National news:
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- 3,000 NEA members join AFL-CIO: Solidarity Charters extended -- Three National Education Association chapters with more than 3,000 teachers and other education professionals in California, Massachusetts and Wisconsin affiliate with the AFL-CIO. Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO Executive Council approves a policy statement extending the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Charter program until the 2009 AFL-CIO Convention. 
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- AFL-CIO emphasizes education for a 21st Century workforce -- The AFT and the Machinists (IAM) spearhead the development of the education and training blueprint that brings together local, state and national policy priorities and responsibilities.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2008
Cantwell: Change is in the air in D.C. for working families

In her keynote address of Wednesday's session of the Washington State Labor Council's 2008 Convention in Vancouver, Sen. Maria Cantwell told more than 400 assembled union delegates and guests that change is in the air in Washington, D.C., as the Bush presidency draws to a close and there's a real opportunity to set a new agenda for working families under a Barack Obama presidency.

"I just know that after all our efforts to fight the Bush Administration's anti-worker agenda, I can't wait to have a president who's going to sign the Employee Free Choice Act into law," Cantwell said, referring to labor law reform restoring the freedom to choose unions.

Cantwell, who has been a leading congressional advocate for consumers on energy issues, said that skyrocketing gas prices are just another example of the Bush administration failing to regulate industry while they run roughshod over American citizens. She drew attention to a new report finding that gas price increases in recent months were not based on supply-and-demand issues, but instead were caused by manipulation from certain industry players. Meanwhile, the Bush administration and federal regulators have done nothing.

"It's time to have a policeman on the beat," Cantwell said

"Organized labor has one of the best tools to move forward on a 21st Century energy policy -- apprenticeship programs," she added. "The U.S. is now 70 percent dependent on foreign oil, but if we would use programs like apprenticeships, we could have wind, solar and wave power."

Cantwell also said she intends to keep fighting to ensure that the $35 billion Air Force refueling tanker contract will create jobs in this country, and in this state. The Air Force initially awarded the contract to European-based Airbus/EADS, but the Pentagon recently decided to reopen the competition for the contract after government auditors found significant errors in the Air Force's handling of the process.

Cantwell told delegates that she intends to hold up the confirmation of the new Secretary of the Air Force until she is assured that the new bidding process maintains the original criteria, as opposed to changing them to favor any bidder. With this announcement, Cantwell earned a standing ovation from convention delegates.

Chopp: "Choice is clear" in governor's race

House Speaker Frank Chopp also addressed delegates Wednesday saying that in the race for governor, "the choice is clear. Anyway you look at it, this governor deserves reelection."

Chopp praised Gov. Chris Gregoire's efforts on issues ranging from the state minimum wage to the right to collective bargaining, while he pointed to the record of opposition on those issues by her opponent, former state Sen. Dino Rossi. Chopp pointed out that one of Rossi's most heartless votes on behalf of the business community was when he voted to deny unemployment benefits to domestic violence victims who must leave their jobs in order to flee their abusers. (That measure was overwhelmingly approved on a bipartisan vote, despite Rossi's opposition. Learn more.)

Also speaking Wednesday were state Rep. Deb Wallace (D-17th) who opened the session by welcoming delegates to the Vancouver area; Jim McIntire, the WSLC's endorsed candidate for State Treasurer; Peter Goldmark, the WSLC's endorsed candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands; David Alexander of the National Labor College; state Sen. Craig Pridemore (D-49th).

Like many others on the convention's agenda this year, banquet speaker U.S. Rep Brian Baird urged delegates to work diligently to help elect friends of working families this November, including Barack Obama for President, Chris Gregoire for Governor, and... him.  

In welcoming the delegates to Vancouver, Rep. Baird expressed how pleased he was that the city now has a unionized hotel (the Vancouver Hilton Hotel) that can host such gatherings, thanked the Washington State Labor Council for holding its convention there, and urged other labor organizations to come to "Vancouver -- not B.C. -- Washington -- not D.C." for their events and gatherings.

Baird, who preceded comedian Peggy Platt on the banquet agenda, then did a little comedy of his own with his award-winning impression of President George W. Bush.

Trade unionists honored

Delegates to the convention also honored two trade unionists with awards:

-- Operating Engineers Local 302 member Tami St. John was presented the 2008 Bruce Brennan Award for outstanding advocacy on behalf of apprenticeship training in Washington. She worked as a dozer and crane operator before becoming Apprenticeship Coordinator for the Operating Engineers Regional Training Center in Ellensburg, which has tripled its number of apprentices in the past four years.

-- The 2008 Mother Jones Awards for exemplary union activism by an individual and organization was awarded to sister Irene Hull for a lifetime of advocacy on behalf of working families, and to Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 8 for its successful four-year campaign to organize workers at the La Clinica community health center in the Tri-Cities.

The 2008 WSLC Convention concludes Thursday as delegates vote on resolutions. All 2008 Resolutions approved by convention delegates will be posted here at this site in the coming days.

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