommend voters reject.
■  In today’s News Tribune -- Tacoma police union gets chance to block Brame records
■  In the P.S. Business Journal -- Associated Grocers President Bob Hermanns resigns

Katrina Kronyism news:  ■  In today's NY Times -- Cronies at the till (editorial) -- Anyone who pays taxes in America should be concerned about how money for the Gulf is being spent and who is profiting.
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Profiting from Katrina: No-bid deals (editorial) -- With reconstruction having gone so poorly in Iraq, it's jarring to see a subsidiary of Halliburton involved in the Katrina work.
■  In today's NY Times -- Hurricane victims face tighter limits on bankruptcy
■  Today at AFGE.org -- AFGE says "no" to raiding pensions, Medicare to pay for Katrina cleanup
■  In today's Washington Post -- GOP leaders try to soothe conservatives -- Squeezed between a conservative clamor for spending cuts and the rising cost of hurricane relief, Republican congressional leaders will respond this week with a public relations offensive.
■  Today at BusinessWeek online -- For Bush, an issue of competence -- Katrina made him seem a fumbler and eroded his poll numbers. If he can't get his act together, the GOP faces big trouble.

MONDAY, SEPT. 26  ■  Machinists win -- Strike forces Boeing to "Do the Right Thing."

■ Plus -- Bender: Fighting Machinists' victory an "inspiration"
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing, IAM reach tentative deal -- The company gave in to union demands on all of the issues that had triggered the strike more than three weeks ago.
■  In today's Seattle Times -- IAM, Boeing nail down contract -- If members vote to accept the contract Thursday, workers could be back on the job as soon as the third shift that night.
■  In today's Everett Herald -- Machinists, Boeing agree
■  In today's News tribune -- Machinists, Boeing settle 
■  In today's Seattle Times -- Picketing Machinists call accord "better than we expected" -- Exceeding any particular issue, said one striker, was a sense that Boeing didn't respect the Machinists. After the union accepted the unpopular 2002 contract and then helped the company secure tax and other incentives from the state for 787 assembly, "I kept waiting for the company to say 'thanks'."

Local news:  ■   Peninsula Light workers (IBEW 483) in Gig Harbor may strike
■  In today's Olympian -- Panel's decision a blow to state union -- When state worker unions agreed to allow nonunion employees to vote on the current contracts, the unions accepted responsibility for telling nonunion members what was in the contracts, according to a PERC decision.
■  In Sunday's Tri-City Herald -- A toast to workers -- A portion of the proceeds of each bottle sold of Fiesta en Blanco and Fiesta en Rojo will be used to create a scholarship fund for the children of those farm workers. "Nobody has ever publicly thanked the Hispanic farm workers for their contribution to the wine industry," said the owner of St. Hilaire Cellars in Yakima, which is producing the wines. "Without them, Washington's industry wouldn't be where it is."
■  In Sunday's Bellingham Herald -- Some companies see Bellingham as anti-business (column)
■  In today's Kitsap Sun -- Bridge workers are walking tall above the Narrows

State of the Unions news:  ■  In Sunday's Seattle Times -- Labor's new frontier: Service sector -- Unions are gearing up to bring a movement born in the factories of the industrial age to the 21st-century service economy. Led by the SEIU, reform-minded labor leaders say the only way to keep the movement from becoming extinct in this changing economy is to overhaul it.
■  In today's Seattle P-I -- Unions lift lives of American workers (op-ed) -- Without the work of the unions, American workers would not enjoy many benefits they take for granted, such as the 40-hour week, paid medical benefits and workplace safety.

Political news:  ■  In the Everett Herald -- Snohomish County has much to lose if I-912 passes (editorial) -- Traffic jams hurt everyone, individuals and businesses. That's why the business community overwhelmingly opposes I-912. It understands that road improvements like these are essential to economic growth and good-paying jobs. Without them, the only thing sure to grow is gridlock.
■  In today's News tribune -- Gas tax backers might best keep quiet -- Polling shows voters won’t take kindly to elected officials -- or business and media leaders, for that matter -- urging “no” votes on I-912. Voters would be more receptive to hearing why the projects funded by the increase are necessary from city engineers, public works directors and emergency personnel.
■  Today at HorsesAss.org -- "Where's Rossi?" Day 13: A call from Executive X  -- An executive at a very prominent Seattle-area business calls Vigil-ant Blogger Goldy and says that he supported Rossi last year, but that Dino cannot be assured of his company's support in 2008.  Executive X (Speed Executive's long-lost older brother, Rex Executive?) says he has few complaints with Governor Gregoire's performance so far, and expressed extreme disappointment that Rossi had allowed himself to be used to promote Initiative 912.
■  In today's Olympian -- The issues behind I-330 -- Doctors and lawyers square off on the ballot over medical malpractice, but are the arguments justified?  Learn more.
■  Sunday from AP -- Tebelius considers making a run at Cantwell's Senate seat
■  In Sunday's News Tribune -- Hey, Democrats! Does "working class" ring any bells? (MUST-READ op-ed) -- As a bona fide liberal, my girlfriend represents the party’s new target demographic. The working class has become passé. Clearly -- now especially -- this has to change.

Katrina Kronyism news:  ■  In today's NY Times -- Contracts for storm work raise questions -- Over 80% of FEMA's $1.5 billion in contracts were awarded without bidding or with limited competition.
■  In the News Tribune -- A perfect storm of fiscal folly (editorial) -- As the country tries to recover, Congress is facing a storm of its own -- a tempest of spending and indebtedness.
■  In today's NY Times -- Faking the Katrina inquiry (editorial) -- Without pressure from the public, a thorough investigation of the government's mismanagement of Katrina will ebb away behind the political levees of Washington.

Other national news:  ■  In Saturday's SF Chronicle -- California nurses union seeks to join AFL-CIO
■  In Saturday's NY Times -- Report says Bush's tax cuts will cause some to pay more
■  In today's NY Times -- A legacy in immigration (editorial) -- If Bush can sell the idea of a workable immigration policy to his own party, it could be among his presidency's most important legacies.
■  In today's SF Chronicle -- Business, unions ante up in play for power -- California's public employee unions, fighting for their political lives, are betting more than $60 million that they can defeat Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's package of initiatives Nov. 8.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2005
Machinists approve new Boeing contract, end 28-day strike

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2005
Bush is robbing Gulf workers to benefit his contractor buddies

There is no way a just America should let the wages of working people who will rebuild the Gulf Coast be cut to protect the profits of wealthy contractors like Halliburton and tax cuts for millionaires.

President Bush removed Davis-Bacon wage protections for construction workers on Gulf Coast rebuilding projects. Those protections are supposed to ensure workers will be paid a "prevailing wage" for their work -- not a union wage, not a high wage. Prevailing wages for construction specialties in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama average about $9.50 an hour -- less than $20,000 a year for full-time work. Is that too much for the men and women who will rebuild those states to ask?

TAKE ACTION:  Every Democrat in Washington state's delegation to the U.S. House and Senate have co-sponsored legislation to restore prevailing wages for Gulf restoration, but they (and the Republicans who refuse to co-sponsor these bills) need to hear from YOU about the importance of restoring these modest wage protections now. Click here to send them a message: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/restore_wages/

Cutting wages for Gulf Coast construction workers will make it even harder for working families devastated by Hurricane Katrina to rebuild their lives. But it will ensure bigger profits for companies like Halliburton that are getting lucrative rebuilding contracts -- including many no-bid contracts being awarded to politically well-connected companies.

While lowering pay for workers, the administration and its congressional allies refuse to limit massive new tax breaks for millionaires. New tax cuts slated to take effect Jan. 1 that will benefit only the wealthy will cost us $70 billion that could be spent rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Households that take in more than $1 million a year -- the richest 0.2 percent of us -- already are getting tax cuts averaging $103,000 this year. The new tax breaks will give them another $20,000 a year.

Instead, the president and his allies want to pay for hurricane rebuilding efforts with cuts in the very programs devastated working families need most -- Medicaid, job training and more.

Please take just a moment to contact your members of Congress now. Urge them to tell President Bush to restore wage protections for the construction workers who will rebuild the Gulf Coast.

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/restore_wages

Thank you for making your voice heard.

v

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2005
Don't let insurance companies take away your rights with I-330

Initiative 330, a measure supported by the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, would cap medical malpractice damages for victims of healthcare errors and negligence. Delegates representing unions affiliated with the Washington State Labor Council voted at the 2005 WSLC Convention to OPPOSE I-330. The WSLC has already distributed the flier, I-330: What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You, explaining what's at stake with this important ballot measure.

A second flier is now available: Don't Let the Insurance Companies Take Away Your Rights.  Designed specifically for internal member communication to union families, this new flier stresses the contracts Washington residents will have to sign before they can receive medical care or a prescription, if I-330 passes. Here is the text of the flier:

"OUR MOTHER, Theresa, died from injuries she received as a result of negligence at a nursing home. After the staff tried to cover up their mistreatment, we had to bring a case to make sure the truth was known -- and future residents weren't hurt the way she was.

Yet I-330 would force seniors and the vulnerable to sign away their rights before they enter a nursing facility, veterans' home, or receive medical care. And I-330 would eliminate protections in the state's Vulnerable Adults Act -- legislation meant to provide important safeguards.

Don't let the insurance industry win. Vote no on I-330."

-- Gary and Jim Barquist, Bonney Lake

DON'T LET THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY TAKE AWAY YOUR RIGHTS.
VOTE NO ON I-330.

I-330 would permit insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and hospitals to make you sign a contract before you can receive any medical care or a prescription. This also applies to residents in nursing and veterans homes.

WORKING FAMILIES URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON I-330:

Aerospace Machinists District Lodge 751
Graphic Communications Union, Local 767M
SEIU 1199NW, Hospital and Health Care Workers
SEIU Washington State Council
Teamsters Joint Council 28
United Food and Commercial Workers
Washington Federation of State Employees (AFSCME)
Washington & N. Idaho District Council of Laborers
Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO
Washington State Council of Fire Fighters (WSCFF)
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2005
Machinists win; strike forces Boeing to "Do the Right Thing"

YOUR NEGOTIATING TEAM RECOMMENDS: ACCEPT

From the start, you have been committed to “Do the Right Thing” and together we have done just that. This battle was not about money, but about ethics, integrity, respect and trust. Each of you stood up and did your part to win this battle, which was a fight against more than just Boeing, but against corporate America , as well.

Every member has sacrificed tremendously for over four weeks -- you stood up for the past, present and future. We spoke with one voice and said loud and clear -- NO TAKEAWAYS, NO SELL OUTS. Your solidarity forced Boeing to retreat from their takeaway proposals on every issue.

On every major issue -- from health insurance and pension to retiree medical and team leader, your solidarity forced Boeing to change their offer. We have shown the American people we can stand up and get a multi-national corporation to do the right thing. You defeated every takeaway proposal the Company put forth. The new proposal includes:

• Increase pension multiplier to $70.
  

• Removed all Company takeaway proposals on health care. Health care language will remain the same as in the current 2002 contract -- saving members between $2,000 and $4,000 per year in out-of-pocket expenses.
  

• Retiree medical stays the same as the current contract. Boeing backed off the proposal to eliminate retiree medical for new hires, as well as the proposal to have those under 50 earn the coverage back at 3-1/3 percent per year.
  

• Added seniority language to team leader selection process. In addition, the Union and Company will jointly develop criteria and an interview process through the Joint Programs.
  

• Secured, in writing, that current leads will not lose grade or pay as a result of team leader assignments.
  

• Clarified LOU #37 Material Delivery that vendors will not install parts or components on the airplane. Also added language that our forklift drivers will deliver parts within the factory. Company will conduct quarterly reviews to update Union on the status and discuss ways to improve the process.
  

• 8% ratification bonus in year one, payable within 60 days of contract ratification.
  

• $3,000 lump sum payment in year two, payable December 1, 2006.
  

• $3,000 lump sum payment in year three, payable by December 1, 2007.
  

• Delivered 12¢ COLA, which was generated last quarter and was due September 2, 2005 as part of strike settlement agreement.
  

• Removed Company proposal to eliminate Wichita from the economic package.
  

• Company withdrew proposal on simultaneous multiple machine operation.
  

• Restored medical layoff benefit to six months. Earlier offer would have reduced it to three months.

Study the proposal. Every member can hold their head up high and be proud of what we have accomplished together -- for you, your families and future workers. Because of all of us, our Union is stronger. Everywhere in America , people have accepted concessions or reduced benefits for the next generation since 9-11. You stood together and said NO and scored a victory for working families across the country.

In Solidarity,

Mark A. Blondin
District President

Dick Schneider
Aerospace Coordinator

Steve Rooney
District President

Robert C. Petroff
Directing Business Rep