WSLC Monthly Report -- July-August 2003

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!
(See previous editions of this newsletter.)

JULY/AUGUST 2003
"JUSTICE FOR ALL"
WSLC Convention in Wenatchee will
address immigrant rights, much more

The Washington State Labor Council 2003 Convention will be Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 21-23 at the Coast Wenatchee Convention Center. Under the theme of "Justice for All," the keynote speaker will be the Rev. James Lawson, one of the principal architects of America’s Civil Rights Movement and a close associate of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Check out the convention's tentative agenda.)

Rev. Lawson, an inspirational speaker who was one of the original Freedom Riders of the 1960s, will discuss the upcoming Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, a national mobilization focusing public attention on immigrant rights and the injustices of current labor and immigration policies. He will also discuss the role of the labor movement in fighting for social justice, and the challenges working families face under the anti-labor Bush administration.

Many other labor issues and speakers are also on the agenda, including U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and the recently declared Democratic candidates for governor. One of them, state Attorney General Christine Gregoire, had already been scheduled to speak at Friday night’s convention banquet before Gov. Gary Locke announced he would not seek re-election. Also speaking is Elaine Bernard, the dynamic Executive Director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7—The Kickoff Celebration for Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at the New Holly Community Center, 7050 32nd Ave. South in Seattle. This September, IWFR buses will leave nine cities, including Seattle and Portland, and make frequent stops throughout the nation on their way to Washington, D.C. to press the need for immigration reform. This kickoff Celebration will feature speakers representing the diversity of our community, entertainment and food. All are welcome. Learn more at www.seattle-iwfr.org and www.iwfr.org.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10—A Rally to Protect Family-Wage Jobs on Seattle Waterfront, organized by the Inlandboatmen’s Union and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, will begin at 11 a.m. at Pier 52 on Alaskan Way drawing attention to plans by the Washington State Ferry System and America West Steamship that threaten good family-wage jobs. Learn more.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20—The WSLC will host a Workforce Development Conference at the Coast Wenatchee Hotel, in conjunction with the 2003 Convention. Any union member, staffer or leader interested in the new Trade Act, the Workforce Investment Act, or Program Advisory Committees or Worker Retraining Programs at the colleges should make plans to attend. Learn more.

AUGUST 21-23—The Washington State Labor Council’s 2003 Convention at the WestCoast Wenatchee Hotel. (See story.)

OCTOBER 8-9 -- "Meeting of the Minds," the 2003 Workers’ Compensation conference, will be at the Shoreline Conference Center. This event provides a diverse and broadbased forum in which participants can learn more about workers’ compensation. For more information, including how to register, contact Project Help’s Kairie Pierce at 1-800-255-9752.

Unfortunately, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, who had been scheduled to appear at the convention, recently had to cancel his appearance.

As usual, there will be informative workshops on topics including union organizing, health care reform, Social Security, substance abuse prevention, economic development strategies and much more. And speaking of economic development, a conference on that subject will be held the day before the convention on Wednesday, Aug. 20 (see Coming Events at right for more information).

Convention delegates will deliberate, discuss and act on resolutions to establish WSLC policy and programs. Affiliated organizations must submit proposed resolutions to Secretary-Treasurer Al Link’s attention at the WSLC office, 314 First Ave. West, Seattle, WA, 98119 as soon as possible. If you have convention-related questions, please contact his assistant, Karen White, at (206) 281-8901 or kwhite@wslc.org.

Hundreds of Bon Marche employees and their supporters rallied and marched July 23 in Seattle to urge Bon management to abandon its takeaway contract proposal that the United Food and Commercial Workers union described as reminiscent of the Reagan years. In negotiations for a union contract covering 1,800 workers across the Puget Sound area represented by UFCW Locals 1001, 367 and 44, management for the retailer being renamed Bon-Macy’s has proposed wage freezes and cuts, a two-tier wage scale and huge increases in medical costs. Signs carried at the rally by Bon workers read: "Bon-Macy’s: A name change can’t hide how they treat their employees!" The Bon’s union workers voted by 99.5% to reject management’s contract offer and authorize a strike. The UFCW has recently filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the Bon for preventing employees from leafleting outside stores.

There has been no progress in negotiations between employees at the SeaTac Hilton and DoubleTree hotels. However, at press time, a tentative contract agreement was announced for workers at the SeaTac Red Lion Hotel.

Workers represented by Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 8 continue to conduct informational picketing outside the Hilton and DoubleTree and the union has asked union members, labor organizations and their community supporters to cancel reservations and events planned at the hotels. In addition, the union is asking for supporters to Adopt-a-Day on the picket line. Informational picketing is happening from 8 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please contact HERE’s Cindy Richardson at (206) 728-2326 x17 if you can participate or have questions.

With community and religious support and the leadership of the workers themselves, janitors in King County office buildings represented by Service Employees International Union Local 6 ratified a new contract in July. The contract will maintain health benefits—a priority issue for the members—and provide for wage increases over the next four years. Wage and benefit increases will total $3.30 per hour over the life of the contract, affecting nearly 2,500 janitors. Workers will also be entitled to take personal leave without pay for three weeks while maintaining their jobs. The SEIU thanks everyone who supported the janitors’ struggle and attended actions on their behalf. It helped send a strong message to the employers and ultimately steered them toward agreeing to a fair contract.

Nurses and other staff who provide care and services for patients at Group Health Cooperative joined with supporters from across the community July 9 to rally against GHC management’s demands for huge cuts in their health benefits. A delegation of employees then testified at Group Health’s Board of Trustees meeting about how the cuts will affect employees’ families. In contract negotiations with 1,200 hospital and clinic workers GHC executives have demanded dramatically higher premiums, co-pays and prescription drug charges, a new surcharge on employees who want spousal coverage, and elimination of retiree health coverage for new hires. Contract negotiations continue and a mediator has been called in.

WSLC President Rick Bender has sent an alert to all union organizations asking them to inform their members of an important deadline for filing of workers’ compensation claims for hearing loss from occupational exposure. As a result of legislation passed this year, workers suffering occupational hearing loss will no longer be eligible to receive Permanent Partial Disability awards unless they file their claims within two years of last injurious exposure. However, the legislation has a window period, so workers who file their claims before Sept. 10, 2004, are still eligible for PPD awards.

Despite receiving tens of thousands of letters and e-mails in opposition, the Bush administration continues to press forward with its proposal to change overtime rules that will deny OT pay to an estimate 8 million workers. The new rules could go into effect as soon as September of this year. Among those who stand to lose OT pay are fire fighters, police officers, nurses, retail clerks, certain medical technicians, military reservists, tech workers and many more.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives attempted to block Bush’s move, but their effort failed on a 213-210 vote. Rep. George Nethercutt, who has announced he’s running for Sen. Patty Murray’s seat, voted in support of Bush’s OT pay cuts, as did Reps. Jennifer Dunn and "Doc" Hastings. A vote on a similar proposal to block Bush could happen at any time in the U.S. Senate.

In Washington, the state Department of Labor and Industries has indicated Bush’s proposed changes expanding overtime exemptions will not affect workers here because of state protections that mirror current federal standards. But already, lobbyists for the Association of Washington Business are saying state OT protections make our state less "competitive."