Boeing news: 

►  At SPEEA.org -- SPEEA technical, professional employees approve 4-year contracts with Boeing -- “Passage of these contracts represents a first step in restoring the relationship between Boeing management and its engineering and technical workforce,” said SPEEA Executive Director and Chief Spokesperson Ray Goforth. “We have a lot of work to breathe life into the text of these agreements and we still need to finish negotiations in Wichita.”

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- SPEEA engineers, tech workers ratify Boeing contract -- Nearly 21,000 engineers and technical workers, most of them in the Puget Sound area, approve new labor contracts that will give them more say in the company's controversial outsourcing decisions and the use of contract workers. They also will receive more for retirement and a pay raise averaging about 20% over four years. (Also see coverage from the AP, Everett Herald and Seattle Times.)

Legislative news:

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Legislators ready to tackle budget crisis -- When state lawmakers arrive this week for committee meetings, they'll talk a lot about money. Legislators predict they'll have to slash spending across the board to overcome a $6 billion deficit.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Puget Sound "action agenda" unveiled -- Recession or no recession, the state must redouble efforts to restore ecologically battered Puget Sound -- and that campaign should be part of Obama's economic stimulus package, state and federal officials say.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- State, Port show how to respond to recession (editorial) -- Gregoire's cuts and the Port of Seattle's property-tax freeze show the way for other agencies to respond.

►  Today from AP -- Obama seeks to assure nervous governors on economy -- He pledges quick work on an economic recovery plan to include tax cuts and increased federal spending.

►  In today's News Tribune -- Director resigns from Fish & Wildlife -- Jeff Koenings held the position since 1999. Longtime department employee Phil Anderson is named acting director. 

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Ferry system accepts Todd Shipyards bid for new auto ferry -- The WSF accepts the $65.5-million bid for a new 64-car ferry for the Port Townsend-Whidbey Island route.

Local news: 

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- 3,400 WaMu jobs will be slashed in Seattle -- About 3,400 mostly high-paid headquarters employees will be let go, while workers at the 185 WaMu branches -- none of which will be closed -- will keep their jobs. The cuts aren't the biggest single-employer layoffs the regional economy has endured. Several rounds of Boeing cuts, including 23,000 jobs in the region over a two-year period following 9/11, dwarf the number of jobs the bank is eliminating. But the WaMu layoffs come at a time when the regional economy is struggling.

►  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Pasco council OKs $24.9 million in construction projects -- On tap: a $9 million water treatment plant, a $3.1 million Memorial Pool remodel, and 27 other projects.

►  In today's Olympian -- Thurston County workers fight for jobs -- Commissioners are considering laying off more than 7% of the county workforce -- nearly 90 full-time-equivalent employees.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Invest in prevention with tiny tax increase (editorial) -- The Snohomish council should approve 0.1-cent sales-tax hike for mental health and chemical dependency.

"Sorry about that, Chief" 

►  In today's LA Times -- U.S. recession could last into 2010 -- The economy's yearlong downturn, now officially declared a recession, could last into next year or beyond, challenging the government to devise new responses as traditional methods show limited results.

►  Today from AP -- Bush administration was warned of economic collapse -- The Bush administration backed off proposed crackdowns on no-money-down, interest-only mortgages years before the economy collapsed, buckling to pressure from some of the same banks that have now failed. It ignored remarkably prescient warnings that foretold the financial meltdown, according to an Associated Press review of regulatory documents.

►  From AP -- Bush "sorry" about economic crisis, 401(k)s -- President George W. Bush expresses remorse that the financial crisis has cost jobs and harmed retirement accounts.

National news: 

►  In today's NY Times -- Some federal workers lose bargaining rights -- Still-President Bush issues an order that denies collective bargaining rights to about 8,600 federal employees who work in law enforcement, intelligence and other agencies responsible for national security.

►  In today's Wall St. Journal -- Wal-Mart assailed on temp worker's death -- The store should have had better crowd control to prevent the death of a worker trampled the day after Thanksgiving amid the bargain-hunting frenzy, say local police and a lawyer for the worker's family.