WEDNESDAY, MAY 16  ▪  Latest ATU win: Fired Oregon transit worker back on job -- The bus driver fired for supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, gets rehired and his employer drops its challenge of the workers’ decision to join the ATU. 

Legislative news: 
▪  Today from AP -- Teachers, union sue over repeal of pension bonus system -- The WEA, along with individual teachers, file suit over the loss of future pension bonus dollars because of the elimination of pension gain-sharing. Their suit filed in King County Superior Court says the change will cost teachers and other public employees billions of dollars over the next 25 years.
▪  In today's Olympian -- Approved budget gets rainy-day fund -- Gregoire signs a $33.4 billion budget into law, along with a bipartisan bill to set aside 1% of state revenues.
▪  In today's News Tribune -- State budgets revealed -- Whether you’re a teacher expecting a pay raise, a parent paying college tuition, a commuter driving to Seattle or just someone who wants to buy liquor on Sundays, there’s something in the state budget that affects you.
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Pay raises for state officials -- Lt. Gov. gets a 16.7% raise, legislators get 13.7%, the Governor 10.8%; SPI and Lands Commish 10.4% and other statewide officials 8.4%.
▪  In today's Kitsap Sun -- Bob Oke (1940-2007): "Statesman" built bridges -- The popular former senator devoted his legislative career to providing a safer passage across the Tacoma Narrows.

Local news:
▪  In today's News Tribune -- Unemployment at record low -- The April unemployment rate in Washington has fallen to 4.4%, a level unseen since modern records first were tallied in 1976
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- First Dreamliner wings arrive -- The Dreamlifter carried the wings from Japan, where Mitsubishi Heavy Industries manufactured them. This is the first time that Boeing has allowed a supplier not only to build, but also to help design the wings of one of its planes.
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing says no new delays on 787 -- The top executive of the first airline that will operate the 787 said he has been assured the Dreamliner is on track to arrive on time.
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- Is it time for the Port of Seattle to give back? (Westneat column) -- The Port made a profit last year of $85 million. Five years ago, it was a break-even outfit. Some ports return some profits to the public. Not ours. Ours spends it all, plus soaks up still more taxes.
▪  In The Columbian -- Port of Vancouver tax issue will head to voters -- A grassroots coalition gathers enough signatures to put the issue on the Aug. 21 primary ballot.
▪  In today's Spokesman-Review -- 23 East Valley teachers may lose jobs due to budget crisis 
▪  In today's News Tribune -- Justices should leave Initiative 747 alone (editorial) -- The state Supreme Court is weighing whether to overturn Initiative 747 on the basis of a piddling technicality.
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- Costco understands its role as good corporate citizen (Burbank column)

Health Care news: 
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- Gulp! Regence rate boost averages 19% for individual plans --  both Regence's rate reversal last year and the size of this latest premium increase have outraged Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, who accuses the insurer of a bait-and-switch.
▪  In today's LA Times -- California Democrats prescribe bigger health levy -- Democrats who control the Legislature propose that most California employers be required to spend at least 7.5% of their payrolls on health care -- nearly twice the amount Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed.
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- Oregon's Sen. Wyden leads the way on healthcare reform (Harrop column) -- His Healthy Americans Act is the first serious proposal for universal coverage in 13 years. Some business leaders and unions have blessed it, as has influential GOP Sen. Bob Bennett.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Abuses in enrollment tactics found in private Medicare -- Insurance agents in at least 39 states used illegal or unethical tactics to sell private Medicare plans, in some cases enrolling the dead and mentally incompetent, impersonating Medicare representatives, and using personal information stolen from federal records. 

National news:
▪  At The Politico -- New war casualty: The minimum wage hike -- Four months after its passage, the seemingly noncontroversial pay hike is now attached to the Iraq spending bill and caught up in the extraordinary showdown over the war between the White House and Congress.
▪  In today's NY Times -- UAW leader finds comfort level -- Ron Gettelfinger is striking a fine balance between the needs of automakers and his union, the United Automobile Workers.
▪  In today's NY Times -- Senators report progress on complicated immigration bill -- Concessions by Democrats made to Republicans opposed to any kind of amnesty risk alienating labor unions and Hispanic groups that want legislation tilted more toward the rights of immigrants.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Latino groups play key role on Hill -- When Sen. Kennedy declared last week that unnamed "stakeholders" would decide whether Congress overhauls immigration law this year, Latino organizations in Washington understood exactly what he meant. Them.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- At the VA, bonuses meet with head-on with backlogs, budget 
▪  In today's LA Times -- U.S., China build cases as trade talks approach -- Beijing resists mounting pressure from Congress to revalue its currency to narrow the trade gap.