IUOE Strike news:  ▪  Show solidarity -- Join the picket lines!  (Aug. 4 posting) 
▪  In today's King County Journal -- Strike keeps construction on hold -- A lengthy strike by about 100 members of the International Union of Operating Engineers at four of the region's largest concrete companies could force summer-dependent projects into next year, raising their costs.
▪  In today's King County Journal -- Major projects brought to a halt in downtown Bellevue -- The Bravern and a new Lexus dealership have virtually stopped due to a lack of concrete, and many others will be affected if the concrete supply is cut off for a few more days.

Local news:
▪  In today's Seattle Times! -- Garbage firm signs contract -- Waste Management averts a possible garbage strike, finally signing a contract Teamsters Local 174 approved three months ago.
▪  Today from AP -- Report faults rejection of Hanford workers' comp claims -- Workers and retirees are being forced to navigate a maze of state and federal agencies and third-party administrators when they get sick or injured on the job... Now, a new report contends that Hanford workers' claims were denied at twice the rate of self-insured companies in Washington in 2004.
▪  In yesterday's Daily World -- Commissions to look at apprenticeship -- Union leaders are asking for Grays Harbor Co. and the PUD to set apprentice-utilization standards on public works projects.
▪  In today's Wenatchee World -- Chelan PUD board approves labor contract with IBEW 77
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- Port of Everett workers (ILWU 350) get new contract (brief... scroll down) 
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- Union (ILWU 350) sees positives in more port activity -- Union official Gig Larson retires after working for about 45 years on the Everett waterfront.
▪  In today's Oregonian -- Georgia-Pacific is cutting 130 workers at its Wauna Mill -- Word of layoffs comes shortly after economic development officials from Clatsop County and the state approved a big property tax break on a $193 million paper towel machine at the mill.
▪  In today's Salem S-J -- SEIU 503 in Oregon gathers member input about contract talks with state

Tip Penalty redux:
▪  In yesterday's Columbian -- Cantwell vows to protect state minimum wage -- "Simply put: This bill was bad for Washington workers," says Cantwell. "Over 122,000 of our workers who depend on tips to make ends meet would have had their wages reduced. Washington's workers shouldn't be penalized because we've had a higher minimum wage in our state for years and still managed to grow our economy. Our working families deserve better, and I will never stop fighting for them."
▪  In today's Yakima H-R -- Cantwell makes first campaign stop in Yakima -- She tells about 50 supporters gathered at the Carpenters Hall that her stance against a wage-and-tax bill was a vote for working people: "It would have put people out of house and home," says the senator.

The Big Kiss-Off:
▪  In today's LA Times -- Lieberman is defeated in primary -- The Connecticut senator, who supports the Iraq war, vows to run as an independent against Ned Lamont, an antiwar political newcomer.
▪  In today's NY Times -- Revenge of the irate moderates (editorial) -- The defeat of Senator Joseph Lieberman at the hands of a little-known Connecticut businessman is bound to send a message to politicians of both parties that voters are angry and frustrated over the war in Iraq.
▪  In today's Wash. Post -- Lamont relied on net roots -- and grass roots (news analysis) -- Six months ago, Ned Lamont's name recognition was, within the margin of error, zero. He made campaign fliers on a copy machine. But while Lamont's ultimate success has been widely attributed to the rising power of the antiwar movement and liberal Internet bloggers, the 52-year-old upstart from Greenwich became a political giant-killer by blending both new- and old-style politics.

Other political news:
▪  In today's Olympian -- Energy measure makes ballot -- I-937 proposes standards for the use of renewable energy by larger utilities. (WSLC has yet to take a position, but could at convention.)
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- In a parliamentary system, Reichert would be in trouble (McKay column) -- Reichert has been a faithful Republican stalwart, with a 2005 presidential support record of 86%, above the 81% of House Republicans... Most recently, Reichert went along with the GOP's outrageous linking of a minimum-wage increase with cuts in the estate tax.

Boeing news:
▪  From AP -- Machinists strike Boeing parts plant in Tennessee -- Some 300 machinists walked off the job three days ago after rejecting a contract (240-30) over job security and benefits.
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing unveils 737-900ER -- A higher-capacity, longer-range and lighter-weight model than the 737-900 it replaces rolls off the Renton assembly line.

National news:
▪  Today at AFL-CIO Now -- Bush pushes ANOTHER bad trade deal -- this time with Peru -- The Bush White House regularly claims other countries don’t want enforceable workers’ rights in the trade deals. But they can’t sing that tune this time. Last year, Peru President Alejandro Toledo offered to include internationally recognized basic labor rights standards, including the right to form unions. But the Bush administration rejected Toledo’s position because the United States would have to change some of its own laws to be in compliance.
▪  In today's Chicago Sun-Times -- Nurses sit in to protest pending NLRB rulings on union rights
▪  In today's Chicago Sun-Times -- AFSCME dues hike to pay for organizing -- Delegates approve an agenda to improve organizing and political effectiveness. Local unions will get $24 million of the $60 million raised by a $3 per member per month dues increase, phased in over three years.
▪  In today's Oregonian -- Blount freezes its defined-benefit pension plan -- Just days after Congress required companies with unhealthy retirement plans to shore them up more quickly, this company with 1,000 workers in Oregon announces it will switch to 401(k)-type plans.
▪  Today from AP -- BP needs workers, pipe for repairs of Alaska oil pipeline 

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.

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