FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2009
"Stronger labor movement is good for America"
AFL-CIO's Holt Baker challenges delegates to fight for health care, EFCA

As this nation emerges from a recession brought on by greed, malfeasance and eight years of executive branch mismanagement, "unions are not part of the problem, we are part of the solution," AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker told delegates Thursday at the opening session of the Washington State Labor Council's 2009 Convention in Wenatchee.

Holt Baker praised President Barack Obama for his efforts so far to stimulate the economy and to fight for universal health care coverage for all Americans, adding that his agenda also includes long-overdue labor law and immigration reform. But she urged patience as Obama works to fulfill his promise of "Change We Can Believe In." 

"It took eight years to get us into this mess, it's going to take more than seven months to get us out of it," Holt Baker said.

She challenged delegates to continue the fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act and health care reform, and not to be discouraged by the aggressive campaign of lies intended to derail those critically important efforts.

"No teabagger, no right-wing zealot, and no wing nut is going to stop us," Holt Baker said.

In his convention opening speech, WSLC President Rick Bender reminded delegates how the Democratic leadership in the State Legislature failed to support working families' legislation in 2009. In particular, the circumstances and pretense under which the Worker Privacy Act, the WSLC's priority legislation this year, was killed revealed a deep divide

"We have decided to Bring Change Home," Bender said, echoing the theme of the three-day convention. "That means that it is no more business as usual when it comes to state politics."

The WSLC has conducted a review of its political program -- from evaluations of legislators, to political communications and activism, to campaign contributions. Based on that review, the WSLC Executive Board and several of our largest affiliates have decided to make significant changes to our political program to ensure labor’s support is more strategically targeted to lawmakers who support working families’ interests, regardless of their party affiliation. Those changes include a new political action committee called DIME PAC to target labor's political education and outreach efforts to true champions of workers' interests.

This is a new day and a new way of doing business in Washington politics," Bender said. "We want to build champions for our causes – we want to be able to trust our politicians and know who our real friends are in the legislature."

Other convention highlights from Thursday included:

• The WSLC's organizational Mother Jones Award was presented to the International Association of Machinists District 751 for that union's solidarity during last year's strike as the company refused to budge on a contract proposal that would have cost them an additional $9 million. The company now claims the disruption cost it billions and helped delay the production of the 787, which is more than two years behind schedule -- and counting.
   
  "It gets pretty damn tiring to hear that the woes of this company are based on a 57-day strike when it could've been settled in two (days)," said IAM District 751 President Tom Wroblewski, adding that he appreciated the recognition from fellow trade unionists who understand the hardship of a strike and the difficult decision it is for members to vote to walk out to support their principles.
   

• The Mother Jones Award for an individual was presented to Ken Brown, Business Manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 73 in Spokane, for his outstanding advocacy on behalf of his members who lost their jobs when Columbia Lighting shuttered its Spokane facility and moved to Mexico.
   

• The Rising Star Award was presented to Dusty Hoerler of United Association of plumbers and Pipefitters Local 32 for his outstanding dedication and participation in last fall's Labor Neighbor political action activities.
   

• Bob Baugh, Executive Director of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council, and Andrea Buffa of the Apollo Alliance explained cap-and-trade proposals designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and he importance of integrating a strategy to address climate change that includes an effort to create jobs and rebuild America's manufacturing base.
   

• Kristin Beifus, Director of the Washington Fair Trade Coalition, described the TRADE Act before Congress and urged delegates to pressure Washington's congressional delegation to support this effort to include enforceable labor and environmental standards in international trade agreements.
   

• Many bad singers (and a few good ones) sang karaoke after the COPE barbecue.
   

Here is the agenda for the remainder of the convention:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7

7:30 a.m. -- Convention Office/ registration tables open

9:00 -- CONVENTION RECONVENES 

9:15 -- Kent Wong on diversity issues

10:00 -- John DeGraaf on “Take Back Your Time”

10:15 -- Denise McKay, Workers' Compensation Self-Insured Ombudsman

10:30 -- Bill Daley of the AFL-CIO on health care reform

11:00 -- Ana Avendano on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

11:30 -- Robby Stern on aging workforce

11:45 -- Congressman Jay Inslee

12:15 p.m. -- President’s Club Luncheon (Guest Speaker: Congressman Jay Inslee)

1:30 -- WORKSHOPS: Diversity; Communications; Aging Workforce

3:15 -- WORKSHOPS: Health Care; Organizing; Political Action (2 of 2)

6:00 -- Reception and Women's Committee Silent Auction

7:00 -- Convention Banquet

9:00 -- Dancing to "Just Us" 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8

9:00 a.m. -- CONVENTION RECONVENES

-- Resolutions, until finished

Noon -- Estimated time of adjournment 

^{Copyright © 2009 --  Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO}