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January 22, 2007 |
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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.
MONDAY,
JAN. 22 ▪
New
booklet covers the basics on labor unions for beginners
Legislative news: Local
news: Health
Care news: Other
national news:
▪ In
today's Olympian -- Lawmakers
seek ways to fill pension gaps -- How to
fill in the funding gap is one of three major retirement system concerns
facing the Legislature. Another concerns a benefit called “gain sharing”
that gives a share of excess investment earnings to employees. State workers
unions say their members expect something in return if that benefit is
cancelled.
▪ In
today's News Tribune -- Gregoire
wants more toll projects -- She wants two more projects like the second
Tacoma Narrows bridge, where the state partners with a private contractor to
design and build a new highway, bridge or ferry terminal project and
probably uses tolls to pay for it.
▪ In
today's Seattle P-I -- Alaskan
Way Viaduct: What a stinkin' mess (editorial) -- Seattleites
will vote on two options, an elevated roadway ($2.8 billion) and the mini,
four-lane tunnel ($3.41 billion) that Mayor Greg Nickels pitched to Gregoire
and she rejected. Or they may vote for both. What would that mean? Heck if
the Council knows. Even they seem to know that the vote is pointless.
▪ In
Sunday's Olympian -- Long-serving
Chopp keeps enigmatic aura -- Counting his time as co-speaker, Chopp is
Washington's longest-serving House Speaker, now in his ninth year.
▪ In
today's Everett Herald -- GOP
can expect battle for its chief -- Saturday in Tukwila, Republican
Chairwoman Diane Tebelius and former state Sen. Luke Esser will vie to be
party chair.
▪ In
today's News Tribune -- Tacoma
Comm. College leader files suit against union, teacher -- The vice
president of instruction at TCC is suing AFT Washington for publishing an
article that said he was facing “more lawsuits” for discrimination,
wrongful termination and prejudice.
▪ In
today's Tri-City Herald -- Some
state workers say site is "sick" -- Some blame mold in the
Department of Corrections office in Kennewick for a host of illnesses and
medical problems.
▪ In
today's Seattle Times -- Seattle
schools seek $887 million -- On Feb. 6, the school district will ask
taxpayers for $887 million for new and renovated buildings, plus to maintain
basic programs.
▪ From
AP -- Washington
state employees pledge a record $5.9 million to charities
▪ In
today's Oregonian -- From
convent to union organizer -- Jean Eilers joined
the Sisters of the Holy Child, driven by a desire to do good. But after
spending years teaching mostly wealthy kids at exclusive Catholic schools,
she yearned to work more directly for social change.
▪ In
today's King County Journal -- Nothing. The KCJ
ceased publication on Sunday. The staff of WSLC Reports Today will miss the
KCJ, but not its conservative anti-union editorial bent. Any takers to publish
regular columns by right-wing radio hosts John Carlson and Michael Medved?
▪ In
today's Denver Post -- Wal-Mart
Fair Share ruling may mobilize reformers (column) --
The courts' voiding of the Maryland law thus means
Wal-Mart has won a legal skirmish in the long-running health care battle.
But the fight between Wal-Mart and Maryland seems to mostly to have fired up
the losing side -- and mobilized health care reformers around the country.
▪ In
today's LA Times -- Targeting
Wal-Mart again (editorial) --
The fate of Maryland's Fair Share law shows how easy it is for a statewide
experiment to run afoul of federal regulations, even if that experiment is
about solving a problem rather than aiming public opprobrium at a popular
target.
▪ In
Sunday's Columbian -- Pool
money for state health care, Blue Ribbon panel suggests -- One
proposal is to create a pool of state, federal and private insurance funds
available to all residents.
▪ In
today's NY Times -- Bush
to urge new tax plan to cover uninsured -- A plan he'll propose in his
State of the Union speech: tax breaks to help low-income people buy health
insurance and tax increases for workers whose health plans cost
significantly more than the national average.
▪ In the NY Times -- Groups
offer health plan for coverage of uninsured -- A coalition of business
and consumer groups, doctors, hospitals and drug companies lay out a major
proposal to expand federal benefit programs and offering new tax credits to
individuals and families.
▪ In
today's Washington Post -- Universal
health coverage attracts support -- Harry and Louise have had a change
of heart, as rising costs lead onetime foes to join
and become unlikely advocates.
▪ In
today's LA Times -- UFCW
to seek grocery shoppers' support -- It'll ask Albertsons customers to
swipe their club cards to be added to a petition as contract talks with the
supermarket begins.
▪ In
today's Washington Post -- House
members fight for federal civil service pay parity -- Bush is urged to
recommend equal pay raises for the civil service and the military in his
2008 budget.
▪ In
the Las Vegas Sun -- Labor
gets chance to take center stage -- The biggest reason the DNC gave
Nevada the No. 2 slot on its 2008 presidential nomination calendar:
"Labor is in the house."
▪
In
today's NY Times -- British
Airways cabin crews plan brief strike -- They plan a three-day strike
starting Jan. 29, after the Transport and General Workers’ Union failed to
reach an agreement.
New booklet covers the basics on labor unions for beginners
The
following posting at AFL-CIO Now was written by Mike Hall:
The Labor Center at the University of California-Berkeley has just published Work, Money and Power: Unions in the 21st Century. The 24-page pamphlet, written by Fred Glass, communications director for the California Federation of Teachers/AFT, is an in-depth, but easy-to-understand, introduction to unions for new members, schools and the public.
Available at low cost for unions across the country, Work, Money and Power explains the role of unions and how they enable workers to benefit by joining together.
The reason why workers need unions boils down to this, says Glass:
Employers have far more power than workers do, especially if workers have to negotiate with them over wages and working conditions as individuals.
By forming unions, workers gain the power that comes with being part of a group created for collective action. As a group, workers can negotiate with their employers with greater chance of success than they can as individuals.
Glass also explains how workers organize and explores labor history. He describes the union advantage:
The record is clear. The power of collective bargaining supports higher wages and benefits and prevents management from viewing the workforce as little different than raw materials. Unionized workplaces have better safety and health conditions, and workers feel more confident that speaking their mind—a right guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution outside the workplace—will not result in termination if the employer disagrees with what they have to say. To belong to a union brings important advantages to workers.
The booklet also highlights how the recent years of anti-worker politics have combined with a decades-long employer offensive against workers and their unions. The result is that workers have experienced lower wages, failing health care coverage, deteriorating health and safety standards and more.
That’s why, Glass writes, working families need unions. Now, more than ever.
The booklets cost $1.25 each for up to 99 copies or $1 each for 100 or more. Click here to order online or call 510-643-7089.
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 © 200
7 Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO