Health care reform: 

State, national actions TODAY to support public health plan

On Thursday, dozens of activists from the Health Care for America NOW! coalition -- which includes the Washington State Labor Council -- will deliver messages to every office location throughout the state for both Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell regarding the need to include a strong public health insurance option in health care reform legislation. Read more.

►  At AFL-CIO Now -- Today's the day to make your voice heard -- Thousands of union members, and health care advocates will converge on D.C. If you aren't there, you too can take action.

►  Take Action! -- Thank Murray, urge Cantwell to back public option -- Sen. Patty Murray has publicly supported President Obama’s vision for health care reform, including the choice of a public health insurance plan. But Sen. Maria Cantwell has yet to unequivocally endorse a public option. Send an e-mail TODAY thanking Sen. Murray for her support of a public health insurance option, and encouraging Sen. Cantwell to stand with us also in supporting the public option. Take action now!

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Gregoire talks health care with Obama -- "I advocated that we take a hard look at a public plan," Gregoire says. She also sais that if a public plan is OK'd, it should be run on the state level.

►  At AFL-CIO Now -- House health care reform plan a "crucial roadmap," Sweeney says -- This week, the three House committees that developed the plan are holding a series of hearings. The AFL-CIO says comprehensive reform must lower costs, improve quality and cover everyone.

►  In today's NY Times -- Senators worry health overhaul could erode employer insurance plans -- Senators struggle with the possibility that in offering subsidized insurance, they could inadvertently speed the erosion of employer-provided coverage, which they want to preserve.

►  In today's NY Times -- The drug industry's offer (editorial) -- Washington must be sure they, and other health care industries, are contributing their fair share of cost savings to the reform effort.

News from Olympia: 

►  In today's Olympian -- State health plans may get big hike -- Some state workers likely will take a serious financial hit next year, when some health-care co-payments and deductibles are expected to double. The Public Employees Benefits Board is considering the increase to make up for rising costs and flat-lined funding. The most popular offering, the Uniform Medical Plan, will not see the steepest out-of-pocket increases. The share of costs paid by members of that plan will rise from 10% to 15%, and the out-of-pocket maximum will increase from $3,000 a year for a family to $4,000. Under the proposed change, the monthly premium for the plan would increase from $82 to $126 a month for a family and from $26 to $41 a month for individuals.

Boeing news: 

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Months, not weeks, of delay for 787, says Boeing partner -- The structural flaw that has grounded the 787 will likely add months of delay to the new jet program, says an executive at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which makes the 787's carbon-fiber composite plastic wings in Japan. He says the problem stems from Boeing's engineering design, not MHI's -- an assessment confirmed by Boeing. He doesn't believe the structural flaw represents a fundamental safety concern. "We are not seeing this as a very, very serious issue," he says. It's the business consequences of the new delay that may be more damaging.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Panel begins work to help state keeps aerospace jobs -- ("Anybody here know how to add structural reinforcement between a wing and fuselage?" (Just kidding.)) Leaders from government, higher education, labor and aerospace begin work on a strategy to improve worker training, expand aviation research and increase the success of aerospace firms.

Local news: 

►  In today's Bellingham Herald -- BPA edges closer to deal that would keep Intalco smelter operating -- The outlook for continued operation of the Alcoa Intalco Works aluminum smelter appears a bit brighter after Bonneville Power Administration tentatively reaffirms its willingness to provide enough low-priced power to maintain operations at the 500-employee facility.

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- Kaiser workers getting furlough -- Kaiser Aluminum will send 200 workers at its Trentwood rolling mill home next week while maintenance is done on some plant equipment. Most will return the following week, the company says. Kaiser employs about 800 at the mill, which makes rolled aluminum products, primarily for the aerospace industry.

►  In the Daily World -- Ocean Shores unfair labor practices hearing set -- The mayor says he has had been trying for the past several months to meet with the Teamsters to open negotiations on concessions, such as forgoing cost of living adjustments, but according to the mayor, the Teamsters Union refused to open negotiations. “They bargained in bad faith,” he says. 

►  In today's Olympian -- Centralia coal plant target of petition -- A coalition of conservation groups petition the federal government to reduce air pollution from the Centralia coal plant. TransAlta officials say they’re already working with the state to curb emissions from the plant.

►  In today's Columbian -- Vancouver schools union ratifies contract -- Teachers, nurses, counselors and psychologists approve a two-year contract that restores a day of pay the state had taken away from all its teachers to help balance its teetering budget.

►  In the Daily News -- Rainier School District reaches tentative deal with classified employees -- Secretaries, teacher aides and other classified staff (OSEA) tentatively agree to take a pay freeze next year, a move that avoids further layoffs and allows one worker to be hired back.

►  In the Daily World -- Some workers back at mill -- About a third of the 120 workers idled by Hoquiam Plywood's temporary shutdown return to process inventory.

Immigration news: 

►  In today's Washington Post -- Senate Democrats address immigration -- Senate Democrats outlined plans yesterday to overhaul the nation's immigration laws, including a requirement that all U.S. workers verify their identity through fingerprints or an eye scan.

►  In today's NY Times -- Obama set for first step on immigration reform -- He is expected to meet with Congressional leaders of both parties today to begin laying the political groundwork for sweeping legislation, even though its passage this year is considered very unlikely.

►  In today's Yakima H-R -- Immigrant rights advocate Tomas Villanueva suffers stroke -- The 68-year-old said he’s fine, although he’s lost all feeling in his left arm. But in typical Villanueva style, the man wasn’t twiddling his thumbs in the hospital. Instead, he was taking calls about workplace complaints on his cell phone and scribbling away in a legal pad.

Trade news: 

►  At AFL-CIO Now -- TRADE Act would overhaul bad trade policy -- Today, a bipartisan group in Congress plans to reintroduce a major legislative overhaul of the nation’s failed trade policies to put good jobs at the center of a coherent global economic strategy. The Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act, which has 106 co-sponsors, was first introduced last year but did not come to the floor. It would require a review of existing trade agreements, establish standards for future trade agreements, protect workers’ rights and help restore congressional oversight of trade agreements.   

►  In today's News Tribune -- Free trade could help lift us out of our current economic mire (guest column by Rep. Dave Reichert) -- I’ve spoken with President Barack Obama’s new U.S. trade representative, Ron Kirk, about the role trade can play as an economic stimulus, and I’m encouraged by his public commitment “to revive global trade.” That agenda should begin by enacting pending agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea that have languished far too long. (They shoot union leaders, don't they?)

National news:

►  At AFL-CIO Now -- 230 economists voice support for Employee Free Choice Act -- Many of America’s top economists, including Nobel Prize laureates, say the new law to protect workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain is more than desirable -- it’s essential.

►  In today's NY Times -- Sanford confession is more bad news for Republicans -- The confession of an affair by the S.C. governor was the second in a week from a GOP presidential contender.