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 July 24, 2008

July 23: Health care meeting in Spokane
 July 22: WSLC 2008 Convention Aug. 4-7
 July 21: UNITE HERE celebration is Tuesday

WSLC Reports Today
Updated DAILY... Almost Every Day!™ by 9 a.m. Pacific

Links are functional at date of posting, but sometimes expire. 
WSLC Reports Today links to stories of interest to organized labor; 
some positive, some negative. The intention is to inform.

 

THURSDAY, JULY 24

 

Work safety news:
 ▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- Bush Labor Dept. secretly writes rule on worker exposure to toxins -- With time running out on the Bush White House, the DOL is fast-tracking a secretly written rule -- long sought by business groups -- that could increase workers’ exposure to dangerous, toxic substances on the job and tie the hands of future administrations to improve workplace safety.
 ▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Agencies asked to ease work safety rules -- Sen. Patty Murray, who has long fought for a ban on asbestos and better work safety, is angry: "I'd like the political appointees at the EPA to look into the eyes of a mesothelioma patient and say that asbestos isn't dangerous. It appears that this administration is once again putting politics before public health."
 ▪  In today's Washington Post -- Democrats ask Labor Dept. to forgo "secret rule" -- They say the DOL violated the rule requiring federal agencies to alert the public twice a year to any directives it was considering. They ask Labor Secretary Chao to turn over internal documents of any meetings or communications Labor officials had with business or outside groups relating to the proposal.

 

Local news:
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- Lynnwood light rail plan likely to go to voters -- A massive package of transit projects that aims to bring light rail to Lynnwood by 2023 is likely to make it to the November ballot, says a local Sound Transit board member. The board votes today.
 ▪  In today's Kitsap Sun -- Come January, it's sink-or-swim time for fixing ferry system -- WSF chief: "We can no longer cobble the system together and hope the boats stay afloat. Either we provide the ferries with a stable, needed fix... or we look at severe reductions to the system." 
 ▪  In today's News tribune -- Could we follow California, make shippers pay? (Callaghan column) -- Two years ago, Sen. Haugen proposed a container fee to fund transportation and freight mobility improvements, but the idea was immediately shot down. Now California is poised to do just that.
▪  In today's Aberdeen Daily World -- Simpson Door workers vote to authorize strike -- WCIW 2761 has been without a contract since June 1. Sticking points include seniority and job classifications.
 ▪  In the Peninsula Daily News -- Port Townsend mill lays off 14, cites energy costs -- Port Townsend Paper Corp. mill, Jefferson County's largest private employer, cuts its work force down to 300.
 ▪  In today's Everett Herald -- Stevens Hospital considers tax levy -- Employees and SEIU 1199 NW  say they would be willing to volunteer to try to sell a tax increase to the public.

 

Election 2008:
 ▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- State race for public lands chief could get rough -- Peter Goldmark accuses Doug Sutherland of getting too cozy with timber companies, frequent backers of his campaign.
 ▪  In today's Olympian -- BIAW: Democratic group's PDC reports faulty -- The labor-backed Evergreen Progress group fixes its reports and refiles them the same day BIAW complains. (This is news?)

 

National news:
 ▪  From AP -- Federal minimum wage rises to $6.55 today -- The increase, from $5.85 per hour, is the 2nd of three annual increases. Next year's boost will bring it to $7.25 an hour. (Washington's minimum wage is now $8.07 an hour, thanks to Initiative 688, filed by WSLC President Rick Bender, making Washington the first state to require automatic annual adjustments for inflation.)
 ▪  In today's LA Times -- Election challenge rises to SAG leadership -- A dissident coalition says the faction that holds a slim board majority has bungled current contract talks with the studios.
 ▪  In today's LA Times -- Schwarzenegger seeks to slash CA state workers' pay till budget passes -- About 200,000 would get the federal minimum wage, then receive back pay after a spending plan is enacted. The state controller vows not to sign the order and the matter could end up in court.
 ▪  Today at Slog -- Plame-outing right-wing hit-and-run specialist Robert Novak hits pedestrian, runs -- Novak claimed not to see the 66-year-old man, but the bicyclist who stopped Novak said the victim was “splayed across the windshield” of Novak’s Corvette.

 

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