Legislative news: 

►  In Sunday's Olympian -- More aid could be on way for jobless -- For the thousands who have been laid off as the national recession grips Washington, unemployment insurance can help keep the lights on. It offers people between $129 and $541 a week, depending on how much they made in the previous year. Gov. Gregoire has proposed using some of the $4 billion unemployment insurance fund to lower the taxes on businesses and boost weekly benefits by $45 per recipient. "Anything would help in a time like this," says one recently laid-off worker. 

►  In Sunday's Seattle Times -- Gregoire's unemployment trust fund plan sparks battle -- The proposal seems modest: Gov. Gregoire wants to take 10% of the state's $4 billion unemployment trust fund. But the Association of Washington Business oppose the move. The Washington Roundtable, whose members include Microsoft and Boeing, also came out against it.

►  In Sunday's Columbian -- Sen. Pridemore takes on payday lenders -- The Vancouver Democrat has waded into the fray over payday lending with a bill that would extend the payback period on the short-term loans to 60 days and cap the outstanding balance for borrowers at $700.

►  In Sunday's Columbian -- Bill would keep prescription data from drug firms -- If you think your prescription drug history is a confidential medical record, think again. Thanks to a loophole in federal privacy laws, it’s legal for pharmacists to share that history with drug company marketers, who can use the information to promote specific drugs directly to consumers.

Local news: 

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Ferry workers forego pay raises -- Unions representing more than 1,000 WSF workers won't be fighting to keep pay raises won in fierce negotiations with the governor last year. Employees, including deckhands, engineers and vessel operators, agreed to strip the salary hikes (ranging from 1.6% to 10.7% depending on their job) out of contracts signed with Gov. Gregoire rather than try to preserve them through legal or political means.

►  In today's Olympian -- State pensions take a dive -- The investment fund that pays for the pensions of 453,000 public employees in Washington has taken a massive hit, losing 22% of its value in 2008. The benefits paid to retirees are not in danger. The state and other governments are legally required to pay workers what was agreed to during their careers.

►  From AP -- Auto industry woes hit northeast WA mines -- The Pend Oreille Mine, the largest employer in a sparsely populated area north of Spokane near the Canadian border, is closing indefinitely because of plummeting zinc prices on Feb. 16, leaving 217 workers without jobs.

►  In today's Kitsap Sun -- P.S. Naval Shipyard jobs hold new appeal to displaced workers -- People wrapped around Kitsap Sun Pavilion over the weekend, waiting to enter PSNS and Intermediate Maintenance Facility's career fair. The shipyard plans to hire 600 to 700 people this year.

►  From AP -- SPEEA urges rejection of Boeing offer for Wichita engineers -- The union hopes to get the 700 workers it represents to reject what Boeing calls its final offer and get the company back to the negotiating table. Thursday's vote will not include a strike authorization.

Federal stimulus news: 

►  Today from AP -- Obama says differences shouldn't delay stimulus -- He says that "very modest differences" should not get in the way of swift congressional passage.

►  From AP -- Stimulus bill would boost NW power grid, wind energy -- It includes $3.25 billion in additional borrowing authority for the BPA, which says it will use the money to expand the area’s power grid. Supporters say the projects would generate power for up to 1 million homes and businesses from northern California to Montana and create thousands of “green” jobs.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Senators should be stimulated to pass economic-recovery package (editorial) -- The Senate can improve the House-approved economic-stimulus plan by ensuring spending matches the goal of creating jobs. The country elected Obama by a healthy margin because he promised to turn the economy around. He has to be given tools to accomplish this. 

►  In The Onion -- Cheney dunk tank raises $800 billion for nation -- "The water's great," Cheney said moments after being dunked by third-grader Sean Biller, who traveled all the way from Denver for his chance to meet the former vice president. "Hopefully your unemployed dad can afford to give you money for another turn."

National news:  

►  In Sunday's LA Times -- Labor's real fight (Harold Meyerson column) -- The juxtaposition of SEIU's and UNITE HERE's intra-union wars with the positive new figures on union growth couldn't be more ironic -- or heartbreaking. The two unions involved have waged the most innovative, determined and successful campaigns of any labor groups in recent years. Now, at a time when unions need to mobilize in support of healthcare legislation and the Employee Free Choice Act, these unions will be lining up staffers and members to battle other staffers and members.

►  In today's LA Times -- Southern California Gas, union make tentative pact and avert strike -- Before the late-night agreement, a walkout of the utility's 7,600 workers had seemed certain.

►  In today's Ft Lauderdale Sentinel -- Labor, manufacturers working for health care solutions (op-ed by LIUNA President Terry O'Sullivan and PhRMA CEO Bill Tauzin) -- Labor and PhRMA agree, and we will continue to work together to seize upon this unprecedented window of opportunity for reform.

Employee Free Choice Act news:  

►  At Huffington Post -- Employee Free Choice Act gives workers a fair, democratic chance to form unions (op-ed) -- The legislation supported by President Obama and large majorities of both houses of congress WILL NOT ELIMINATE SECRET BALLOTS IN UNION REPRESENTATION ELECTIONS (PERIOD). Opponents like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a range of right-wing front groups led by disciples of George W. Bush, Karl Rove, and Grover Norquist -- the folks who got the country in the mess we're in right now -- want to try to make this a debate about "secret ballots." They cry crocodile tears for workers they claim are being denied their American rights to a democratic election. But, the fact is, the EFCA is democratic -- and it puts the choice of how workers form unions in workers' hands, not big corporations. That's why these guys are really crying.