Health reform news:

►  From AP -- Unions help, hinder Democrats -- As Democratic leaders stitch together bills by five different committees to take to the House and Senate floors, unions are working to include the public option and to derail a plan to slap a $200 billion excise tax on some health care policies. (See yesterday's posting: No new tax on the middle class!)

►  In the USA Today -- Baucus predicts all Democrats will support health bill -- When it comes time to vote, every Democrat in the Senate -- and perhaps more than one Republican -- will support the health reform legislation, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee predicts

►  In today's NY Times -- Democrats address their own rifts -- The divisions involved two issues: whether a public option should be offered to compete with private insurers, and whether Congress should offset any of the cost to increase Medicare payments to doctors.

►  In today's NY Times -- A hatchet job so bad it's good (Paul Krugman column) -- The insurance industry's report was dismissed by experts as a hatchet job, but it may have led to a better bill. 

Prison closure news: 

WFSE urges calls to hotline: "The consultants got it wrong!" The Washington Federation of State Employees, AFSCME Council 28 is urging union members to contact Gov. Chris Gregoire and the State Legislature to oppose the huge cuts at the Department of Corrections. Get the details.

►  In today's Walla Walla U-B -- Hundreds of jobs at stake -- The potential of losing hundreds of jobs if the main institution is closed at Washington State Penitentiary drew a swift reaction from local officials Tuesday.
Port of Walla Walla Executive Director Jim Kuntz says shutting down the facility could mean the loss of 300-plus jobs and a payroll of $20 million out of the Walla Walla Valley economy. This would be on top of cuts made earlier at the facility.

►  In today's Yakima H-R -- Large outcry over small prison -- Lawmakers say a proposal to close the Ahtanum View Correction Center west of Yakima will shift, rather than save, expenses. Workers, meanwhile, are worried about their livelihoods after a report recommends closing their facility.

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Machinists will negotiate for 2nd Boeing 787 line -- "We want the second line here in the state of Washington and we're willing to negotiate to make that happen," says Larry Brown, legislative and political action director of IAM District 751. Boeing and IAM officials have been negotiating, although Brown said he was not privy to those talks.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- State boosts Boeing pitch with money for worker training -- The governor's decision was applauded by industry, education and government representatives.

►  In the Economic Times -- India's genext to build next-gen aircraft for Boeing, Airbus -- Airbus and Boeing have formed partnerships with the IISc, IITs and IIM-Bangalore to perform design and system integration for next-generation air-birds, including A380s, A350s and the 787.

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Boeing "leaning" toward 767-based tanker -- Boeing is "leaning" toward offering a 767-based aerial refueling tanker to the U.S. Air Force, according to a new report.

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Boeing trimming flight test staff -- With first flights planned this year for the 787 and 747-8 aircrafts, Boeing plans to cut its 3,500-member flight test staff by 200 to 300.

Election news: 

►  In today's Olympian -- Jeff Davis has the vision that port commission needs (editorial endorsement) -- Where Davis tops his opponent is his optimistic vision for the Port of Olympia -- from the shipping operation to the marina, and from the airport and to industrial property. As a longshoreman, Davis understands the importance of port operations and how ports must have a tax subsidy to survive. There are a limited number of ports in this state and nation and the likelihood of creating a new port is very remote. Davis understands that Washington is the most trade-dependent state in the nation and that one in every three jobs is tied to trade. (Jeff Davis is the labor-endorsed candidate in this race.)

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Gov. Gregoire endorses Joe Mallahan for mayor -- Her endorsement comes, in part, because Mallahan agrees with her that a tunnel should replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Gregoire, state and local leaders have worked for years on the deal to replace the viaduct. Mallahan's opponent, Mike McGinn, says he will try to undo the deal if he is elected.

Local news: 

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Stimulus good for state... part of it, anyway -- Washington state has gotten a lion's share of federal economic stimulus contracts, ranking No. 2 in the nation for employment impact from the stimulus contracts with 2,909 jobs created or saved, according to the feds. The bulk of the state's money -- nearly $2 billion out of $2.2 billion -- is being spent on radioactive cleanup projects already under way at Hanford. Benton and Franklin counties, which straddle the nuclear reservation, are among the most recession-proof in the state because of a combination of food processing, farm and medical equipment manufacturing jobs, as well as federal waste cleanup projects.

►  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Hanford's vit plant reaches halfway mark -- Eight years into work at Hanford's massive vitrification plant, the project has passed the halfway mark, the DOE says.

►  In today's Olympian -- Workers vs. hospital -- About 500 Providence St. Peter Hospital workers -- housekeepers, dietary workers, admitting clerks, health unit coordinators and some licensed practical nurses and surgical technicians -- represented by SEIU 1199NW walked off the job Thursday, largely to call attention to rising employee health care costs.

►  In the Daily World -- Aberdeen mayor's plan has no job cuts -- Some union concessions, a key federal economic stimulus grant for the jails and “creative budgeting” were all factors allowing the city to once again avoid layoffs in what has been a roller coaster ride of budget negotiations.

►  At SeattlePI.com -- City council hears plan to pay for viaduct tunnel -- A new report gives a better snapshot of Mayor Nickels' proposed options for financing $927 million in costs.

►  In today's Oregonian -- Farmworker groups ask EPA to protect kids from pesticide drift -- The petition, filed by the UFW and several other groups, asks the agency to set stronger safety standards protecting children who grow up near farms from pesticide drift.

►  In today's Oregonian -- Union officials accused of disrupting Fred Meyer in Hillsboro -- Three union representatives with UFCW Local 555, which represents grocery workers at the store, were cited for allegedly interfering with employees after store officials called the police.

National news:

►  From In These Times -- Labor's new leader -- At a moment of great but imperiled political opportunity and continuing economic challenges, unions need to flex their muscles and their minds, and supporters see new AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka as well-suited for the job -- an articulate, forceful speaker with a personal history of both union reform and labor militancy. Working within new budget constraints, his first challenge is to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. Sweeney indicated labor was willing to compromise on its proposal to give workers the choice of majority sign-up, or “card check.” But a better deal might still be possible if Democratic leaders realize they’ll get no Republican support and insist that all Senate Democratic caucus members at least vote for cloture, even if they don’t vote for the bill.

►  In today's LA times -- Sliding dollar may be something to cheer about -- It's making imports and trips to Europe more expensive, but it's also making American products and visits to the U.S. cheaper for foreigners. It may just be the tonic the U.S. economy needs to get back on its feet.

►  From AP -- Senate panel plans to vote on labor board nominees -- It plans to vote next week on three long-stalled nominees to fill the NLRB. The five-member board has worked with three vacancies for nearly two years because of political wrangling in the Senate.

►  In today's NY Times -- Puerto Rico unions protest job cuts -- Thousands of Puerto Rican union members gathered Thursday in a financial district outside San Juan to protest the government’s plan to lay off more than 20,000 workers in a territory with a jobless rate of 15%.

►  In today's Washington Post -- Seizure of Mexican utility spurs protests -- Union members and their political allies fill the streets of the Mexican capital to condemn President Calderón's liquidation of a state-run power utility, a surprise move seen as an assault on organized labor.