Election 2008:
▪  In today's News Tribune -- Gregoire rallies local support among voters -- “No governor in America understands better than I do that every vote counts,” Gregoire told a crowd of more than 80 partisans who gathered Saturday at the IBEW Hall on South 36th Street in Tacoma. She is back in Tacoma today visiting a construction site at Tacoma General Hospital while her opponent, Republican Dino Rossi, continues to campaign in Eastern Washington.
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- Fire Fighters, Seafarers back Obama -- The IAFF made its endorsement at the union’s 49th annual convention in Las Vegas. It has launched a website, Fire Fighters for Obama, to inform members about where Obama stands on key issues like bargaining, overtime pay, health care and the economy.
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- Retirees couldn't afford McCain's health plan -- A new study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute shows that a key component of McCain’s health care plan -- which would push working families into the private insurance market -- falls far, far short of what retirees would need to cover their premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.
▪  From AP -- Group files election complaint against WalMart -- The groups -- which include the AFL-CIO, Change to Win, American Rights at Work and WakeUpWalMart.com -- say in a complaint processed with the FEC that "there is reason to believe" Wal-Mart broke federal election rules by advocating against Barack Obama in meetings with employees.
▪  In today's NY Times -- Mixing politics and Wal-Mart (editorial) -- The FEC should investigate the allegations swiftly and aggressively. Providing workers with a list of members of Congress who, in Wal-Mart’s view, support bad legislation is indistinguishable from telling them who to vote against.
▪  In Sunday's LA Times -- In the political battleground of Colorado, a labor-business fight is raging -- Unions and business groups have loaded the ballot with an array of competing initiatives. The initiatives include what proponents say would be the toughest law against corporate fraud in the nation, which would make company executives liable for crimes committed by their firms. 

National news:
▪  Today from AP -- Qwest reaches labor agreement with 2 unions -- The Denver-based Qwest came to terms on a three-year deal with the CWA, which represents about 20,000 of its employees in 13 states, one day before its current contract was to expire.
▪  From Bloomberg -- Wal-Mart ordered to allow union contract in Quebec -- It will have to accept a contract for unionized workers at one of its North American locations for the first time.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- A toxic proposal (editorial) -- For 7 1/2 years, the DOL has neglected the workers it's supposed to protect. Now it is rushing to make its pro-industry stand official policy, fast-tracking a proposal that would make it more difficult to regulate workplace safety.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Potential for conflict grows with government use of contractors -- One of the consequences of the unprecedented reliance on contractors to help federal agencies: Consultants gain insider knowledge and help draft rules that could benefit their own bottom lines.
▪  In today's NY Times -- On the fire lines, a shift to private contractors -- The federal government has long used private contractors for support, but the increase in ground crews has left some firefighter advocates wondering if taxpayer money would be better spent improving federal resources.
▪  In today's NY Times -- The corporate free ride (editorial) -- The seeming ease with which corporations escape the taxman compounds a fundamental unfairness in the American economy.

Copyright © ^{2008 --  Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO}