State health care news:

►  In the Columbian -- Vancouver businessman, others rally for health care safety net -- Don Orange, owner of Hoesly ECO Auto and Tire, struggles to provide health care for his four employees, an expense that now makes up 15% of his payroll costs. And to get health insurance for himself and his family, he moonlights as a truck driver, a job with benefits. But he knows that tens of thousands of low-income Washington residents who rely on government-subsidized health care are in an even more precarious situation.

►  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Rally in Olympia protests health care cuts -- About 200 rally to save what they described as the health care safety net for low-income people.

►  In today's Olympian -- State budget might take billions from health care, services -- Budget cuts under consideration by a state House subcommittee include more than $2 billion in reductions in health care and human services, twice as many cuts in health care as what Gov. Gregoire proposed. The news comes as a coalition of labor, health care, education and other groups is brainstorming and doing polls to see what kind of tax proposal lawmakers could take to voters.

Legislative news:

►  From AP -- Senate passes bill to reduce unemployment taxes -- SB 5963 passed on a 38-11 vote. While most Democrats supported the bill, a few voted against it, including Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle), who disputed a "voluntary quit" provision in current law that is revoked in SB 5963. Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent) also voted "no," saying workers will only get a temporary increase in jobless benefits, while businesses will get tax breaks that last for years. "It's not equitable ... the balance is just not there," she said. (Learn more about this bill.)

►  In today's Olympian -- WFSE returns to bargaining table -- The largest state workers union returns to the bargaining table, hoping to come to terms with the governor. WFSE spokesman Tim Welch says it isn't clear whether they would come to terms quickly.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Splitting up DSHS will waste money, not save it (editorial) --  Perennial proposals to break up the agency are correctly dismissed as budgetary scapegoating. That said, the $20 billion annual cost of running DSHS is too high and the results too minimal.

Local news:

►  In today's Daily News -- Weyerhaeuser to lay off 19 at Longview mill -- The cuts represent about 8% of the total workforce, dropping total employment at the lumber mill to 214, says the company. Weyerhaeuser also cut hours and laid off 109 employees at its saw mills in Raymond and Warrenton, Ore. last week because of poor market conditions.

►  In today's Kitsap Sun -- Facing deficit, Bremerton asks employees to take unpaid days off -- The city of Bremerton has asked its employees if they would be willing to take one unpaid day off a month or allow the city to temporarily stop contributing to retirement plans.

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- Hospital union prepared to picket -- SEIU 1199NW, representing 1,100 health care and service workers, is engaged in a contract fight with the new owner of Deaconess Medical Center and Valley Hospital and Medical Center.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Hearst to announce P-I plans next week -- The paper's roughly 170 employees have been officially notified that their jobs will end between March 18 and April 1.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- 66 contract workers refuse Microsoft pay cut -- The staffing agency previously has said that if contractors do not accept the wage cuts, they lose their jobs.

Employee Free Choice Act news:

►  At Huffington Post -- Your tax dollars at work: Bailed out Citigroup hosts anti-EFCA strategy call -- Embattled financial giant Citigroup Inc., which has received at least $50 billion in federal bailout funds, hosted a private conference call on Wednesday to build opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act. The call, which came just one day after the labor-backed legislation was introduced in Congress, represents a growing effort on Citi's behalf to air concerns about the bill, which would make it easier for employees to organize.

National news: 

►  From AP -- National jobless rate could hit 10% in 2009 -- A growing number of states suffered double-digit unemployment rates in January, and others are close behind, buttressing fears that the national jobless rate could hit 10 percent by year's end.

►  In today's Washington Post -- Workers' health benefits eyed for taxation -- With Obama's plan to tax the rich to pay for health care facing deep skepticism, key lawmakers are pressing a different way to raise money: taxing the health benefits workers receive from their employers.

►  In today's Washington Post -- Clinton reiterates U.S. commitment to "robust" rights agenda -- Under fire for some of her recent remarks on human rights, she insists that the Obama administration regards the issue at the same level as economics and international security.

►  In today's NY Times -- UAW deal with Ford cuts hourly rate to $55 -- Ford says the new union agreement will save at least $500 million a year and, within several years, bring its labor costs into line with what foreign competitors pay their workers in the United States.

►  In today's LA Times -- A-list stars push for new attempt at SAG contract -- Tom Hanks and others help get talks started aimed at bringing the warring sides back to the bargaining table.