WSLC Reports Today -- June 23, 2006

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WSLC Reports Today
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Links are functional at date of posting, but sometimes expire. Some links require free registration. WSLC Reports Today links to stories of interest to organized labor; some positive, some negative. The intention is to inform.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23 ▪ "Conversation with Your Congressman" planned for July 6 -- SAVE THE DATE for this unique event in Bellevue where Reps. Jay Inslee and Dave Reichert have been invited to remove their campaign hats, and talk about issues important to working families.

Estate Tax news:
▪ Today from AP -- House backs off repeal, votes to cut estate tax -- In a 269-156 vote, Reps. Rick Larsen, Brian Baird, Doc Hastings, Cathy McMorris, and Dave Reichert vote for the tax cut, while Reps. Jay Inslee, Norm Dicks, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith vote against it.
▪ In today's NY Times -- GOP priorities: Comforting the comfortable (editorial) -- Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed an estate-tax cut that is a repeal in everything but name.
▪ In today's NY Times -- GOP priorities: Afflicting the afflicted (editorial) -- As Republicans fight to exempt the richest from estate taxes, they are blocking a raise for the nation's poorest workers.

Political news:
▪ In yesterday's Columbian -- Unions respect workers (letter... scroll down) -- The Columbian bemoans the proportion of (union political) donations going to Democrats. Are they really saying that we should donate to candidates who oppose improving our working environment? As an aside, business outspent labor in the 2004 elections by 22 to 1.
▪ In today's Oregonian -- Pickets oppose I-933 -- Opponents picket in Vancouver, Olympia and Spokane over I-933, which would create a “pay or waive” system that makes communities decide whether to waive laws for special interests or force taxpayers to pay them to follow rules. ▪ In today's Spokesman-Review -- State Senate challenger Chris Marr has biggest war chest -- GOP incumbent Sen. Brad Benson says he's unfazed by Marr's $168,000 to $34,000 advantage.
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- McGavick's views echo those of Bush (Connelly column) -- He is pledging to be Bambi while cavorting with Godzilla. All talk of civility aside, McGavick's views echo those of President Bush and the most deliberately polarizing White House of modern American history.
▪ In today's Seattle Times -- Senate hopeful McGavick feeds his coffers in D.C. -- Breakfast with a high-powered firm that lobbies Congress to cut corporate taxes, and dinner with a group of investment and insurance CEOs who want to privatize Social Security, nets him a pile of cash.
▪ In today's Seattle Times -- Cantwell gets assist from foe -- McGavick complains about offensive ad attacking Cantwell, and thus successfully draws attention to it while distancing his campaign. More noteworthy is Cantwell's position on the estate tax: A spokesperson says she thinks the current tax is too high but complete repeal goes too far. "She'd like to see a compromise in between so that family farms and small businesses don't have to face that kind of tax."

Local news:
▪ Today from AP -- Thousands of Alcoa workers vote on union contract -- The 4-year deal would cover 9,000 USW members in 15 plants, including about 250 at Alcoa's Wenatchee plant.
▪ In today's Spokesman-Review -- Kaiser Aluminum ready to exit Chapter 11 -- It will open July 6 with a clean balance sheet and new board of directors appointed by the company and the USW.
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- Mayor outlines plan to pay for tunnel -- The plan, which includes tolls and taxes from landowners whose property values would go up, won Nickels immediate praise.
▪ In today's Bellingham Herald -- County property tax limits should remain (editorial)
▪ In today's News Tribune -- Inflation should drive allowable tax increases (editorial) -- A more logical control on government spending (than a flat percentage cap) is the rate of inflation.

National news:
▪ In today's NY Times -- Supreme Court gives workers broader protection against retaliation at work -- The 9-to-0 decision adopted a broadly worded and employee-friendly definition of the type of retaliation that is prohibited by the basic federal law against discrimination in employment.
▪ In today's Washington Post -- Unions compete to represent Homeland Security employees (column) -- Two of the biggest federal unions (AFGE and NTEU) have been campaigning against each other for months for the right to negotiate on behalf of Customs and Border Protection workers. Yesterday was the deadline for about 25,000 to cast their votes. A result is expected next week.
▪ In today's (Longview) Daily News -- It's up to Congress to contain skyrocketing drug costs (editorial) -- The obvious remedy is to give Medicare authority to negotiate for lower drug prices, rather than leave it to participating insurers. Instead, Congress specifically denied Medicare that authority. It's time this Congress stopped looking out for drug makers' profit margin and started serving the interests of Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.
▪ Today from AP -- As deadline arrives, many GM workers still pondering buyout offer
▪ In today's NY Times -- House GOP schedules immigration "hearings" in states bordering Mexico -- (This story is more of the same, but is worth viewing for the grumpy-old-white-guys photo.)

Earlier this week: MONDAY, 6/19 -- TUESDAY, 6/20 -- WEDNESDAY, 6/21 -- THURSDAY, 6/22

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2006
"Conversation with Your Congressman" planned for July 6
Reps. Inslee, Reichert invited to Bellevue forum designed to avoid election politics

Given the critically important working families issues before Congress, it is frustrating that citizens have such a difficult time figuring out where their U.S. Representatives even stand on those issues. Too often, their positions are presented in cookie-cutter "thank you for contacting me" response letters, or in sound-bite friendly talking points -- both seemingly vetted by political consultants -- that inspire more questions than they answer.

That's why the Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans is hosting a "A Conversation With Your Congressman" at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 6 at the North Bellevue Community Center, 4063 148th Ave. NE

SAVE THE DATE: THURSDAY, JULY 6th! This event is open to the public. Union members and their families are encouraged to attend.

Both U.S. Reps. Jay Inslee (D-1st) and Dave Reichert (R-8th) have been invited to attend the event, which is being held during a congressional recess at a site right on the border of their adjoining congressional districts. They will be asked to describe their positions and answer questions on the following four working families issues: the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, offshore outsourcing of American jobs, the Employee Free Choice Act labor law reform, and the estate tax.

This is not intended to be a political debate. In fact, this forum very deliberately seeks to avoid that, which is why the congressmen's election opponents were not invited. Each issue will be briefly summarized by experts on that topic, audience members will describe their personal experiences on the issue, and the congressmen will explain their positions and answer audience questions.

The format is intended to create an opportunity for our elected U.S. Representatives to listen to their constituents' concerns, describe where they stand on important issues in a clear and substantive way, and respond directly to citizens' questions -- all outside the politically charged environment of an election debate.

Along with the Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans, the "A Conversation With Your Congressman" event is co-sponsored by Washington Citizen Action, the Washington State Labor Council, and the Washington Tax Fairness Coalition. For more information, contact the ARA's Steve Dzielak at (206) 718-0770 or the WSLC's Benjamin Lawver at (206) 281-8901.

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.