WSLC Reports is a monthly summary of labor news and a preview of coming events. It is not intended to be comprehensive. More detail is available on these (and other) items online. If you would like to receive this via fax or mail, Get on the List!

Previous 2002 editions: November -- October -- Aug/Sept -- July -- June -- May -- April -- March

DECEMBER 2002
PUT PEOPLE FIRST

In 2003 Session, WSLC will urge
that all measures meet that test

Organized labor recognizes the serious challenges facing the 2003 State Legislature in terms of funding critical state services.  Given the tough decisions ahead, the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, strongly believes everything lawmakers consider should be measured by the test: Does it Put People First?  With that theme in mind, the WSLC will pursue an agenda to create economic growth and security for the people of Washington state, and will work to achieve progress on the following fronts:

Creating and Preserving Family-Wage Jobs

1. Support focused, achievable transportation package

2. Creating job opportunities through apprenticeship utilization 

3. Capital budget providing an economic stimulus

4. Reasonable pay raises for public workers

5. Invest in workforce training/retraining programs

Promote the Health and Safety of Washington Families

1. Support a coalition effort to help control health care costs through bulk purchasing of prescription drugs

2. Support a coalition effort to provide minimum paid leave for workers

Improve Government Accountability and Efficiency to Achieve Public Trust

1. Ending the use of public funds to oppose or support unionization

2. Disclosure and assessment of the effectiveness of tax breaks and tax exemptions

3. Sunset review of tax breaks and tax exemptions

Provide for Our Most Vulnerable Citizens

1. Fund home health care contract

2. Support federal extension of Unemployment Insurance benefits

3. Unemployment Insurance reforms for part-time workers

4. Support social service coalitions’ efforts to ensure funding for programs essential to the survival of our most vulnerable residents

While the WSLC promotes policies that Put People First, we also will oppose legislation that undermines that principle by attacking the economic conditions or health-and-safety of working people:

1. Stop all efforts to weaken our state’s minimum wage law.

2. Stop all efforts to weaken our state’s labor standards.  

3. Stop all efforts to weaken our state's prevailing wage laws.

4. Stop all efforts to weaken workers’ compensation protections for injured workers.

5. Retain our state rule on ergonomic protection so that there is relief from the 50,000 musculoskeletal injuries a year suffered by workers in Washington.

Additional detail on these proposals and positions will be posted at this WSLC website in the coming weeks. Position papers that offer background information on general issues on everything from Apprenticeship to Workers’ Compensation are also available at the site, and will be updated in early January.

Get our Legislative Updates

Anyone interested in following the progress of legislation affecting working families should sign up for a free subscription to the WSLC’s weekly Legislative Update newsletter. To receive it electronically, fill out the subscription form at this site, or if you want to receive it via fax or traditional mail, call the WSLC at (206) 281-8901 and ask to be added to the list.

WSLC blasts L&I over rate proposal

The Washington State Labor Council blasted the state Department of Labor and Industries for its proposal to cut workers' compensation benefits in order to reduce employers' premium increases, saying the state isn't showing the same level of concern for injured workers as it is for the health of businesses.

In order to mitigate a proposed 40.5% rate increase on employers, L&I announced in late November a plan to adopt a 29% increase that includes legislative proposals to, in their words, "improve the performance" and reduce the "complexity" of the system.  Those proposals would make it harder to qualify for benefits (in the case of workers suffering job-related hearing loss) and to change the way benefits are calculated so that many injured workers get less.

"Injured workers did not cause the workers' compensation system's revenue shortfall, Governor Locke, L&I Director Gary Moore and business associations did," said WSLC President Rick Bender.  "When the fund was in good shape, the state, under pressure from the business associations, issued dividend checks to employers costing hundreds of millions.  Now that it is short of revenue, their answer is to screw injured workers and cut benefits.  That just isn't right.

"Nobody wants to see sudden, dramatic rate increases," Bender added, "but there are other more responsible, more humane alternatives available than limiting benefits.” The WSLC has proposed some alternatives, which are posted at our website.

Learn more.

STATE LABOR NEWS

New WSLC Executive Board elected, named

The more than 600 union organizations that comprise the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, have chosen new officers to direct the programs and policies of the state's largest labor organization. 

In election results tallied and announced Dec. 5, eight new Vice Presidents and 11 incumbent Vice Presidents were elected to serve 4-year terms on the WSLC Executive Board, which meets quarterly to establish policies and programs between the organization's annual conventions.  WSLC President Rick Bender and Secretary-Treasurer Alan Link ran unopposed and were re-elected to 4-year terms that commence Jan. 5, 2003.

The following new Vice Presidents have been elected:

Darrell Chapman, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 191, Everett

Larry Johnston, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 280, Richland

Vance Lelli, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 23, Tacoma

Mark Reavis, Laborers International Union of North America Local 348, Pasco

Patty Rose, Service Employees International Union Local 6, Tacoma

Beth Thew, Communications Workers of America Local 7818, Spokane

Pat Thompson, American Fed'n of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 109, Everett

Emily Van Bronkhorst, Service Employees International Union Local 1199NW, Renton  

The following incumbent Vice Presidents were re-elected:

Rick Colón, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 73, Spokane

Bob Guenther, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 125, Centralia

Lynda Hart, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, Longview

Don Houtchens, Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers Local 1-590, Ferndale

Linda Lanham, International Association of Machinists District 751-F, Seattle

Sharon McCann, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1105, Seattle

Ron McGaha, International Association of Machinists District 751-C, Seattle

Joe Murphy, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 77, Bremerton

Dale Palmer, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1439, Yakima

Mike Phillips, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 452, Vancouver

Steve Williamson, International Union of Bricklayers Local 1, Seattle

The following individuals representing AFL-CIO-affiliated constituency groups were appointed by the WSLC Executive Board on Dec. 17 to serve four-year terms as WSLC Vice President, as stipulated by WSLC delegates in a constitutional change approved at the 2002 WSLC Convention (following this term, these representatives will run for statewide election):

James Davis (Iron Workers 86), A. Philip Randolph Institute

Andrea deMajewski (NALC), Pride At Work

Cathy Lowenberg (WFSE 443), Asian Pacific America Labor Alliance

Mari Wyatt (WFSE 843), Coalition of Labor Union Women

Congratulations to all.

UFW delays Fair Trade Apple rollout

The United Farmworkers of America has announced that the Fair Trade Apple campaign to develop a new model for the industry that would guarantee fairness to workers and growers forges ahead despite a fruit-quality setback that postponed a scheduled rollout of the first-ever Fair Trade Apples.

“Unfavorable weather conditions led to concerns among several co-ops about the quality of apples,” reads a statement from organizers. “For this reason, and a decision to wait for further input from our research team, we have decided that our goal... is best served by suspending this pilot project until quality control issues are resolved.”

Learn more. 

SPEEA members OK Boeing contract

Boeing engineers and technical workers represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, IFPTE 2001, approved new 3-year contracts with 88% “yes” votes earlier this month.  The contracts took effect immediately and cover 17,476 members.

“This is an accomplishment for SPEEA members,” said SPEEA Executive Director Charles Bofferding. “During very difficult times, SPEEA members stood firm for what they needed and believed was right. While they did not get everything they sought, this contract shows they achieved the majority of their goals.”

Learn more. 

NATIONAL LABOR NEWS

Congress, Bush turn backs on jobless

Despite an aggressive campaign by the AFL-CIO and other organizations to force the issue, the Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives adjourned Nov. 22 without acting on a bipartisan Senate proposal to extend unemployment aid for more than 800,000 jobless workers. Now those workers—including 50,000 in Washington state—who will lose their benefits Dec. 28.

“The House Republicans’ Scrooge-like gesture—cutting off unemployed workers over the Christmas holiday, while the House members themselves enjoy richly paid holidays—is shameful,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “Neglecting the opportunity to boost the flailing economy with emergency benefits for families who need the money and would spend the money is irresponsible.”

Learn more.

If you have news items regarding unions or workplace issues in Washington state that you would like to see included at the WSLC website, please submit them via e-mail to David Groves or via fax to 206-285-5805.

Copyright © 2002  Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO