WSLC Reports Today -- May 7, 2009

May 7, 2009

May 6: How NOT to join a union (video)

May 5: Millions lose health coverage

May 4: Letter Carriers Food Drive Saturday

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Thursday, May 7, 2009

Take Health Care for America survey

As decision-makers at every level take up health care reform, it is urgent that they hear from working families about what you are experiencing. Please make your voices heard by completing the AFL-CIO's "Health Care for America" survey, telling your health care story and encouraging your friends, co-workers and family members to do so. Learn more.

Employee Free Choice Act news:

► In today's NY Times -- Lines shift a bit on Senate labor bill -- Senate Democrats are considering a proposal pushed by Sen. Feinstein (D-CA): similar to the early voting that precedes elections in many states, workers would sign cards and mail them to the NLRB. If a majority mailed cards, the board would order the employer to recognize the union, as it now does when a majority of workers vote for a union through secret ballots.

► In today's Wall St, Journal -- Provision to ease unionization likely to drop out of bill -- Changes being discussed are dropping the card-signing provision and setting a 21-day deadline for an election to be held -- about the half the median of 40 days that union elections currently take. EFCA calls for arbitrators to set contracts if the parties fail to agree within 120 days. Under a compromise, mediators would play a bigger role in helping negotiate a contract, but arbitrators could still be used to rule on certain contract provisions.

► From AP -- Hawaii passes union card check bill -- The Democrat-controlled state House and Senate gave final approval to the measure, which permits a union to be certified if a majority of workers sign union authorization cards. The proposal is mostly limited to agriculture businesses because they're not covered by federal labor rules.

► In today's Arkansas -- Labor reform, still gestating (column) -- When the chamber of commerce guy tells you there’s no compromise being shopped on “card check,” you should keep something in mind. He is right that there’s no compromise being worked on, at least with him. That’s because the union folks are out there telling a compelling story, planting seeds widely, generating calls and letters, working directly with elected politicians and, above all else, trusting the residual value of all this patience and plodding.

Legislative session redux:

► In today's Daily World -- Health cuts begin to come into focus -- Mental health programs, family planning, maternity support programs and anti-tobacco advertising face budget reductions as the county copes with the Legislature’s multi-million dollar cuts. Many programs that help low-income residents are in jeopardy.

► At SeattleWeekly.com -- Interview with Sen. Lisa Brown -- "I think the real issue is that when you talk about a budget cut, you don't feel it. People are gonna feel budget cuts in the fall... when teachers are laid off, when people lose the Basic Health plan, when people lose day health services... I don't think there's widespread recognition of what that means at this point."

► Today from AP -- Gregoire signs bill that cuts supervision -- Washington's prison system will spend less time monitoring ex-convicts and probationers under the bill.

► Today from AP -- "What's the urgency?" Rep. Kessler asks of special session -- Overtime for the legislative session seemed all but certain a week ago. Now, some of the same problems that led to lawmakers’ adjournment with a handful of bills still in limbo have resurfaced.

► In today's Olympian -- Republicans vow to keep fighting school-funding bill -- As the clock ticked down to a midnight deadline, the Republicans spoke one after another about the issue, prompting Speaker Chopp to pull it from the floor. “When we came off the floor, we were high-fiving and smiling like we hadn’t been all session,” says Rep. Gary Alexander.

► In today's Spokesman-Review -- State imposes costly cure for budget hangover -- The liquor control board voted to raise the state markup on liquor by an average of about $1 a liter, starting Aug. 1. “It’s clear that the Legislature intended this,” said a board spokesman. Without the money, he said, the state would have had to shut down its retail stores.

► At TheOlympian.com -- Memo to liquor board: Call the governor -- "I think they should probably do two things: wait until I'm done and have signed the bill, and two, call me."

► In today's Olympian -- Hesitance to rethink taxes will bite lawmakers (editorial) -- Declining revenue and the awful budget lawmakers were forced to adopt, show just how regressive our tax structure is. The need for tax reform is long overdue. That effort has to come from Gov. Chris Gregoire and legislative leaders. They simply must engage the public in a constructive conversation about this state’s overreliance on property and sales taxes and how the missing third leg of the stool -- an income tax -- is necessary to level out the revenue peaks and valleys that this state constantly experiences.

Local news:

► In today's Bellingham Herald -- WWU to lose 164 employees to budget cuts -- WWU president says most of those position cuts will be handled by not filling vacant positions. However, about 65 current employees will be laid off or not have their contracts renewed.

► In today's -- Energy NW pulls plug on coal/petcoke gasification plant -- Energy Northwest next week will formally scuttle its plans to build the $1.5 billion power plant at the Port of Kalama, but the public power group may still build a conventional natural gas-fired power plant there.

► In today's Everett Herald -- 24 more Snohomish County workers lose jobs -- The county gave pink slips last week to 24 building inspectors, biologists and administrative staff members -- even the deputy director. They were expected to be gone by the end of this month.

National news:

► In today's Bellingham Herald -- Murtha drops idea of splitting Air Force tanker contract -- Boeing supporters on Capitol Hill have won an important round in the continuing fight over a $35 billion contract for Air Force refueling tankers: An influential congressman has dropped his plan to split the buy between the American aerospace company and its European competitor.

► In today's NY Times -- Rangel bars any taxes on workers' health care -- The House's top tax-writer says there is “no way” he would support taxing employer-provided health benefits, a clear indication of the difficulties Democrats may have in offering health insurance to all.

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009
Take AFL-CIO's "Health Care for America" survey

The economy is not working for working families today -- and health care is a major part of the problem. Across America, families are making hard decisions between paying for health care and paying for other necessities and struggling with a system that is too often cruel and inefficient. As President Obama has said, "Health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year."

As decision-makers at every level take up health care reform, it is urgent that they hear from working families about what you are experiencing. Please make your voice heard by completing this survey, telling your health care story and encouraging your friends, co-workers and family members to do so, too. We'll share the survey results with national, state and media leaders.

The 2009 HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA SURVEY is sponsored by the AFL-CIO, and Working America, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO. More than 26,000 completed the 2008 survey, gaining widespread media coverage and keeping health care at the top of the national agenda during the election season. This year, we expect even more responses.