WSLC Reports Today -- June 29, 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.

THURSDAY, JUNE 29 ▪ Inslee will join July 6 "Conversation With Your Congressman" -- Rep. Jay Inslee (D-1st) has accepted an invitation from the Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans to attend "A Conversation with Your Congressman" on Thursday night, July 6 in Bellevue. This unique public forum on working families' issues seeks to avoid election politics. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-8th) has yet to respond to the invitation. Learn more.

Also today: ▪ Will Work for Ramen: The Truth About Tech Jobs (at TechsUnite.org) -- American CEOs say the high-tech economy is booming, yet they're offshoring tens of thousands of IT jobs! Confused??? So are we. Check out this short, funny animated film that tells the truth about America's struggling tech economy -- and the skilled workers who are paying the price.

Justice for Sale news:
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- Conservative judicial candidates get help -- A conservative Christian group that led the unsuccessful fight to block Washington's new gay rights law has teamed with the BIAW to hire paid canvassers to elect right-leaning candidates to the state Supreme Court.

Estate Tax news:
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- Timber tax cut puts Sens. Cantwell, Murray in a tight spot -- Republicans hope they can get their votes for an estate tax rollback by coupling it with the long-sought timber tax break. Murray and Cantwell have both said they are undecided about their vote, which is now expected after the Senate returns from the July 4th break.
▪ Today from AP -- Deadline approaches for petition signatures -- Backers of I-920, which would repeal state estate taxes for Washington's richest 200 families, say they have sufficient signatures and will file them on Friday.
▪ In today's NY Times -- Estate tax bill could hurt charities -- Also, some heirs may have to wait years or even decades longer to collect inheritances, while surviving wives or husbands receive larger inheritances. ("The ~~Paris Hilton~~ Anna Nicole Smith Tax Cut"?)

Local news:
▪ In today's News Tribune -- Alaska Airlines seeks quitters -- It has already set aside $5 million to pay flight attendants who accept the company’s severance offer. It could spend millions more for severance if some of the 3,600 members of the IAM locals representing its counter, gate and reservations workers and its ramp workers in Alaska accept tentative contracts.
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- New 787 plants a boon for economy

National news:
▪ From the Economic Policy Institute -- CEO pay-minimum wage ratio soars -- In 2005, an average CEO made 821 times as much as a minimum wage earner -- earning more before lunchtime on the very first day of work in the year than a minimum wage worker earns all year. That ratio nearly doubled in the past three years -- up from 416 times in 2002. It was 275 times in 1995.
▪ In today's LA Times -- Hotel union's new program stirs concern -- The program, called Informed Meetings Exchange, or Inmex, advises event planners of labor disputes at meeting venues. Critics accuse UNITE HERE of trying to boost its membership. (Well... duh!)
▪ In the NY Times -- FAA plan to cut costs could change busy offices -- The air traffic controllers' union says the moves will discourage veteran controllers from applying for jobs at busier towers.
▪ In today's LA Times -- Economic jitters an albatross for Bush -- All year long, Bush and his aides have tried to convince Americans that the economy is in good shape -- and that the president deserves some credit for that. A new poll finds that effort is not making much headway.
▪ In today's NY Times -- A loss for competitive elections (editorial) -- Instead of standing up for a fair electoral landscape, the Supreme Court produced a ruling that did little to ensure the vibrancy of American democracy, and that itself had an unfortunate whiff of partisanship.

Earlier this week: MONDAY, 6/26 -- TUESDAY, 6/27 -- WEDNESDAY, 6/28

THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2006
Inslee to join July 6th "Conversation With Your Congressman"
No word yet from Reichert about Bellevue event focusing on issues, not elections

Will Reichert sign EFCA?

On the agenda for the "Conversation With Your Congressman" event July 6 in Bellevue is the Employee Free Choice Act, federal labor law reform which would restore the freedom to join unions. Learn more.

The EFCA now has 215 co-sponsors in the House -- including 15 Republicans -- just three short of an outright majority. The Washington State Labor Council and other unions have encouraged Rep. Dave Reichert (R-8th) and our state's other two Republican U.S. Representatives to join Washington's entire Democratic congressional delegation in co-sponsoring the EFCA. (Both Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray are among the 43 co-sponsors in the Senate.)

Come to Bellevue on July 6 to hear Rep. Jay Inslee (D-1st) discuss why he thinks the EFCA is so important, and hopefully, to hear Rep. Reichert explain his position on this important issue.

The Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans is hosting "A Conversation With Your Congressman" at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 6 at the North Bellevue Community Center, 4063 148th Ave. N.E. This event is open to the public; union members and their families are invited and encouraged to attend.

Both U.S. Reps. Jay Inslee (D-1st) and Dave Reichert (R-8th) have been invited to attend the event being held during a congressional recess at a site on the border of their adjoining congressional districts. Rep. Inslee has accepted that invitation, and organizers are still waiting to hear from Rep. Reichert's office.

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.

So at the "Conversation With Your Congressman" event, both Reps. Inslee and Reichert 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.