National news: 

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Battle deepens over Employee Free Choice Act -- Business and labor groups are intensifying their battle over a measure that would make it easier to organize unions. Passage of the legislation would mean "that the 60-plus percent of people in the country who have expressed the opinion that, if given a fair choice, they would be in a union job, would actually get to be in a union job," says David Freiboth of the M.L. King County Labor Council. But Don Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business, which opposes the EFCA, says: "My sense is it will mean more unions, and with looking at what has happened in the Boeing labor disputes, I'm not sure that's very good for business, especially in these economic times."

►  Today from Reuters -- U.S. labor groups urge 2-year, $900 billion stimulus -- A new report, endorsed by the AFL-CIO and other labor groups, says it should include a $145 billion tax cut for low- and middle-income workers in the first year and put a big focus on public investment in green technology, reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and addressing global warming.

►  In today's NY Times -- Democrats, Bush near deal on auto bailout -- But with less than six weeks left in Bush’s term, it is unclear if the White House will be able to generate Republican support for the proposal, which is crucial in the Senate where the bill needs 60 votes to advance.

►  In today's NY Times -- $73 an hour: Adding it up -- The gap between the pay of Big Three autoworkers and workers at foreign-owned plants is less than it seems.

►  From AP -- Workers win round in Chicago factory sit-in -- Bank of America, the creditor of a Chicago plant where laid-off employees are conducting a sit-in to demand severance pay, says it would extend loans to resolve the dispute, but the workers declare their protest unfinished. 

►  In today's NY Times -- Wal-Mart to pay $54 million to settle suit over wages -- The retailer will pay far less than the $2 billion in fines a Minnesota judge threatened in July. He ruled that Wal-Mart had violated state laws on rest breaks and other wage matters more than two million times

►  In today's NY Times -- Illinois governor accused in bid to sell Obama's Senate seat -- In recorded conversations, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich seemed to refer to plans already under way to make money or win a job (for him or his wife, Patti) in exchange for a particular Senate selection. 

►  In today's Washington Post -- Union official allegedly liaison between governor, Obama team -- The  complaint included the description of an SEIU official acting as an apparent intermediary between Gov. Blagojevich and Obama's camp. He mused aloud about the possibility that he could seek a high-paying job with Change to Win, the coalition of seven unions -- dominated by SEIU -- that broke away from the AFL-CIO in 2005. An SEIU spokesperson says, "We have no reason to believe that SEIU or any SEIU official was involved in any wrongdoing."

Local news: 

►  In today's Everett Herald -- As airlines suffer, Boeing may, too -- As travel demand declines, the world's airlines could lose $2.5 billion next year, creating a rough climate for jetmakers. The Chinese government has urged Chinese carriers to defer or cancel jet deliveries in 2009.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Port's third-runway boss: I was following orders -- The resigned manager says he was following direct orders and legal guidance from his superiors and he was being unfairly targeted for actions involving other port managers who retained their jobs.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- L&I may probe death at apprentice tryouts -- The death of a 20-year-old man during apprenticeship tryouts for Seattle Public Utilities could trigger an investigation.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Health district cuts 25 workers -- In addition to the layoffs, the health agency will halve clinic office hours and eliminate the Healthy Communities program and others.

►  In the Wenatchee World -- Record apple crop gets even bigger -- Washington’s apple crop, already the largest in history, is up another 3 percent in the latest estimate.

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- 900 Washington teachers to get raises after certification -- They'll get pay raises of $5,000 or $10,000 a year because they’ve passed a rigorous national process.

Legislative news:

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Seattle business leaders pan Chopp's viaduct plan -- The Downtown Seattle Association says the House Speaker's plan -- a milelong waterfront structure with retail at street level, vehicle traffic above that and a park on top -- is "fundamentally flawed."

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Take prudent approach to budget (op-ed by UW prof Dick Startz) -- Economists have a term for cutting spending when public needs are greatest and then boosting spending when the private sector is doing well. We call it "nuts." The solution is to combine allowances for deficit spending with a requirement for prompt repayment of debt.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Cutting health care exactly wrong tact to embrace (John Burbank column) -- In the coming months, many workers will lose their jobs and then their health coverage. That is why we need programs like the Basic Health Plan, now more than ever.

Supreme Court: "Our bad."  

►  In The Onion -- U.S. Supreme Court overturns Bush v. Gore -- The court, which called its original decision to halt manual recounts in Florida "a ruling made in haste," votes unanimously in favor of the 2000 Democratic nominee, who will serve as commander in chief from Dec. 10 to Jan. 20. A gracious George W.
Bush appeared at a press conference with four hastily packed suitcases to congratulate his 2000 opponent on the decisive victory, saying: "Al Gore has fought a strong and patient campaign, and he has prevailed. I wish him nothing but the best, and hope that his leadership will help see this nation through a catastrophic recession, an unending war in Iraq, and the single largest housing crisis in history. Congratulations, Mr. President."