Legislative news:

►  In today's News Tribune -- Session too short to address workers' comp (guest column by Rep. Steve Conway) -- A recent News Tribune editorial listed my past work experience, implying some kind of bias because of my background with the UFCW Local 81. Ironic how a legislators’ background is only frowned upon in this paper when it’s in organized labor. Currently, we have a former cop chairing our public safety committee, a nurse chairing health care and a teacher as chair of the education committee. Their “biases” are never proclaimed so loudly by this paper when legislation succeeds or fails in their respective committees. It is time The News Tribune reviewed its internal biases toward unionized workers and their representatives.

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- Constitutionality of I-960 debated -- Suspending parts of Initiative 960 through June 2011, and permanently changing others, is a good idea, said people representing social services agencies, low-income residents and college students. It’s a terrible idea, said others representing businesses, farmers and those who promoted the ballot measure.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- State legislators should resist urge to raise taxes (editorial) -- Lawmakers in Olympia should resist all temptation to repeal the rule that requires them to have a two-thirds vote to raise taxes. (Spoken like an industry that got a 40% tax cut last session, amidst a budget crisis and an all-cuts budget, on a simple majority vote.)

Education funding news:

►  In today's Olympian -- Basic education underfunded, judge rules -- The state isn't fully paying for basic public education, a violation of its constitutional duty, a King County judge ruled Thursday in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of parents, teachers and school districts. The judge didn’t set a specific timeline for reform but urged the Legislature to proceed with real and measurable progress to establish the cost of basic education and find a stable way to pay for it. The Legislature has committed to reform the way it pays for basic education by 2018.

►  In today's (Everett) Herald -- Budget squeeze may close beloved Trafton school -- One of the state's oldest schools could close for good this summer. Arlington schools are experiencing the largest drop in state revenue that people in the district can remember. “Trafton has such history. One of my students is a fifth-generation Trafton kid,” second-grade teacher Todd McLaughlin said. “We support our school board, but we still hope Trafton can stay open for another 100 years. The real problem is in Olympia, because the state is not adequately funding schools.”

►  In today's Seattle Times -- State Senate panel OKs "tuition flexibility" -- SB 6562 would grant universities temporary tuition-setting authority to raise tuition at an average annual compounded rate that may not exceed 9% over six years or 14% in any one year.

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- EWU students, faculty rise up against cuts -- More than 500 students and faculty stage a walkout at Eastern Washington University to protest cuts in state university spending and increases in tuition. The protest was mirrored at Washington State University in Pullman, where about 150 students and staff held a similar demonstration.

►  In today's Olympian -- Evergreen to walkout today -- Evergreen State College students and staff members plan a walkout to protest budget cuts from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today.

Local news:

►  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Board: Lung disease risk too high at Hanford -- The Hanford Advisory Board is questioning whether the Department of Energy is doing enough to protect Hanford workers from an incurable lung disease caused by exposure to beryllium.

►  In today's News Tribune -- Biomass facility planned in Shelton -- An energy company hopes to break ground by late this year on a power plant that would convert wood waste from logging operations into electricity. Once operating, the company says the plant would require 24 employees and another 100 to harvest and deliver the woody debris from the forest.

►  From AP -- Boeing starts 2010 with 10 orders, all 737-800s -- It was Boeing's slowest January for orders since 2000, but the company still has plenty of planes to build. It ended last year with a backlog of 3,375 commercial aircraft. Boeing says it delivered 28 new planes in January.

►  In today's Olympian -- Ten more state workers lose their jobs next month -- Ten painters and other trade workers received notices Thursday that they will be laid off effective March 8.

►  In today's (Everett) Herald -- Reardon laments political sparring with council -- The council has moved to oversee how Reardon reviews worker complaints of harassment and discrimination. They also differ about the county budget with Reardon seeking 15 unpaid furlough days from county workers and the council asking for five. Unions have yet to agree to either proposal.

►  In today's (Everett) Herald -- Riders blast Community Transit's proposed service cuts -- About 130 people at a public hearing opposed CT's proposed cuts. Some faulted the loss of all Sunday service. Others were concerned about fare hikes. Still others just wanted their route saved.

►  In today's News tribune -- Tacoma firefighter files to run for county council -- Longtime firefighter and union leader Pat McElligott has filed to run for Pierce County Council’s District 1 seat.

Checkers vs. Chess update:

►  From McClatchy -- Senate Democrats muster all 60 votes one last time -- On the Senate's final day of with a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority, Democrats advanced the nomination of M. Patricia Smith to become the Labor Department's top lawyer on a 60-32, party-line vote. Republicans complained that the vote was held just hours before GOP Sen. Brown of Massachusetts was to be sworn in.

►  From The Hill -- Obama nominee's fate in flux as labor lawyer loses GOP support -- Two Senate Republicans who previously supported labor lawyer Craig Becker's nomination to the National Labor Relations Board now oppose him, putting his confirmation in doubt. (Huh. Who could have seen that coming, Democrats?)

National news:

►  In the LA Times -- Unemployment .rate falls unexpectedly, but job losses continue -- The U.S. unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped to 9.7% in January from 10% in the prior month, but employers eliminated 20,000 more jobs, the government said Friday in a report that shows the labor market has yet to turn the corner despite the return of growth to the economy.

►  At AFL-CIO Now -- Millions fear losing unemployment insurance -- Long-term unemployment (where workers are out of a job for more than six months) worsened in January, increasing from 6 million to 6.3 million workers. But the unemployment insurance extension for millions of workers expires Feb. 28, unless Congress–specifically, the Senate -- takes immediate action.

►  In today's NY Times -- Fiscal scare tactics (Paul Krugman column) -- Why the sudden ubiquity of deficit scare stories? It isn’t being driven by any actual news. This fear-mongering on the deficit is part of the Republican political strategy, and it could end up doing as much harm as their fear-mongering on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Running big deficits in the face of the worst economic slump since the 1930s is actually the right thing to do. If anything, deficits should be bigger than they are because the government should be doing more than it is to create jobs.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Dems push for vote on measures to spur jobs -- Congressional Democrats pledge to enact a measures to spur job growth while taking steps to tackle the burgeoning deficit. A Senate Democratic plan would refund the 6.2% share of the Social Security tax to companies of any size that hire workers this year.

►  In today's NY Times -- White House unveils plan to double U.S. exports -- The approach included pledges to pursue more trade agreements, increase pressure on trading partners to open markets and the creation of an export promotion cabinet. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke did not say when the administration might send Congress three completed free-trade accords -- with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. The move is likely to cause a rift with Obama’s Democratic and labor supporters as well as free-trade opponents in the Republican Party. 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 -- All union members interested in going to Olympia to advocate for pro-worker legislation are invited to attend a free Legislative Lobby Training from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the South Seattle Community College, Building E, 6770 E. Marginal Way S.  Join the legislative and political staffs of the Washington State Labor Council and the M.L. King County Labor Council as they explain how to make your voice -- and the voice of your union -- heard at the State Capitol. For more information or to register, e-mail Lily Wilson-Codega or call her at 206-650-5503.

Reception/Conference pre-registration will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the hotel lobby and registration will continue outside the reception at 6 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11 -- Priorities and progress in the efforts of the Washington State Labor Council and its affiliated unions to advocate for Washington's working families will be discussed at the WSLC's 2010 Legislative Conference beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Olympia Red Lion Hotel, with registration starting at 7:30 a.m.