Fall ballots will bring threats, opportunities (WSLC Reports

July 6, 2010

July 2: Rally for tanker jobs on July 9

July 1: Broad coalition opposes I-1082

June 30: WSLC Convention Aug. 9-12

^{RSS
2.0 feed}

Updated DAILY... Almost Every Day!™ by 9 a.m. Pacific
Links are functional at date of posting, but sometimes expire.
How are we doing? -- E-mail your feedback to our staff!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Fall ballots will bring threats, opportunities

Voters will choose to privatize and cut services, or to properly fund them

Check out a summary of the Washington State Labor Council's endorsements for statewide ballot measures that are expected to be on the ballot this fall. What decides the outcome on these measures won't be the amount of money spent by supporters and opponents, it will be whether voters decide that important public services have to be maintained and properly funded, or if they want to cut and/or privatize those services. Read more.

► In the News Tribune -- Measure backers let wallets talk -- Each of six initiatives may look familiar: business groups and unions, fighting over taxes and privatization of state services. “Ultimately (voters) are going to decide what kind of state they want to live in,” says UFCW 21's Tom Geiger. “I hope that what ends up coming out of the elections is we live in a state where basic and needed services are funded.”

► At SeattlePI.com -- More than $8 million raised for initiatives this year -- Interest groups have already contributed $8.6 million to statewide initiatives this year that seek to do things like roll back taxes, impose an income tax on the wealthy and privatize liquor sales.

► In the Everett Herald -- Unions dig into war chests -- The election has the state’s largest unions wrestling with how best to use their cash and their members' energy. They want to pass one initiative, defeat five others and unseat a few Democratic state lawmakers.

More election news:

► In The Stranger -- Building a better cash cow -- For years, the BIAW made a ton of money from Washington's current workers' comp arrangement. Taking full advantage of an opening provided by the legislature, it was able to get the state to kick millions in unclaimed workers' comp dollars into its coffers every year—money the BIAW has then used to fund conservative causes ranging from campaigns for Dino Rossi and Rob McKenna to trying to stack the state supreme court with conservative justices to fighting against environmental legislation. However, due to tighter audits on payouts, this way of doing business has recently become much less lucrative for the BIAW. Enter Initiative 1082, the BIAW's new and improved way to get Washington State workers to fund its conservative agenda.

► At Publicola -- WSLC adds 2nd Democratic state senator to hit list -- The Washington State Labor Council, traditionally seen as a knee jerk ally of incumbent Democrats (?!) has added a second Democratic state senator to their hit list. Last week, the WSLC endorsed progressive challenger Nick Harper over Democratic state Sen. Jean Berkey (D-38, Everett).

Jobs, jobs, jobs:

► In the (Aberdeen) Daily World -- What if it doesn't pass? -- Holidays continue to pass, but the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 hasn’t. Three times since Memorial Day, Senate Democrats have submitted different versions of the legislation. As the Senate goes into the July 4 break, the bill has not yet received the required number of votes for passage. And, many Capitol observers aren’t optimistic about its chances to pass before the August recess. Says Grays Harbor Public Health Director Joan Brewster: “It is important for Congress to act on this bill and pass it. If we lose the FMAP monies, it will deepen the shortfall for the state. That will happen against a backdrop of continued high unemployment and that means increased need for basic services that support people and their families. The hard thing about human services work is needs go up when the economy goes down.”

► In today's Washington Post -- The unemployment emergency (Eugene Robinson column) -- Washington gets all excited when someone commits an embarrassing or impolitic gaffe. Beyond the Beltway, people cannot understand why our leaders can't be similarly focused and energetic about the most tragic spasm of economic dislocation in eight decades.

Local news:

► At AFL-CIO Now -- AFT members help children before getting down to business in Seattle -- Before delegates to AFT’s national convention get down to business July 8 in Seattle, they will do what teachers do best and give of themselves, their time and energy to help children. One day before the convention opens, the teachers will help AFT members in Seattle who work with young children by joining together for a day of community service. They also are collecting supplies to help homeless students.

► In the PS Business Journal -- Boeing's big decision: Tweak 737 or start anew? -- Boeing’s choice, which the company promises to make this year, is of huge importance to the region. As Boeing’s smallest but most popular jetliner, the 737, is the area’s largest generator of aerospace jobs. With thousands of jobs ultimately at stake, the decision is coming to a head.

► In the Seattle Times -- It's time to end the pingpong match over the viaduct tunnel project (editorial) -- The city, state and county have haggled long enough over the deep-bore tunnel to replace the aging and dangerous Alaskan Way Viaduct. At some point, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn has to concede he lost this debate. The time to march forward is now.

► In the (Everett) Herald -- Community Transit hopes to restore some bus service -- Bus service on Sundays and holidays by Community Transit are lost for 2010, but officials hope routes can be restored early next year. A panel of state legislators and others who are studying possible funding sources and other measures to provide more stability for public transportation.

► In today's Spokesman-Review -- Skilled labor a promising option for career path (editorial) -- Many educators are returning to the idea that a broader array of technical-skills classes might hold the interest of some students who would otherwise drop out because curricula ignore their interests and needs. The college diploma has long been a cherished document, but a more valuable credential for many employers and job candidates is the certification of a specific skill.

Government news:

► In the Olympian -- WFSE lawsuit won't halt furloughs, judge rules -- A Thurston County Superior Court judge denies the Washington Federation of State Employees’ request to stop the furloughs before they begin July 12. The superintendent of public instruction’s office and the Department of Retirement Systems will both be closed in the first round of furloughs.

► In the Kitsap Sun -- Lagging pension contributions hit government budgets hard in 2011 -- Employers’ contributions to government employee retirement plans could jump 60% in 2011, putting a heavier burden on already stretched government budgets. Finance officers from state government agencies down to small taxing districts have known for some time that employer contributions were likely to spike, but it doesn’t make the idea any easier to swallow.

National news:

► In the USA Today -- Fewer workers go on strike as organized labor shrinks -- In 2009, there were just five major strikes or work stoppages involving 1,000 or more employees -- the fewest since the DOL began tracking such data in 1947. There were on average 20 major work stoppages a year from 2000 through 2009, down from an average of 35 a year during the 1990s and 83 in the 1980s.

► From AP -- Northwest Airlines union seeks vote at Delta -- Unions for thousands of flight attendants and ground workers at the old Northwest Airlines said they would seek a vote to represent those groups at Delta, taking advantage of new election rules that make it easier for them to win. The federal rule that took effect Thursday covers airline and railroad workers.

► In today's NY Times -- Sides form over threat to Saturday mail service -- As federal regulators consider a proposal to cut most Saturday postal deliveries, the business community is sharply divided about the consequences of switching to five-day service.

► From Bloomberg -- New UAW chief inherits smaller union, troubled industry -- Bob King, the new UAW leader, inherits a union that gave up thousands of jobs and billions in benefits to save the U.S. auto industry. His legacy will rest on how workers are rewarded in the recovery.

► In the Seattle Times -- Evolution of politics around health care has been breathtaking (Rep. Brendan Williams column) -- Expect cash-strapped states to cut Medicaid eligibility, reduce benefits and increase co-pays. All with an additional 16 million Medicaid enrollees expected in 2014 when the federal health-care-reform bill expands eligibility. This is hardly what was hoped for back in March. A federal commitment to health care cannot be only rhetorical. Nor can we feel sanguine about the ability to assume new obligations when old ones are neglected.

TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2010
Fall ballots will bring threats, opportunities
Voters will choose to privatize and cut services, or to properly fund them

In a typically slow holiday weekend for news, most newspapers around the state decided to run local stories or Associated Press coverage of labor unions' positions on the many ballot measures Washington voters are expected to decide upon this fall. Of course, newspapers can't quantify political activism and volunteerism, so they focused on money, offering up sensational headlines about labor "opening the money taps" for the election.

Meanwhile, the unprecedented sum the national business groups spent this year on paid petitioners to put many of these initiatives on the ballot gets short shrift from the local media. And don't hold your breath waiting for a story that points out that businesses routinely outspend labor by more than 26-to-1 on elections.

At the Washington State Labor Council, we know that the value of labor's election endorsements can't be measured by the size of a check. It's measured by the number of rank-and-file union volunteers who work for campaigns and the efforts of local unions to inform their members about what's at stake on bread-and-butter workplace issues that appear on the ballot.

Here's a quick summary of the WSLC's endorsements for statewide ballot measures this fall approved by delegates representing unions across Washington state:

OPPOSE Initiative 1053 – Tim Eyman's latest initiative to require a two-thirds super-majority legislative vote for any state revenue increases. Unions oppose I-1053 as a harmful undemocratic impediment to our elected legislators' ability to fund critical state services, especially during times of economic downturn like we are experiencing today. I-1053 essentially hands the power to obstruct the budget to a 34% minority of lawmakers, which has proven to be a recipe for disaster in states like California.

OPPOSE Initiative 1082 – This would privatize Washinton's public non-profit workers’ compensation system. I-1082, which is being financed by big insurance companies and the right-wing Building Industry Association of Washington, would drive up employers’ costs, kill jobs, and could lead to taxpayer bailouts of failed insurers. For more information, visit www.voteno1082.com.

SUPPORT Initiative 1098 – This is a tax reform measure intended to make our state's tax code more fair. I-1098 will cut taxes for middle-class families, cut onerous B&O taxes for small businesses, and creating a high-earners income tax on the wealthiest 3% of state households -- couples with joint income of $400,000 a year ($200,000 and up for individuals) -- to raise needed revenue dedicated to funding education and health care. For more information, visit www.yeson1098.com.

OPPOSE Initiatives 1100 and 1105 – These rival initiatives would both privatize our state liquor stores, which not only would eliminate more than 1,000 good family-wage jobs, it would cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars per year. This will force even more cuts in education, health care and other core state services. Plus, the state auditor estimates teens’ access to hard alcohol will increase by more than 400% under liquor privatization, leading a coalition of public safety officials to join advocated for working families in denouncing both privatization measures.

OPPOSE Initiatives 1107 -- Heavily funded by out-of-state industry groups, including the national beverage-industry, I-1107 would eliminate Legislature-approved taxes on soda pop, candy, gum, and bottled water. The initiative would cost hundreds of millions in lost revenue over the next two years, and would lead to further deep cuts to important state services including Basic Health and K-12 education programs. For more information, visit www.oureconomicfuture.org.

SUPPORT Ref. 52 – The "Schools & Jobs Referendum" to issue $505 million in bonds to create some 30,000 jobs doing energy repair and retrofitting work at public schools, state colleges and universities. This investment will create desperately needed jobs and energy cost savings for the state over the long term.

In the coming weeks, the WSLC will be distributing leaflets explaining labor's position on these ballot measures for affiliated unions to distribute to their members. Check here to see what's currently available.

Delegates representing the WSLC's affiliated unions voted upon the Council's endorsements at our COPE (Committee on Political Education) Convention on May 15. Check out a complete list of the 2010 election endorsements -- available in HTML and as a printable PDF. Additional endorsements will be made at the WSLC Constitutional Convention in August. For more information, email WSLC Political Director Benjamin Lawver or call 206-281-8901.