WEDNESDAY, JULY 26  ▪  Labor Neighbor walks begin this Saturday in Seattle's 43rd -- Union members are urged to volunteer to spend a few hours Saturday visiting the houses of fellow union members to distribute leaflets in support of WSLC-endorsed State House candidate Lynne Dodson.

Local news:
▪  In today's Olympian -- Deal struck for state workers on health care -- They'll continue to pay 12% of health insurance costs and get a $756 rebate check next year under a deal the unions made with the governor's negotiators. Says WFSE's Greg Devereux: "In the end, people will view this as success on the health care side. We still have negotiations on the pay side."
▪  In today's News Tribune -- Federal corporate tax cut bill blocked in House -- House GOP leaders yanked a bill that could have cost Washington state more than $700 million in business tax revenue annually. Says Rep. Norm Dicks: “We went to full battle stations on this.”
▪  In today's News Tribune -- Wal-Mart foes in Lakewood dig in for last-chance battle
▪  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Sen. Murray keeping pressure on VA (editorial) -- We've come a long way since the threat of closure loomed over the Walla Walla VA medical center, and (VA boss) Nicholson's promise of a new state-of-the-art outpatient facility is welcome news. But without a plan for funding the proposal, Murray is doing the right thing by pressuring him to keep his word.

Political news:
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Credit two House longshots for challenging safe seats (Connelly column) -- The "People's House" on Capitol Hill -- with its 99% incumbent re-election rate -- has become fetid, stridently partisan and ruled like a plantation. So bully for Peter Goldmark and Steve Beren for challenging Reps. McMorris and McDermott for what the experts tell us are "safe" seats.
▪  In today's Yakima H-R -- McGavick wants lots of debates; Cantwell says not until after primary
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Voters will get their say on electing King Co. auditor; Sims decries move
▪  In the (Aberdeen) Daily World -- Sid Snyder Avenue to be dedicated in Olympia on Friday

National news:
▪  In today's NY Times -- Borrowing language of civil rights movement, drive is on to unionize guards -- SEIU aims to organize more than 70,000 office-building security guards nationwide this summer, a group that in many cities is more than 50% African-American. Those cities include Los Angeles, where guards’ pay averages $8.50 an hour, or about $17,700 a year.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Tax cuts come at a price, study says -- The government will need to either cut spending or raise taxes down the road to pay for extending Bush's tax cuts, says the Treasury Dept., dismissing the idea popular among Republicans that sacrifices can be avoided.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Failed WTO trade talks usher in uncertainty -- The profound issue confronting policymakers around the world is whether globalization has been fundamentally redirected, slowed or possibly thrown into reverse.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- A winning strategy for Democrats: Barter for free trade (column) -- The idea isn't to kill free trade. It's to take it hostage... The defection of formerly free-trade Democrats has made it impossible to get any trade treaty or trade-negotiating authority through Congress. That's a big problem for the business community. Democrats now have a perfect opportunity to deliver what the business community wants -- and to demand in exchange programs designed to provide workers more economic security. But such negotiations will never succeed if influential Democrats give away the store in advance by signaling they support all trade liberalization.
▪  Today from AP -- "Living wage" battle heats up in Chicago -- Its council considers an ordinance today to make Chicago the largest U.S. city to require "big box" retailers to pay workers more.

Labor Neighbor 2006, the Washington State Labor Council's grassroots member-to-member political mobilization effort for this fall's election, is well underway as many WSLC affiliates have done early worksite leafleting and mailings to their members on the important U.S. Senate and State Supreme Court races. But this Saturday, it kicks into high gear with the first neighborhood walk of the season.

Union members are urged to volunteer to spend a few hours Saturday visiting the houses of fellow union members in Seattle's 43rd legislative district. The leaflet describes why the unions that comprise the WSLC endorsed Lynne Dodson, a candidate for the district's open seat for State House of Representatives. A community college professor at Seattle Central Community College, Dodson has served as President of American Federation of Teachers Local 1789 and co-chair of Washington State Jobs with Justice. (Download the WSLC leaflet for more information on Dodson.)

The Labor Neighbor walks this Saturday, July 29 will begin with brief trainings and dispatch from the WSLC Seattle office, 314 First Ave. West in lower Queen Anne near the Key Arena. Volunteers will be teamed up and dispatched for two shifts: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 12:30 to 5 p.m.  Please RSVP if you plan to help out by filling out our online Volunteer Form or contacting WSLC Field Mobilization Director Benjamin Lawver at 206-281-8901 ext. 17.

Check out the schedule for pre-Primary Labor Neighbor walks and phone banks to identify other opportunities around the state to volunteer.

We hope to see you and your local union represented on Saturday!