News for the week of October 20-24If you have news related to the labor movement in Washington state that you would like to share via WSLC Reports Today, we encourage you to submit it by e-mail, by fax (206-285-5805) or by phone (206-281-8901)
News for the week of October 20-24Friday, 10/24/97 — Already under
investigation for 1996 violations, BIAW accused of breaking PDC
rules again in 1997
Thursday, 10/23/97 — Union leaders
keeping close eye on electrical deregulation
Tuesday, 10/21/97 — L&I fines
Colorado firm $94,500 for safety violations in worker's death
Monday, 10/20/97 — Thanks to pressure from unions, "Made in the
U.S.A." rules won't be eased
News from previous weeks:
October 13-17, 1997
October 6-10, 1997
September 29-October 3, 1997
September 22-26, 1997
September 15-19, 1997
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The Building Industry Association of Washington, already under investigation by the state's Public Disclosure Commission for alleged campaign finance violations during the 1996 election, has had a second complaint filed against them alleging "a continuing pattern of campaign finance violations" in this year's election.
The Washington State Labor Council filed a complaint late Thursday alleging that a group called Washingtonians for a Strong Economy, which lists BIAW Political Affairs Director Elliot Swaney as an officer and the BIAW as a major contributor, sent mailings supporting 35th Legislative District candidate Tim Sheldon, but failed to file PDC reports until well after expenditures were made and also misrepresented organizational contributors to the "independent expenditure group."
"The BIAW obviously isn't taking the current investigation seriously because the disclosure violations continue unabated in this year's campaign," said Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council. "Even in the face of a major investigation, it's business as usual for the bully boys of the BIAW."
The PDC is expected to announce the results of its investigation of the BIAW's 1996 election activity on Tuesday, Oct. 28. The new allegations are very similar to those from 1996, which include filing false PDC forms; failure to file reports in a timely fashion (in particular, those reporting last-minute expenditures in the weeks immediately preceding Election Day); failure to report expenditures and contributions; exceeding contribution limits; improperly coordinating "independent" expenditures with candidates; and others.
"I think people will see this for what it is: a continuing pattern of campaign finance violations that show a clear lack of respect not just for the law, but also for the public's right to know," Bender said. "The BIAW's continuing attempts to mislead voters should be dealt with by handing down the maximum penalty allowed."
If you liked what deregulation did for the airlines, trucking and telephone industries, you'll probably jump on the "train that's already left the station." That's how industry representatives characterize the prospect of electrical deregulations, but union leaders and policymakers aren't so sure.
A forum for industry, business, labor and consumers sponsored by the Washington State Labor Council's Economic Development and Job Retention Committee closely examined the energy deregulation issue on Wednesday and Thursday with the an eye towards developing a strategic response to the issue.
State Sen. Lisa Brown (D-Spokane) suggested that potential gains be balanced with potential losses, and that any legislation must also be balanced. Some of the potential losses she identified included energy conservation, low income assistance, consumer protection, reliability and service quality, and cost shifting. She noted one bill, sponsored by Sen. Bill Finkbeiner (R-Kirkland), opens the electricity market on a certain date, but leaves all the other issues undefined for some vague, future date. That approach, she suggested, was unacceptable.
Pete Forsyth, Vice President of Kaiser Aluminum told the forum, "I can't wait for legislation," because the market forces were already forcing his company to find new ways to purchase power and manage electricity. Aluminum production is a huge consumer of electricity, and is currently a direct service industry customer of the Bonneville Power Administration.
Howard Abbe, representating the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers, noted that low cost electricity is his industry's competitive advantage, and he was concerned that increased power costs would mean job losses. Darrell Chapman of IBEW Local 191, reminded panel participants of the ice storms of last winter when power was interrupted for days to thousands of customers. He stressed the need to maintain high standards or reliability and service, standards that could be threatened by the competititve forces of deregulation.
Governor Gary Locke's administration has set forth a set of six principles for any electrical deregulation efforts, and his representative, Marilyn Showalter, explained the principles:
— All Washington residents must has access to reasonable, affordable power.
— Service must be safe and reliable.
— Costs must be shared fairly.
— All users must share environmental obligations.
— Our tradition of public power, locally controlled, must be recognized and honored.
— Tax policies must be equitable
Showalter noted that the stakes in the electrical deregulation debate are huge. We spend $3.7 billion a year on electricity in the state, and the system is a complex one, with half the state's power provided by PUDs and co-ops and half from private sector companies.
How the electrical jigsaw puzzle will fit together in the future is still in doubt. But those attending the conference worked on pulling the pieces together so that the picture will include workers and consumers, and that public benefits and service standards will be established before energy deregulation goes any further.
Great Southwestern Construction Co. of Castle Rock, Colo., was fined $94,500 by the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries for "willful" violations of state safety-and-health laws in the April electrocution of a worker at the Bonneville Power Administration substation in Tumwater.
The worker, 36-year-old Brian Egeness of Glendive, Mont., died after being exposed to electricity from a 230-kilovolt transmission line on April 25.
Among the charges gainst the company are that it failed to use protective gear and procedures, and that it failed to have qualified supervisors who understand electric construction regulations. There were other charges as well, but these two were deemed willful, meaning Great Southwestern knew or should have known they were being violated.
Attempts by the Associated Press to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful. Their telephone number has been disconnected.
It looks like "Made in the U.S.A." will still mean made in the U.S.A., thanks largely to aggressive pressure put on Congress by the AFL-CIO's Union Label and Service Trades Department.
The Federal Trade Commission had proposed in May to make it easier for companies to put "Made in the U.S.A." labels on products with foreign parts or made by foreign workers. Under the proposed rule change, products could get the label even if they contained no American-made materials or components whatsoever.
In response, the AFL-CIO lobbied members of Congress to support a resolution calling on the FTC to retain its current "all or virtually all" of its current standards. As of last week, some 197 members of Congress had co-sponsored these resolutions, and sources at the FTC now say their proposal will be withdrawn.
"For about 50 years now, the 'Made in the U.S.A.' label has been a reliable symbol of pride for American consumers and workers," said Al Link, Secretary-Treasurer of the WSLC and the Washington State ULSTC. "Diluting the label's standards would have been a tremendous and unfortunate deception perpetrated against the American public because they probably wouldn't have realized the rules had even changed."
Members of House of Representatives from Washington who signed the resolution opposing the FTC proposal were Reps. Jim McDermott, Jack Metcalf and Adam Smith.
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