MONDAY, JULY 30  ▪  We're "business-friendly" because we're worker-friendly (President Rick Bender's column) -- The truth is, one of the big reasons Washington's economy is thriving is because we have chosen to take the high road with policies that make our state attractive, not just for businesses, but for workers. That's the best way to sustain our success, especially now, as we tackle our latest enviable problem: finding enough workers for all these jobs.

Reminder:  ▪  Support nurses TODAY at Providence St. Peter Hospital picket -- The United Staff Nurses Union, UFCW 141 will conduct informational purchasing from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Health care news:  ▪  TAKE ACTION: Inoculate Bush's veto threat -- Urge Sens. Cantwell and Murray to support increased funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Bush has threatened to veto this bill, so it’s up to the Senate to pass the bill with a veto-proof majority.
▪  In today's Olympian -- Showdown this week for Bush, Congress on health care for children 
▪  In today's NY Times -- The (offspring of) motherhood bill (editorial) -- Congress's Republican minority leaders are picking the wrong fight in suddenly attacking a notably bipartisan push to expand health insurance coverage to hundreds of thousands of children of the working poor.
▪  In today's Wash. Post -- Expanding health care (editorial) -- A House bill sets aside $11 billion for incentive payments to states that do a good job enrolling the poorest, Medicaid-eligible kids. Republicans' competing proposal wouldn't even provide enough to keep it going at current levels. Do they really want to argue for taking away health insurance from children who now have it?

Local news:
▪  In the PS Business Journal -- Longshore unions in Seattle keep a close eye -- This week's cliffhanger talks over longshore labor contracts in Southern California are a harbinger of possible trouble when West Coast-wide negotiations start early next year. The talks have teetered in recent days on the edge of a strike that could close ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach.
▪  In the Spokesman-Review -- State pension board may see altered future (Caldwell column) -- Private equity investments have been very good for the Washington State Investment Board, and the thousands of public workers whose pension funds it manages. But the board's relationship with its money managers will change as they go public. Some say, not for the good.

Legislative news:
▪  In today's Salem S-J -- Labor unions win rights in Oregon -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski signs bills to  enable majorities of public-sector workers to form new unions by signing cards rather than holding elections, to grant collective-bargaining rights to operators of adult foster-care homes; and to guarantee workers' compensation coverage to home-care workers.
▪  In Sunday's Olympian -- Union to bargain for adult caregivers -- Empowered by newly enacted laws, two new groups of union-represented employees (adult family home providers and foster parents) are preparing to meet with the Department of Social and Health Services.
▪  In today's Olympian -- Notes should be public immediately (editorial) -- The notes taken by negotiators should be available to the public immediately after the two sides have come to an agreement, not after the state Legislature has ratified the collective bargaining agreement.
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Needed: an extra $350 million for rail, highway projects -- Legislators picked the projects and set up an account to pay for them, but the proposed shipping-container tax was soundly rejected by the ports, railroads, trading partners and Gov. Chris Gregoire.
▪  In Sunday's Seattle Times -- It's time to solve state's education-funding crisis (Rep. Skip Priest op-ed) --  Three important interim committees are studying education finance, dropout prevention, and career and technical education. I invite parents, teachers, citizens, students, classified school employees, administrators and every other constituency to share their ideas.
▪  In the PSBJ -- It's too easy to crash with multiple payday loans (op-ed by financial counseling service) -- In Washington state, additional consumer protections are warranted. A statewide database and a limit to one payday loan at a time would be a good place to start.
▪  At the Olympia Dispatch blog -- And the award doesn't go to... -- The AWB announces the winners of its Cornerstone Award; 44 of the 53 Republicans elected to the Legislature received it.

National news:
▪  In today's LA Times -- Wackenhut a challenge to security guard union drive -- The SEIU has the private security company in its sights as it organizes security guards across the country. 
▪  Today from AP -- Northwest Airlines pilots stay home; 200 flights canceled (brief)
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- Give me dirty laundry -- A new study finds the quality of broadcast news is rapidly declining and most of the blame is directly attributed to a frenzy of corporate cost-cutting.

Election news: 
▪  In today's LA Times -- Clinton woos the outsourcers -- Her efforts to bring an Indian firm to Buffalo, yielding "about 10" jobs, illustrates the bind she faces: she aims to lead a Democratic Party that is turning away from the free-trade policies of her husband's administration and is becoming more skeptical of trade deals and temporary-worker visas. 
▪  In today's NY Times -- In Illinois, Obama proved pragmatic and shrewd -- Obama did not bring revolution to Springfield in his eight years in the State Senate, but he proved capable of playing hardball, demonstrated  a sharp eye for an opportunity, and was a strategist willing to compromise to accomplish things.