WSLC Reports Today -- September 11, 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.

MONDAY, SEPT. 11 ▪ Five years ago today, more than 600 union members were killed in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks -- including 343 active-duty New York City firefighters who gave their lives trying to rescue thousands of people. We will never forget the sacrifice and heroism of these Brothers and Sisters, and all of the other 9/11 victims in NYC, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. Union members responded with an outpouring of funds and volunteered thousands of hours to help treat the injured and rescue and recover the victims.

Today, along with the moments of silence and ceremonies, you will hear a lot of political rhetoric about the war on terror, but you won't hear much about how short-sighted policies that have made the lives of more than 40,000 American rescue and recovery workers worse since 9/11. Read more at AFL-CIO Now.

Local news: ▪ 15 arrested in Korea trade protest, including WSLC's Stern and Johnson -- Robby Stern and Jeff Johnson of the Washington State Labor Council, along with several leaders of the South Korean labor movement, were arrested and later released in Saturday's protest of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) negotiations in Seattle. Protesters were angry about the talks' secrecy, and the negative impact an agreement is certain to have on workers in both nations, particularly South Korean farmers. "I was proud to be arrested alongside my Brothers and Sisters, these courageous and inspirational labor leaders from South Korea," Stern said. Read more about the KORUS, and The Seattle Times coverage of the arrests.

▪ Today from AP -- Tentative settlement in Seattle-area garbage strike -- Picket lines came down this morning, and garbage trucks are rolling again. Teamsters Local 174 truck mechanics who work for Waste Management Inc. of Houston will vote on contract ratification Tuesday night.
▪ In Sunday's Columbian -- "For sure, we're going down" -- Koch Industries officials say little about the former G-P Camas mill, where people have made paper for more than 120 years, other than that changes are ahead. But a slew of the 900 workers who have been in recent company meetings say the future is clear: The mill that looms over this riverside town is finished.
▪ In Saturday's Olympian -- State nurses will get a pay raise -- About 900 SEIU 1199NW nurses at state facilities, whose salaries are up to 42% behind those of counterparts in other government positions or in the private sector, will get a 20.7% raise next year under the proposed new contract. Contracts negotiated by other state worker unions, including the WFSE, contain similar provisions to move up certain state jobs' pay scale to competitive salary levels.
▪ In the P.S. Business Journal -- Seattle Times vote highlights disatisfaction over salaries
▪ In today's Everett Herald -- In a holding pattern -- Boeing's Everett plant makes 767 tankers for Italy and Japan. Whether it will make them for the U.S. depends on the Pentagon.
▪ In the News Tribune -- Ford will give Mulally $18.5 million to walk in the door -- (Doesn't suck.)

Political news:
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- Attack ads on judges paid for by fake PACs (Connelly column) -- Last week, an outfit called ChangePac reported a huge $400,000 donation from the BIAW. The check didn't have to travel far. The BIAW and ChangePac can be found at the same Olympia post office box.
▪ In Sunday's Seattle Times -- National criticism doesn't seem to stick once Hastings is home -- As House ethics chairman, he's been called "weak," "a flop" and "a leadership stooge." It's stinging criticism, but the reaction among voters in his district seems to be a collective shrug.
▪ In today's Seattle Times -- Rancher Peter Goldmark stands out in Palouse (Riley column) -- The Democrat is mounting a feisty, if underfunded, challenge to Rep. Cathy McMorris (R-5th).
▪ At the Horses Ass blog -- McGavick's fables -- The Republican's fantasy "state track title" is the latest example of a morality tale of life-lessons learned -- intended to illustrate his character. But what does it say when the anecdote turns out to be misremembered, or fabricated entirely?
▪ In Sunday's Seattle Times -- Democrats, labor mending fences (Broder column) -- For most of the past decade, the centrist Democratic Leadership Council has supplied the best policy thinking for the party while the labor movement has supplied most of the grass-roots organization and effort. For the first time now, you can see that mind and muscle working together.
▪ In Sunday's Miami Herald -- Union labors door-to-door to help get out the vote -- The AFL-CIO is embarking on the a door-to-door get-out-the-vote effort nationwide, targeting 21 governor's races, 15 Senate races and 50 House races before this November's midterm elections.

National news:
▪ In today's Washington Post -- War's critics abetting terrorists, Cheney says -- Yes, in his America, dissent is now considered not just unpatriotic, but dangerous. WSLC Reports Today just hopes that his administration's one-party stranglehold on our federal government is in its last throes.
▪ In today's NY Times -- Immigration movement struggles to regain momentum of spring marches
▪ In today's Washington Post -- Kentucky crash revives are traffic-control staffing dispute -- The controllers union has renewed its attack on FAA policies and understaffing.
▪ In today's NY Times -- 9/11/06 (editorial) -- (Post-9/11) was a time when the nation was waiting to find out what it was supposed to do, to be called to the task that would give special lasting meaning to the tragedy that it had endured. But the call never came. Without ever having asked to be exempt from the demands of this new war, we were cut out. Everything would be paid for with the blood of other people’s children, and with money earned by the next generation. Our role appeared to be confined to waiting in longer lines at the airport.

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.