WSLC Reports Today -- Oct. 30-Nov. 2, 2001

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UPDATED DAILY M-F by 9 a.m. Pacific

WSLC Reports Today logo 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 are "positive" and some "negative." The intention is to inform. The creation of a link on this page does not constitute an endorsement of the ideas or content of that story.

Reports for Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 2001

News from previous weeks: October 23-26 -- October 15-18 -- October 8-12

FRIDAY, November 2 -- You're looking at the 2nd Best Labor Website in the Country™!
...plus -- P-I's Horsey: "While no one is paying attention..." (re: anthrax vs. corporate tax cuts)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- Majority of Boeing layoffs to hit by June; pace surprises unions
...plus -- U.S. House votes for private air security
— In today's News-Tribune -- Last-minute call from Bush fails to sway Rep. Smith
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Spokane reels in aftermath of closures, layoffs
...plus -- G-P official: City lawsuit didn't pulp mill closure
— In today's Seattle Times -- I-775: Vote "Yes" for quality home care (oped by Rep. Eileen Cody)
...plus -- The worst campaign for County Council (editorial: Voters who want to get away from poison politics should wash their hands of (Pam Roach's) grime and vote for Julia Patterson.")
— In today's Bremerton Sun - Part-time pay for full-time work? (re: community college faculty)

THURSDAY, November 1
New at AFLCIO.org -- Pass REAL worker relief in economic stimulus
— In today's Olympian -- Facing revenue shortfall, agencies propose cuts
...plus -- Early retirement for state workers suggested as a solution
— In the latest Mukilteo Beacon -- Brian Sullivan in the 21st (editorial)
— In today's Seattle Times -- The hidden assault (oped re: I-747 impact on libraries)
...plus -- Holes in the gas tank of our economic engine (oped re: why I-747 sucks)
— In today's Vancouver Columbian -- Bus drivers (IBT 58) OK contract, end strike
— In yesterday's Spokesman-Review -- Kaiser issues gloomy outlook
— At CNN.com -- Airport security: A system driven by the minimum wage
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Bush sets Nov. 30 deadline for economic stimulus
— In today's Washington Post -- Increasingly unsafe and sorry (Low-paid workers are finding themselves unlikely warriors in America's battle against terrorism. And, according to recent interviews, some are rethinking whether their jobs are worth the newly discovered stress and risk.)
...plus -- Attendees warned terrorist cells may be operating at site of next week's WTO meeting
...plus -- Captive workers, captive market (excellent oped on out-of-control prison industries)

WEDNESDAY, October 31 -- Final weekend! Volunteers needed in Snohomish Co.
...plus -- "Stop Fast Track" rally on Monday in Tacoma
— In today's News-Tribune -- Boeing studying all of its facilities
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- IAM sees no reason for Boeing study
— In today's Seattle P-I -- I-747 is a tax cut we cannot afford (oped)
— In today's Yakima Herald -- Court awards farm hands $374,000 in back pay
...plus -- Sunnyside school drivers, mechanics get first contract
— In today's Oregonian -- OHSU, nurses union back in bargaining
— In today's Seattle Times -- Togas and women's togs no cover for nasty politics (re: Nasty politics in the 21st legislative race, but also tells of recent campaign mailer by GOP state Sen. Pam Roach that reads: "Why is Julia Patterson so soft on illegal drugs and drug pushers? Does it have anything to do with the fact that they found a meth lab on her property?" Shameless and sad.)
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Linking poor performance to working after school
...plus -- The one-eyed man (Krugman column: The economic "stimulus" bill lavishes huge benefits on energy or mining businesses based in or near Texas.)
— In today's Washington Post -- Wall Street to Washington: Layoffs shatter lives
...plus -- White House urges quick action on economic stimulus
...and -- Losing health insurance (editorial: Critics say health care subsidizers are trying to piggyback on the stimulus bill... But on balance it would be stimulative, and good social policy.)
...and finally -- Class and war (Dionne column: The question of why the government was so slow to protect postal workers from anthrax exposure is one the rest of us should ponder too, because it forces us to confront the reality of class. That's a subject Americans like to avoid and that many push aside by claiming that merely to mention the problems of class is to engage in class warfare.)

TUESDAY, October 30 -- NAFTA has accelerated U.S. job loss, new report says
— In today's Spokesman-Review -- Boeing's Spokane plant in jeopardy
— In today's Salem S-J -- Aid the truly needy: Workers (oped by Oregon AFL-CIO's Tim Nesbitt)
— In today's Seattle P-I -- The working renter gets squeezed out
...plus -- I-773 aims to get tobacco out of kids' reach (The P-I seeks balance by quoting "opponents," a lobbyist for a small business group and the corporate think tank, Washington Research Council. But keep reading and you learn this lobbyist not only serves on the WRC's Board of Trustees, he also represents R.J. Reynolds Tobacco. Go figure.)
— In today's Seattle Times -- I-747 foes now flush with funds
— In today's Everett Herald -- Campaigns rife with images of flags, firefighters
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Bellingham teachers settle
...plus -- Council candidates make county employee raises a priority
— In today's SCJ -- Air security lapses anger cabin crews
— Today from AP -- Labor divided over federalizing airport screeners
— In today's Washington Post -- Airline security vote is expected to be close
...plus -- Poor work tolerated, says survey of federal employees
... also -- New United Airlines chief to open books to unions
...and finally -- Old rivalries stall plan to lift economy (When Gephardt realized House Republicans were moving ahead with their pre-Sept. 11 agenda and had no intention of compromising in the spirit of "bipartisan unity," he made a rare, unscheduled visit to GOP Speaker Dennis Hastert's office. "What happened?" Gephardt asked. "Things changed," Hastert said with a shrug.)
— In today's L.A. Times -- Bush seeks to tighten immigration
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Many of newly laid-off headed for retraining

MONDAY, October 29 -- Workshop Nov. 13 on "Blame-the-Worker" safety programs
...plus -- Conference on trafficking of women, children this Saturday
— In today's Seattle Times -- I-775: A solution or a problem?
— In Sunday's News-Tribune -- Local officials already scrambling to fight I-747's effects
...plus -- Five misconceptions about Initiative 747 (editorial)
— In Sunday's Spokesman-Review -- I-747: Truth or scare?
— In Sunday's Eastside Journal -- Eyman's I-747: All pain, no gain (editorial)
— In the new Seattle Weekly -- Why Sidran's staff organized, and how he busted their union
— In today's Bellingham Herald -- Teachers set to ink contract
— In today's N.Y. Times -- Shame in the House (Herbert column: The Republicans who control the House thumbed their noses at the ordinary Americans who will absorb the brunt of the economic downturn and shamelessly gift-wrapped yet another bundle of tax cuts for the very well-to-do.)
— In today's Washington Post -- A chance for the Senate (Editorial: The aid should go where the pain is. The stimulus measure should be aimed mainly at supporting the unemployed and limiting spending cuts by the states, which face both declining revenues and expanding needs.)
..plus -- SEIU supports GOP's airport bill seeking to head off federalized security

News from previous weeks: October 23-26 -- October 15-18 -- October 8-12

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2
You're looking at the 2nd Best Labor Website in the Country™!

The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO has won the 2001 "Second Award" for Best Website from the International Labor Communications Association in a national competition among all union locals, international unions and AFL-CIO state federations.

"From the eye-catching splash page, users choose their areas of interest. The information presented is complete and well-organized with a minimum on non-practical material," commented ILCA judges.

"Second place is pretty good," said WSLC webmaster D. Nolan Groves. "George W. Bush came in second place and he's President of the United States of America." In 2000, the WSLC also won an ILCA "Second Award" for General Excellence among State and Local AFL-CIO Central Body Publications.

"In many ways second is better than first, when you think about it," Groves said. "There's not as much pressure, you still have something to aspire to. No, really, I mean it. It doesn't bother me."

The website award will be presented at the ILCA's Journalism Awards Banquet during its annual convention Nov. 30 in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Groves cannot attend because it conflicts with his online counseling sessions.

The ILCA is a professional support organization for labor communicators in North America that works to strengthen and expand labor communications and to improve the professional and technical quality of member publications and union-sponsored media productions through educational programs, conferences, and a wide variety of instructional materials. ILCA membership is open to national, regional, and local union publications and media productions affiliated with the AFL-CIO or CLC. For more information contact the ILCA at ilca@aflcio.org.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2
P-I's Horsey: "While no one is paying attention..."

Today's effort from the Seattle P-I's Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist David Horsey is right on the money:

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31
Final weekend! Volunteers needed in Snohomish Co.

This is the last weekend before the election, and it is critical that union volunteers have a strong showing if we want to elect Brian Sullivan and Jean Berkey, the labor-endorsed candidates for State Representative in the 21st and 38th districts, respectively. Those elections will decide whether we break the 49-49 tie in the House or if our state will continues to suffer under political and legislative logjam the tie has created.

For months now, hundreds of union members from all over the state have volunteered their time to make phone calls and distribute literature to fellow union members in those districts explaining the importance of Tuesday's election and why Sullivan and Berkey earned labor's endorsement. This is your last chance to participate in the critical -- and fun -- effort.

Here is the schedule for Labor-Neighbor activities this weekend through Election Day:

SATURDAY

— 21st District Doorbelling & Literature Drop
Meet at the offices of the Edmonds Education Association, 19707 64th Ave. W. From the south (going north on I-5): Take the 44th Ave W./Lynnwood exit, turn left onto 44the Ave. W., turn left on 196th St., stay on 196th until you reach 64th, turn left on 64th. Building will be on left side of street. From the north (going south on I-5): Take exit #181 to 196th, turn right onto 196th, stay on 196th until you reach 64th, turn left onto 64th. The building is on left side of street.

8:00 a.m. – doors open
8:45 a.m. – training
9:30 a.m. – start

11:00 a.m. – Shift 2 meets
11:45 a.m. – training
12:30 p.m. – start

Please RSVP to Diane at 206-281-8901 or 1-800-542-0904, or Mitch at 425-879-0450.

SUNDAY

— 21st District Doorbelling & Literature Drop
Meet at the offices of the Edmonds Education Association, 19707 64th Ave. W. (see directions above)

11:00 a.m. – doors open
11:45 a.m. – training
12:30 p.m. – start

Please RSVP to Diane at 206-281-8901 or 1-800-542-0904, or Mitch at 425-879-0450.

— Phone Bank from 1 to 8 p.m. -- Volunteers needed at:
Everett Labor Temple, 2810 Lombard, Room #106
Directions: From the south (going north on I-5): Take the Broadway exit (exit #192), keep left at the fork in the ramp, merge onto Broadway, turn left onto Hewitt Ave. and turn right onto Lombard Avenue. From the north (going south on I-5): Take the US-2 East/Everett Avenue exit (exit number 194), turn right at the fork in the ramp, turn right onto Everett Avenue, turn left onto Broadway, turn right onto California St., turn left onto Lombard Ave.
Seattle Machinists 751 Hall, 9125 15th Pl. S.
Everett Machinists Hall, 8729 Airport Rd.

Please RSVP to:

Phone Bank Coordinators:
Everett Labor Temple: Mitch Seaman 425-879-0450
Seattle Machinists 751: Ronnie Behnke 206-764-0337
Everett Machinists 751: Ronnie Behnke 206-764-0337

MONDAY

— Phone Bank from 5 to 8 p.m. -- Volunteers needed at:
Everett Labor Temple, 2810 Lombard, Room #106 (directions above)
Seattle Machinists 751 Hall, 9125 15th Pl. S.
Everett Machinists Hall, 8729 Airport Rd.

Please RSVP to:

Everett Labor Temple: Mitch Seaman 425-879-0450
Seattle Machinists 751: Ronnie Behnke 206-764-0337
Everett Machinists 751: Ronnie Behnke 206-764-0337

TUESDAY

— Poll Checking / Lit Drop -- 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Meet at Everett Labor Temple, , 2810 Lombard, Room #106 (directions above)

Please RSVP to Diane at 206-281-8901 or 1-800-542-0904, or Mitch at 425-879-0450.

— Phone Bank from 1 to 7:30 p.m. -- Volunteers needed at:
Everett Labor Temple, 2810 Lombard, Room #106 (directions above)
Seattle Machinists 751 Hall, 9125 15th Pl. S.
Everett Machinists Hall, 8729 Airport Rd.

Please RSVP to:

Everett Labor Temple: Mitch Seaman 425-879-0450
Seattle Machinists 751: Ronnie Behnke 206-764-0337
Everett Machinists 751: Ronnie Behnke 206-764-0337

— Victory Celebration -- 8 p.m. to ?, Location to be determined for Sullivan and Berkey celebrations. But if you are looking for other worthwhile victory parties, try the No on I-747 celebration at Seattle's Edgewater Hotel (2411 Alaskan Way) in the 2nd floor's Cascade Rooms, or the Yes on I-775 celebration at Seattle Westin Hotel (1900 5th Ave.) in the Vashon Room.

Party on, Garth.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31
"Stop Fast Track" rally on Monday in Tacoma

Jobs with Justice and the Pierce County Central Labor Council have organized a "Stop the Fast Track to the Next NAFTA" rally for Monday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. just north of the Tacoma Federal Courthouse, 1717 Pacific Ave.

Why Tacoma? Largely to protest the position of U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-6th) on the issue. Dicks is the only Democrat in the nation who co-sponsored the Crane Fast Track bill to broaden President Bush's authority to negotiate trade agreements without fair labor and environmental standards. At the top of Bush's list of trade priorities is expanding the North American Free Trade Agreement throughout the Western Hemisphere with the so-called Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Newly released Economic Policy Institute data shows net job loss in every state of the nation caused by NAFTA. (See story below.)

"The recent economic downturn is already causing massive layoffs in our state. Can we risk more job loss with a bigger and badder NAFTAs?" reads a flier for Monday's rally, which will feature music by "The Longshore Troubadour" Vance Lelli. All are encouraged to bring banners and signs.

Directions: From the North, take I-5 South to Exit #133 at City Center & I-705, Right lane exit onto 21st St, Left over freeway, Right onto Pacific, and plenty of parking after 2 blocks.

For more information, contact Jobs with Justice at 206-441-4969 or at wsjwj@igc.org.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30
NAFTA has accelerated U.S. job loss, new report says

The United States has experienced steadily growing trade deficits for nearly three decades, but these deficits have accelerated rapidly since the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994 and the World Trade Organization was created in 1995, according to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute.

The report indicates all 50 states have experienced a net loss of jobs -- totaling more than 3 million jobs and job opportunities equal to 2.3 percent of the labor force -- since the implementation of the NAFTA. Washington state experienced a net job loss of more than 45,000, according to the report.

Meanwhile, at a time when our nation lurches toward recession with more than 500,000 workers losing their jobs since the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, White House officials argue that granting Fast Track trade negotiating authority to President Bush would stimulate the economy. The administration's first priority would be the Free Trade Area of the Americas, which would expand NAFTA throughout the Western Hemisphere. For more information on Fast Track and its current status in Congress, see the AFL-CIO web site.

"Where the Jobs Aren't", the new EPI report, cites the following:

While gross U.S. exports rose 61.5% between 1994 and 2000, imports rose much more, by 80.5%.
Job losses associated with the trade deficit increased six times more rapidly between 1994 and 2000 than they did between 1989 and 1994.
Every state and the District of Columbia suffered significant job losses due to growing trade deficits between 1994 and 2000. Ten states, led by California, lost over 100,000 net jobs.
The manufacturing sector, where the trade deficit rose 158.5% between 1994 and 2000, shouldered 65% of the surge in job losses during that period.
U.S. trade deficits with NAFTA partners Canada and Mexico increased nearly four-fold between 1993 and 2000, driven primarily by direct U.S. investment in Mexican and Canadian factories that export to the United States. The sustained appreciation of the U.S. dollar also encouraged investors around the world to build new and expanded production capacity at home to export more goods to the U.S. As a result, U.S. markets have been flooded with imports from Asia, Europe, Central and South America, and Africa since 1994.

The report's conclusion: "The real costs of NAFTA and the WTO for workers, communities, and businesses were greatly underestimated in the debates over these agreements, and the promised benefits have failed to materialize.

"But the conclusion to be drawn is not that further trade liberalization should be stopped. There is no doubt that, in the long run, a system of both freer trade and fair trade which ensures that all participants play by a well-defined set of humane, market-based rules can maximize incomes for most, if not all, countries around the world. NAFTA and the WTO have failed to achieve these desirable outcomes because they were fatally flawed. Existing trade agreements should be repaired and rebuilt before moving ahead with another round of broad, new trade deals."

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29
Workshop Nov. 13 on "Blame-the-Worker" safety programs

The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council and the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO will be sponsoring a very important safety-and-health workshop, "Confront Employers' Blame-the-Worker Safety Programs: A Union Approach to Safety and Health," on Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Machinists Hall, 9135 15th Place S. in South Seattle.

There is a movement in the employer community towards what they call "Behavior Based Safety Programs" (also know as safety incentive programs). These programs have been around for a long time and are becoming an increasingly popular part of employer’s so-called "safety efforts." When in fact they are thinly veiled attempts to shift the blame for workplace accidents and injuries to the worker. The theory that underlies these programs is that workers’ unsafe behaviors are to blame for workplace injuries and illnesses. Under this theory, providing prizes and rewards will encourage workers to behave safely on the job and therefore not get injured. Absent in the "blame the worker" theory is the role that hazardous conditions play in job-related injury, illness and death.

The Nov. 13 workshop will be facilitated by Nancy Lessin, a safety and health expert from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the George Meany Labor College, and Randy Loomans, Education and Safety Director for the Washington State Labor Council.

Protecting the safety and health of workers is among the union movement’s most important priorities. Safe jobs are critical to preserving and improving our quality of life. Our goals have been and must continue to be the greatest possible protections for all workers.

You can download a registration form (in Word format) that includes directions to the Machinist Hall. If you have any questions or would like a form faxed to you instead, call the WSLC's Olympia office at 360-943-0608.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29
Conference on trafficking of women, children this Saturday

A group of elected officials and several area organizations, including the Washington State Labor Council, are coming together this Saturday, Nov. 3 to educate the public about the world's third largest underground economy, trafficking in women and children. The conference will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the University of Washington's Mary Gates Hall.

With the slaying of Anastasia King and the case of Helen Clemente, the Filipina woman brought here to work as a servant, the trafficking of women and children made headlines here in Seattle last year. As many as 50,000 women and children from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe are illegally brought to the United States each year. Only the illegal trading of drugs and guns bring in more money.

"Women and children are being exploited - we need to educate people and do something about it," said Rep. Velma Veloria (D-Seattle). She and state Sen. Jeralita Costa (D-Marysville) looked at creating a task force last year to fight such exploitation.

This year, Veloria has enlisted the support of groups as varied as the Washington Council on International Trade, the AFL-CIO, Asian Pacific Islander groups, the University of Washington, the National Lawyers Guild and the Washington State Office of Trade and Economic Development.

Other speakers include Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Rep. Jeannie Darneille, Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, and Dr. Leslie Wolfe from the Center for Women Policy Studies in Washington DC, President Richard McCormick and Dr. Sutapa Basu from the University of Washington and several federal representatives of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Sen. Patty Murray has also been invited to speak at the conference.

Saturday's conference will include workshops on health and human services, trade, labor, mail-order brides, child exploitation, immigration, criminal justice and women's rights. It will focus on defining the problem of illegal trafficking, describing the scope of trafficking in Washington state and developing legislation to be considered in Olympia.

This event is co-sponsored by the Asian & Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Center (APIWFSC); Center for Women Policy Studies, Washington, D.C.; City of Seattle, Women's Commission; National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), Seattle Chapter; National Immigration Project, National Lawyer's Guild; Refugee Women's Alliance (ReWA); University of Washington, Center for Women & Democracy; University of Washington Women's Center; Washington Alliance for Immigrant & Refugee Justice (WAIRJ); Washington Council on International Trade; Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO; Washington State Office of Trade & Economic Development; and many others.

For more information, contact Gabriela Villareal at 206-709-1367 or Tatsuo Nakata at 206-720-3049.

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.