THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009
State's unionized winery is No. 1
Ste. Michelle wine rated No. 1 in the world for 2009 by Wine Spectator

Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington's only unionized winery and the largest wine producer in the state, has earned a prestigious honor that is bringing renewed acclaim to the Northwest wine industry and could translate into big sales. 

Out of 17,000 wines, the winery's Columbia Crest 2005 Columbia Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon landed the No. 1 spot on Wine Spectator magazine's top 100 list for 2009. It's the first time that a Washington wine has reached the top of the list of wines from around the world. 

The United Farm Workers represents Ste. Michelle's vineyard workers and Teamsters Local 117 represents the barrel room, warehouse, production, shipping and maintenance workers at its Woodinville facility.

Ste. Michelle CEO Ted Baseler says Pacific Northwest grape growers and wine makers have been working for recognition of this kind for decades. In an interview with KPLU, he said, "There are some spectacular wines from the great regions of the world -- Bordeaux, Tuscany, from Napa -- and now at the very top of all of them is a Washington State wine."

In addition to Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle wines, the winery's labels include Domaine Ste. Michelle, Snoqualmie, Col Solare, NorthStar, Villa Mt. Eden, Conn Creek, Stimson Estate Cellars and Red Diamond. These union-made wines all make great holiday gifts!

But good luck getting the acclaimed 2005 cabernet. Ste. Michelle reportedly has about 1,000 bottles left of its Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet that took the top honors. The winery is taking names for a lottery to best sell some of those in-demand bottles. 

In awarding Columbia Crest's 2005 Reserve Cabernet a score of 95 points, Wine Spectator called it "ripe in flavor, with a vivid array of black currant, blackberry, violet, black tea and black pepper aromas and flavors that zoom through to a long, expressive finish. Shows subtlety in the layers of complex flavor against a refined structure. Tannins are present but nicely contained."

We're pretty sure that means it tastes good. 

But then, so does beer -- which also makes a fine gift. Here's a list of union-made American beers as posted at www.HowToBuyAmerican.com: Anheuser-Busch, Hamm's, Henry Weinhard's, Icehouse, Leinenkugel's, Mad River, Mickey's, Miller, Milwaukee's Best, Olde English 800, Red Dog, Sharp's (non alcoholic), and Steelhead Fine Ale.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009
Trumka commends Senate health bill
But AFL-CIO President criticizes its inclusion of excise tax on benefits

The following statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka regarding the Senate health care bill was released today:

We commend Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for bringing forward a health care bill that moves us closer to the historic goal of health care for America -– high quality, affordable health care for all in our rich nation. The Senate leadership bill takes the strongest steps yet to bring down costs. But the bill is not perfect. It retains a version of the excise tax from the Senate Finance Committee bill. We continue to believe that a tax on working families’ benefits is the wrong way to finance health care and we will work hard to eliminate this provision as the bill heads to the floor.

The bill’s inclusion of a public insurance plan option to hold private insurance companies accountable is a tremendous step. And the legislation should be praised for its other fair financing plans, including an increase in the Medicare tax on the wealthiest and an employer responsibility requirement, which we believe should be expanded to include more employers. The bill would expand access by covering 94 percent of Americans and reduce the deficit by $130 billion over 10 years. Today another hurdle is cleared and we are optimistic that good, affordable care for working families will soon be law.

 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009
Sacred Heart nurses say H1N1 protections lacking 

The following news release was distributed this morning by the Washington State Nurses Association, an affiliate of the Washington State Labor Council:

Respirators and H1N1 Information Distributed to Registered Nurses at Sacred Heart Medical Center Out of Concern for Nurse and Patient Safety

Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), representing more than 1,600 registered nurses at Sacred Heart Medical Center, is holding a press conference today to highlight serious concerns about the safety of nurses and patients at Sacred Heart Medical Center during this H1N1 pandemic. In response to numerous reports from nurses about unsafe working conditions, WSNA is demanding that the hospital fully comply with CDC guidelines on H1N1 prevention and step up its flu prevention precautions so that nurses and patients are no longer put at risk.

“I’m here today because I’m worried about the safety of my patients and fellow nurses. As a nurse, every day I come to work committed to providing excellent patient care and doing my best to promote health and safety. Nurses are being exposed to H1N1 and we are getting sick. I am one of those nurses, I had the flu, presumed to be H1N1, and it is a serious illness. I deserve to come to work and know that my employer is taking every precaution to keep me healthy,” said Kristie Dimak, a registered nurse at Sacred Heart Medical Center.

A lack of access to N95 respirators is one major area of concern for nurse and patient safety. The N95 respirators are recommended by the CDC for use when healthcare personnel are within 6 feet of suspected or confirmed H1N1 patients. Many nurses are reporting that N95s are not readily available on their units when caring for H1N1 patients and many nurses have not been properly fit-tested to ensure that the respirators will be effective. The hospital is claiming that a shortage exists and has already begun implementing policies to conserve their N95 respirators such as reusing N95s and only using them during specific procedures. However, calls to suppliers of the respirators show no such shortage and WSNA was easily able to obtain 3,000 N95 respirators which will be handed out to Sacred Heart nurses as they arrive at work following the press conference.

We are shocked and appalled that Sacred Heart has not fully complied with the CDC guidelines and that there are nurses caring for diagnosed H1N1 patients with no N95 respirators. We have been forced to take drastic action today, addressing this issue directly with the public and the nurses. To keep nurses and patients safe, Sacred Heart absolutely must have a comprehensive flu prevention strategy with an adequate supply of safety equipment and resources. Until that happens, we will continue to be aggressive in our efforts to advocate for the safety of nurses and patients at Sacred Heart Medical Center and educate our nurses about how they can help prevent the spread of H1N1 this winter,” said Barbara Frye, BSN, RN, Assistant Executive Director of Labor Relations for WSNA.

WSNA’s actions were prompted by a number of reports and formal complaints filed by nurses who are concerned about their own safety and their ability to keep patients safe. WNSA believes that Sacred Heart is in violation of OSHA standards and state regulations on the issues of infection control and an employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace. WSNA has filed complaints against Sacred Heart with both the Department of Health and the Department of Occupational Health and Safety at L&I to ensure patient and nurse safety.

“Nurses need the proper equipment and support systems to provide the best possible care. It is unacceptable for nurses to be denied N95 respirators, reprimanded for wearing N95 respirators, and getting sick from caring for flu patients. Nurses deserve protection when caring for diagnosed or suspected H1N1 patients,” said Marty Avey, a registered nurse at Sacred Heart Medical Center.

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