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August 14, 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.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14 ▪ "Enough is enough:" UFCW wants vote on grocery contract -- After bargaining for more than five months now -- 100 days past contract expiration -- the UFCW is frustrated that there's still hasn't been an acceptable contract offer from Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer, and Albertsons. The union will vote soon on whatever contract is on the table. (If you are coming to the WSLC convention, spend a few minutes Wednesday to help Share the Success.)
Local
news:
▪ In today's Everett Herald -- Snohomish
County rebuked for labor violations -- County Executive Aaron Reardon
and his deputy executive illegally delayed efforts to settle a contract with
Superior Court clerks and retaliated against them for forming their own
guild, an examiner rules.
▪ In today's Yakima H-R -- A
concrete solution -- city finds new supplier -- The surprise
shutdown of Central Pre-Mix's cement plant in Yakima was swift and sudden,
stalling work downtown and forcing officials and contractors to look
elsewhere for material. Later in the day, they found it.
▪ In today's Spokesman-Review -- Spokane
Police Guild approves contract -- After working 19 months without a
contract, it approves a 4-year deal with pay increases above inflation.
▪ In today's Seattle Times -- JOA
fight officially ends -- The legal fight that pitted the owners of
Seattle's two daily newspapers against each other for four years is
officially over.
▪ In today's Yakima H-R -- Cantwell's
new approach key to getting things done (editorial)
-- We applaud Sen. Maria Cantwell's commitment to keep
trying and not wait until after the 2008 presidential elections to get
something done, particularly with immigration reform.
▪ In today's Seattle Times -- State's
system for restoring voter rights unfair, unwieldy (op-ed) --
Two people are convicted of felonies. Both go to prison and serve their
time. But upon release, one is able to vote, while the other can't vote for
many years, perhaps ever. What makes the difference? Seriousness of the
offense? Length of sentence? Nope. It's how much money they have.
Election
2008:
▪ In today's Wash. Post -- Romney
worth $250 million -- His vast wealth is spread over a dizzying array of
foreign and domestic investments that at times have been sold to avoid
conflicts with his public stances. He has already pumped about $9 million
into his campaign from his personal wealth.
▪ From ABC News -- Clinton
gets close-up view of nurse's life -- More than
conversation was at stake in the encounter between the Democratic
presidential contender who leads in national polls and the no-nonsense nurse
who has 26 years on the job. Clinton's participation in SEIU's "Walk a
Day in My Shoes" was also part of an effort to keep rival John Edwards
from landing a big labor endorsement.
National
news:
▪ In today's Detroit News -- Labor
bosses don't share in workers' pain (op-ed) --
During the toughest economic times for organized labor in decades, union
leaders are more likely to keep their jobs and get raises than the members
they serve. An analysis of Department of Labor data reveals a growing pay
divide between labor bosses and the rank-and-file who pay their salaries.
▪ In today's
Wash. Post -- Fair
pay, the right way (editorial) --
Before leaving for its August recess, the House approved legislation to
blunt the impact of a Supreme Court ruling severely constricting the
opportunity for workers to seek redress in court for pay discrimination. The
legislation is needed, but the House included provisions that could
unnecessarily burden employers.
▪ From AP -- Utah
mine search goes deeper -- More than a week after
the collapse, the search moves to where rescuers hope the six missing miners
sought refuge in search of an air pocket.
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- Immigration:
Understated risks (editorial) --
It's counterintuitive to hurt our own economy with these new rushed rules as
well as to destabilize the economy of our neighbor and trading partner,
which also happens to be a major source of labor for us.
▪ In today's Seattle P-I -- Are
Americans willing to pay for better infrastructure? (op-ed)
-- Dramatic events may dominate the news, but the
nation's roads and bridges are less perilous than inefficient and decrepit.
Enormous sums are being spent just to keep them in a mediocre state, and
even more will have to be spent in the future. Partly as a result, the new
infrastructure needed for a rapidly growing population is not being built
fast enough. And the U.S. has been slow to find alternative ways of paying
for new projects or for rationing the use of existing ones.
▪ In today's NY Times -- Mr.
Rove gets out of town (editorial) --
The American public needs to understand the full story of how this White
House -- with Karl Rove pulling many of the strings -- has been improperly
and dangerously politicizing the federal government.
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 14, 2007
"Enough
is enough:" UFCW calls for vote on grocery contract
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Going to the convention? If you’re attending the Washington State Labor Council convention Thursday through Saturday, and plan to arrive Wednesday to register or play in the golf tournament, you can help with the Share the Success campaign! Meet WSLC Field Mobilization Director Benjamin Lawver in the lobby of the SeaTac DoubleTree Hotel between 3 and 7 p.m. TOMORROW (Wednesday, Aug. 15). It'll take as little as 20 minutes to make a difference! |
The following bargaining update was distributed Monday by United Food and Commercial workers Local 21:
Enough is enough.
We’re calling for a vote.
We have been bargaining for over five months now -- 100 days past expiration -- and we still don’t have an acceptable contract offer from Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer, and Albertsons.
Enough is enough. We’ve told them we will vote soon on whatever contract is on the table. Those dates and times will be circulated in the stores and posted on our new hotline -- the number is below. We will be meeting again at the table for more bargaining sessions on August 16th and 17th.
This vote is the next step in our campaign to win a fair contract that:
Improves wages
Improves our medical plan
Improves the scheduling process to be more family-friendly
Provides sick leave
Helps members retire with dignity
It’s time to take the next step in our campaign to win a fair contract.
We need to be ready for anything. Hopefully, it will be a ratification vote. But if there’s not a fair contract offer on the table when we vote, we’ll do whatever it takes to get there. We won’t settle for less than a contract that shares the success.
Hotline! Stay tuned to our new hotline for campaign information and the coming dates and times for voting: 206-436-6599 or 1-800-732-1188, x6599
Safeway, Albertsons, QFC and Fred Meyer can afford to do the right thing:
Their corporate parents are among the top 50 richest companies in the nation, according to Fortune magazine.
Together, they’re averaging $3 billion a year in profits and their stock prices are through the roof.
Their three CEOs took their share. Together, they were paid more than $28 million in salaries and bonuses last year while members struggle to stay ahead.
We know management will do anything to maximize their profits at our expense. So, we need to be ready and to stand strong.
Stand strong behind your membership bargaining committee and trust your truth meter!
If history holds, this crucial period before the vote is the time management pulls out the propaganda. They may call special meetings and put more notes with your paycheck. You have the right to express your opinion to management and counter misinformation.
Before you believe the hype, consider the source.
Don’t believe the spin. Get the real facts from our hotline, from your Union Rep, or from our website, www.ufcw21.org.
It’s time to stand strong for a contract that shares the success.
The most important thing right now is to make sure every member in every store turns out to cast their vote. You can help:
Spread the word among your co-workers about the importance of this vote.
Organize a car-pool to make sure everyone can make it to a vote meeting.
Join a union phone bank to get our message out as far and wide as possible.
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