WSLC
Reports Today
Updated DAILY...
Almost Every Day™ by 9 a.m.
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.
FRIDAY,
NOV. 3 ▪
Justice
Owens' experience, integrity won labor's endorsement -- The
WSLC endorsed Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens for re-election because of
her experience, integrity, independence and commitment
to upholding the Constitution. Her opponent, Republican legislator Steve
Johnson, has never been a judge and has a legislative voting record of
siding with the same corporate special
interests that are financing his campaign.
Local news:
Reichert-&-Bush-Finger-Bus-Driver
update: BACKGROUND -- During his
fundraising trip for Dave Reichert, President George Bush told Sheriff Dave
that he saw an Issaquah school bus driver flip him off. Sheriff Dave (who
didn't see it) promptly called the school district and the driver was fired.
The 42-year-old woman has now filed a union grievance, claiming wrongful
termination. Other
political news: National
news:
Labor
Neighbor:
▪
VOLUNTEER to Get Out The Vote!
-- Check out the
schedule for Labor Neighbor's GOTV activities. Phone banks and household
walks are being staged this weekend through Election Day in Auburn,
Bellingham, Everett, Seattle, Silverdale, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver. Sign
up for volunteer shifts -- and help change the direction of this
country!
▪ In
today's SF Chronicle -- Election
is a big test of get-out-the-vote operations -- Analysts say a superior
turnout operation at best provides a 1 to 2 percent advantage, but with
dozens of tight races, even a tiny margin could determine who controls
Congress.
▪ At the
governor's web site -- Gregoire
announces $315 million in savings for employers, workers
▪ In
today's Olympian -- Workers'
comp costs could fall -- AWB welcomes the rate suspension plan, saying
some may prefer a rate discount, but that approach could bring higher rates
later.
▪ In
today's Seattle Times -- Boeing's
top labor consultant to retire, may consult for Ford's Mulally -- News
of Jerry Calhoun's departure is no surprise to the Boeing unions, but it
elicited diametrically opposed reactions from blue-collar and white-collar
labor representatives. IAM's Tom Buffenbarger: "We'll
miss him at negotiations, but not in the fond kind of way." SPEEA's
Charles Bofferding: "We have a longstanding,
positive and trusting relationship with Jerry."
▪ In
today's King County Journal -- Viaduct
closure to hit home -- The entire region, not just Seattle, is expected
to lose $2 billion per year and 32,000 jobs, according to a new study.
▪ In
today's Everett Herald -- Remembering
the Everett Massacre -- Ninety years ago come Sunday, a shot shattered
the uneasy quiet. So began the bloodiest battle in Northwest labor history.
When the shooting stopped, seven men lay dead or dying on Everett's
waterfront.
▪ In
today's Seattle P-I -- Child-labor
activist to speak here --
Craig Kielburger has collected three Nobel Peace Prize
nominations, kicked down the doors of Indian child-labor factories, written
books and hung out with the Dalai Lama. And he's only 23.
▪ At the
Times' Postman on Politics blog -- Reichert
bragged about busting bird-flipping bus driver --
"The very next day, you know
what I did? I called the superintendent of that school district and that bus
driver no longer works for that school. That's the old sheriff part of me
still around."
▪ In today's Seattle
Times -- Issaquah
bus driver appeals firing for "flipping off" President Bush --
Says AFSCME's Chris Dugovich: "There's only one individual who saw this
and it happens to be the president of the United States. We're interested in
saving her employment."
▪ At
YouTube.com -- Our
president, and his delicate sensibilities regarding "one-fingered
salutes"
▪ In
today's Seattle Times -- Mailings'
magic number: 499 --
Reichert skirts campaign finance rules by sending
taxpayer-financed mailings to tell constituents "of my efforts to
support local law enforcement" and such. He's sent thousands as the
election nears, but no more than 499 at a time because 500 would be a
prohibited. He is the 7th-largest (ab)user of this
"franking privilege."
▪ In
today's Seattle P-I -- Negative
ads target viable challengers (Connelly column) --
Darcy Burner
has been demonized, "defined" in political
consultant parlance, by negative TV spots. The latest is the most
condescending, sexist TV ad that I've seen in decades of campaign watching.
▪ In
today's Seattle P-I -- Preventing
chaos (editorial against Initiatives 920 and 933)
▪ In
today's Seattle P-I -- A
cleaner future (editorial supporting Initiative
937)
▪ A
shocker from AP -- No
Ethics report on GOP's Foley, pages before Election Day
▪ From
AP -- Businesses
may move health care overseas -- Business and insurance companies eye
the potential savings of outsourcing from the world's richest country to the
developing world.
▪ In
today's NY Times -- Janitors'
union, recently organized, strikes in Houston -- SEIU is increasing
pressure in different places and ways in the hope of reaching a quick
settlement.
FRIDAY,
NOVEMBER 3, 2006
Justice Owens' experience,
integrity won labor's endorsement
Her challenger, a Republican
legislator, has history of siding with corporate interests
The affiliated local unions that comprise the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO voted to endorse incumbent Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens for re-election because she has served as a judge for 25 years with integrity, independence and a strong commitment to upholding the Constitution. Her opponent, Republican State Senator Steve Johnson, has never been a judge and has a legislative voting record of siding with the same corporate special interests that are financing his campaign and against the interests of working families.
The WSLC prepared a side-by-side Owens-Johnson candidate comparison flier -- entitled "Judge for Yourself: Who Should Be Supreme Court Justice?" -- for distribution to union members and their families, that includes the following explanation for why Owens earned the WSLC's endorsement:
| Justice
Susan Owens In 2000, Owens was elected the 7th woman to serve on the State Supreme Court. She served 19 years as a District Court Judge in Clallam County, and was elected President of the District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association. |
Stephen Johnson |
|
Exceptionally
Well-Qualified |
Special
interest financing The major source of Johnson’s campaign funding is the Building Industry Assoc. of Washington, a developers’ lobbying group. (Seattle P-I, 9-15-06) The BIAW has pumped more than $1 million into Johnson’s and other Supreme Court campaigns. |
| Smalltown
Perspective
(Tacoma) News Tribune: Owens’ assets include "a rural Washingtonian perspective gained as a small-town lawyer and tribal judge on the Olympic Peninsula, Owens holds her own as a member of the court, and we see no reason to dump her." (News Tribune, 8-27-06) |
Corporate
Perspective |
|
Judicial
Experience
|
No
Judicial Experience |
Justice Owens is endorsed by hundreds of judges, victim's rights advocates, public safety professionals and newspapers around the state.
The Olympian wrote, "Her experience dealing with real people with real issues at the court closest to the people set a moral tone for a small community. That experience serves her well, as does her years as a tribal court judge -- the first in the state history... When it comes to trial court experience, Owens runs circles around her opponent. That's why voters should re-elect Justice Susan Owens to the State Supreme Court on November 7th."
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer wrote, "The state's judicial system and its citizens will be well served by retaining Owens on the Supreme Court."
The Tri-City Herald wrote that "...Susan Owens has something challenger Stephen Johnson does not: Experience as a judge." The Herald also stated, "Experience on the bench is an advantage to anyone hoping to be a competent state Supreme Court Justice. The depth of knowledge that comes from presiding over the lower courts is the best background for the state’s highest court... Owens brings a solid and direct voice to the bench..."
The News Tribune wrote, "...Owens has demonstrated a measured temperament and brings a much needed rural Washington insight to the court. She deserves voters' support again."
The Daily World wrote, "She has served for six years on our Supreme Court. She is a fair and independent judge who has served us well, and deserves re-election... Justice Owens is a sound legal scholar who writes well-crafted opinions for the court. She respects the Constitution and the other branches of government. Her long experience on the bench contrasts the very limited courtroom experience of her opponent."
For more information about the WSLC's election endorsements, click here.
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.
Copyright © 2006 Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO