WSLC Reports Today -- July 13, 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, JULY 13 ▪ Reichert's minimum wage opposition out of step with voters -- Even on a symbolic vote, the self-described "moderate" congressman sides with extreme conservatives in blocking an increase. "Bottom line -- Dave Reichert is more in touch with Bush and conservative GOP leaders than with the voters in his district, "says WSLC's Rick Bender.
▪ From AFLCIO -- TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to sign discharge petition on minimum wage
▪ In the NY Times -- Earning that congressional raise (editorial) -- It is hard to have patience with a body that allows its own pay to rise automatically while stonewalling any minimum wage hike.
▪ In today's NY Times -- Democrats link fortunes to rise in minimum wage -- Seeking to energize voters over economic issues similar to how the GOP has rallied conservatives with efforts to ban same-sex marriage, Democrats begin a broad campaign to focus attention on income inequality.

Estate Tax news:
▪ In today's Seattle Times -- Pressure builds as Senate's estate-tax vote looms -- As bait for Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Republican leaders may offer two incentives: tax breaks for timber companies and deductibility of the state sales tax from federal income taxes.

Political news:
▪ Today from AP -- Big donors lift BIAW's Boy to big lead in Supreme Court race -- BIAW lawyer John Groen, who has no judicial experience, is the only Supreme Court candidate who flouted new campaign contribution limits right before they took effect. Now, he has four times as much cash as his opponent, respected Chief Justice Gerry Alexander.
▪ In today's Olympian -- Cantwell, McGavick gathering money
▪ From AP -- State appeals ruling tossing Hanford initiative
▪ In today's Yakima H-R -- Hispanic governor will come to Sunnyside to get out the vote -- The nation's only Hispanic governor, Bill Richardson of New Mexico, is scheduled to visit Sunnyside on Saturday to rally Democrats.

Boeing news:
▪ From Bloomberg -- Boeing boosts estimate of jet demand -- Its 20-year delivery forecast rises 5.8% due to increasing demand in Asia and airlines' need to upgrade their fleets.
▪ In today's Everett Herald -- High fuel costs may benefit Boeing, drive demand for 787, 747-8 orders
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- It's Airbus' turn to be humble at next week's Farnborough Airshow

Local news:
▪ In today's Olympian -- State settles equal pay lawsuit -- A $30 million payout to 9,000 employees settles a suit over unequal salaries between state workers in higher ed and general government.
▪ In today's Seattle Times -- Vashon's ferry future in a fog -- King County won't be able to pick up the service next summer, which is when the State Legislature's funding commitment expires.

National news: ▪ "NLRB: Clean out your ears and hear us!" (at AFL-CIO Now)
▪ In today's Spokesman-Review -- Retirement at risk (editorial) -- For many years now, our nation's leaders chose to ignore obvious looming problems, and now the future of retirement in American is headed for a crisis... the retirement crisis is likely to heap even more burdens on American workers in the form of higher taxes and reduced benefits. It's a topic so bleak that relatively few people are facing up to it. But since this is an election year, congressional candidates should.
▪ In today's Washington Post -- Defense Dept. switching more workers to (illegal) NSPS -- About 66,000 more civil service employees are being shifted into the National Security Personnel System from October to January. As in the first phase, members of the second group of employees scheduled for conversion hold jobs that are not covered by union contracts.
▪ In today's Washington Post -- Grounded by layoffs, staying by choice -- Airlines are starting to call furloughed pilots back to work, but many are declining the offers.

Earlier this week: MONDAY, 7/10 -- TUESDAY, 7/11 -- WEDNESDAY, 7/12
Last week: Wednesday, 7/5 -- Thursday, 7/6 -- Friday, 7/7

THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2006
Reichert's minimum wage opposition out of step with voters

MORE ON THE MINIMUM WAGE

TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to sign discharge petition on minimum wage
(AFL-CIO Working Families e-Activist Network)

Earning that congressional pay raise (editorial in today's New York Times)
It is hard to have patience with a body that allows its own pay to rise automatically while systematically stonewalling minimum wage increases.

Greed is our greatest danger
(Molly Ivins column in Spokesman-Review)
I don't get it. What's the percentage in keeping the minimum wage at $5.15? After nine years? This is such an unnecessary and nasty Republican move.

In an interesting turn of events this week, a group of 25 moderate House Republicans sent a letter to House Majority Leader John Boehner requesting a vote to increase the federal minimum wage. With several GOP incumbents facing competitive challengers in the upcoming campaign season, the vote would be a symbolic, non-binding measure intended to provide vulnerable GOP candidates with a "yes" vote they could tout to voters in their districts.

That vote was held yesterday and sure enough, 64 Republicans -- many of whom have repeatedly voted against a minimum wage increase when it would have really counted -- voted "yes" and the measure easily passed, 260-159.

But U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-8th), a self-described "moderate" one-term congressman facing a strong election challenge this fall -- which makes him exactly the kind of congressman this symbolic political vote was designed to protect -- voted against increasing the minimum wage (again), alongside the most far-right conservative Republicans. Washington's other Congressional Republicans, Reps. Cathy McMorris (R-5th) and Doc Hastings (R-4th), also voted "no."

The federal minimum wage is currently $5.15 an hour and has not been increased in nine years, steadily eroding in value since that time. As the cost of health care, energy and other basic necessities have risen during that time -- often at paces that exceed the overall inflation rate -- full-time workers earning the federal minimum wage continue to make less than $11,000 a year, a wage well below the federal poverty line.

With 80% of Americans supporting a minimum wage increase, Democrats in Congress have been trying to increase it to $7.25 an hour, but yesterday's symbolic vote notwithstanding, Republican leaders have consistently blocked their efforts.

“Congressman Reichert comes from a state whose voters overwhelmingly passed a statewide initiative to boost Washington’s minimum wage and make it the highest in the nation,” said Darcy Burner, a Democratic congressional candidate opposing Reichert in this fall's election. “I would love to know why Reichert feels that working families in the rest of the nation don’t deserve the same.”

Labor leaders in Washington also reacted strongly to the news of Reichert’s vote.

“Bottom line -- Dave Reichert is more in touch with Bush and conservative GOP leaders than with the voters in his district,” said Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “Even when his fellow Republicans get on board in support of the increase, he doesn’t budge. It’s unconscionable.”

“Reichert doesn’t get it,” continued Bender. “But when November comes and Darcy wins, maybe then he’ll understand that it’s not okay to ignore the needs of working families in our nation. The voters in his district get it, and the moderate Republicans in Congress get it. But Reichert doesn’t get it at all.”

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.