Local news:
▪  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Hanford workers need role in pension talks (editorial) -- DOE's decision to delay changes (cuts) in Hanford benefits for a year is a welcome first step. It needs to be followed by a meaningful dialogue among DOE, contractors, employees and political leaders.
▪  In the Seattle Weekly -- Fertile common ground -- Farmworker unions and growers are uniting against a common foe: price pressure. UFW says the ultimate goal is to figure out a way to get more money back to the farm so that both workers and farmers can benefit.
▪  In today's Yakima H-R -- L&I backs off tractor rollover rules -- Enforcement of a new policy aimed at preventing small-tractor rollovers is suspended after employers complain it's too subjective.
▪  In Saturday's Seattle P-I -- Boeing bonuses could reach $5,400 -- About 63,000 current and past Boeing workers in the Puget Sound area should get their stock awards in early August.
▪  Monday at WFSE.org -- Community Colleges of Spokane guilty of ULPs -- PERC says colleges guilty of illegal contracting out, "skimming" of bargain unit work and other related charges.
▪  In Monday's Olympian -- 1.6% raise for state employees in effect, but future boosts iffy -- Negotiations on pay raises and benefits have not yet begun, but state worker unions say hanging on to this year's pay raise and adding to it is a given.
▪  In the News Tribune -- State is about to open bill on retiree health care (Dick Davis column) -- A new accounting rule will force Washington state to show what should be set aside annually to meet the future costs of these obligations, rather than handle the costs on a "pay-as-you-go" basis.
▪  At Chris Mulick's Olympia Dispatch blog -- Washington's state, local tax burden ranks 29th in nation

Political news:
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- An opportunity lost (editorial) -- Reps. Reichert and McMorris blew a chance to provide real leadership when they failed to oppose a resolution condemning the press.
▪  In today's Salem S-J -- Oregon GOP gubernatorial candidate Saxton, unions aren't cozy -- He has suggested the temporary firing of all public employees to end their guaranteed pension plan.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Democrats not eager to emulate Texas's redistricting -- A state-by-state analysis, however, finds that Democrats' ability and apparent willingness to seize the opportunity left by the high court ruling in favor of the Texas plan are slim.
▪  At Real Clear Politics -- Revenge of Wal-Mart voters -- While 85% of frequent Wal-Mart shoppers voted for Bush in 2004 (and 88% of people who never shop there voted for Kerry), Wal-Mart voters have turned on the president. In a poll earlier this month, they gave Bush a 35% approval rating, and 51% of them agreed with the statement that it's "time for the Democrats to take over and run" Congress -- as opposed to just 31% who think "Republicans deserve to retain control." 

Outsourcing news:
▪  From Reuters -- Outsourcing maintenance a growing trend among airlines -- Labor-intensive aircraft maintenance work going to outside vendors with cheaper nonunion workers.
▪  In the P.S. Business Journal -- Law firms mull offshore outsourcing -- Some predict outsourcing of legal services, which can range from work typically performed by paralegals to that usually done by attorneys, will accelerate as law firms respond to clients' desire to manage their costs.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- World puts brakes on rush to globalization (Pearlstein column) -- Up to now, globalization has been the project of business and economic elites who have largely foisted it on a wary or unsuspecting public. Now, globalization has entered its more democratic phase. And it's likely to be a messy phase, at that.

National news:
▪  Today at Working Life blog -- Stop the presses: Employer resistance rises -- The headline in The Wall Street Journal this morning could have been "Employers Love Anti-Union Labor Laws."
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- Federal court says size matters; Wal-Mart isn't smiling -- The U.S. court rules a city ordinance barring big-box retailer Wal-Mart doesn’t infringe on the company’s rights.
▪  In today's Wash. Post -- Security guards eye organizing -- But some black leaders are worried a strong union could backfire, pushing black workers out of an employment sector they dominate.
▪  From AP - Bush's new Treasury Secretary got $18.7 million bonus for 6 months' work
▪  In today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -- Contest seeks out worst bosses in America -- Weekly winners are eligible to win the grand prize: a one-week vacation with $1,000 towards airfare.