WSLC Monthly Report -- June/July 2005

WSLC Reports is a bi-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) stories online. If you want to receive this via fax or mail, Get on the List! (See previous editions of this newsletter.)

The 2005 Convention of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO will begin Thursday, August 4 at 9 a.m. at Spokane’s WestCoast Ridpath Hotel. Convention business is expected to conclude early Saturday afternoon.

SATURDAY, JULY 30 -- A broad-based coalition of labor, business and public entities are establishing a state-of-the-art Safety Training Center housed at South Seattle Community College’s Duwamish Apprenticeship and Education Center. All trade unionists and other workplace training supporters are invited to the Safety Training Center’s grand opening, which will include a barbecue and refreshments, beginning at 11 a.m. Learn more.

WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 3 -- The Tournament in ‘05, the annual golf fund raiser to benefit community service agencies, will be the Wednesday before the WSLC Convention (Aug. 4-6) at the Indian Canyon Golf Course in Spokane. There will be a 1:15 p.m. shotgun start. For registration, sponsorship or other information, contact Nancy or Julie at the Puget Sound Labor Agency at 206-448-9277. Learn more.

AUGUST 4-6 -- The 2005 Convention of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO will be at the WestCoast Ridpath Hotel in Spokane, with the theme "Labor at a Crossroads." See the convention preview in this newsletter for details.

OCTOBER 5-6 -- "New Directions," the 2005 Workers’ Compensation Conference presented by the WSLC, Association of Washington Business and the State Department of Labor and Industries, will be at the WestCoast Ridpath Hotel in Spokane. This is a broad-based forum for union representatives, rank-and-file workers, employers and all others affected by the system to learn more about workers’ compensation. Space is limited, so sign up now online or call 1-800-255-9752. Learn more.

Under the theme, "Labor at a Crossroads," the convention will include a report from WSLC President Rick Bender regarding the latest developments following the national AFL-CIO Convention in July, the restructuring of the labor federation, and how it impacts the mission and operations of the WSLC and AFL-CIO central labor councils. Delegates will also have an opportunity to weigh in on these historic developments by participating in a special extended workshop discussion of the future of the AFL-CIO and the American labor movement.

The annual WSLC Convention is an opportunity for union officers, staff and rank-and-file delegates to hear from distinguished union and government leaders, attend informative workshops, develop relationships with other unions—and have some fun. "The Tournament in ‘05," the annual golf fund raiser to benefit community service agencies, will be Wednesday, August 3. For registration information, call the Puget Sound Labor Agency at 206-448-9277.

Among the convention speakers scheduled to appear are Gov. Christine Gregoire, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, MEBA President Ron Davis, Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald, Department of Labor and Industries Director Gary Weeks, Employment Security Department Director Karen Lee, Health Care Authority Director Steve Hill, Brown & Cole CEO Craig Cole, and several other distinguished guests. Friday night’s convention banquet speaker will be comedian Will Durst.

Issues to be addressed by panels and speakers include "What’s Next for Health Care in Washington," union organizing campaigns, the UFCW Wal-Mart campaign, Social Security, the medical malpractice initiative, transportation, and other issues. Workshops are planned on organizing, Project Help, community and technical colleges, economic development, the National Labor College, family leave issues, tax fairness, political action, and more.

The main business of the convention is to debate and establish the WSLC’s positions on issues, programs and candidates by voting on motions and resolutions. Any credentialed delegate representing their WSLC-affiliated union may introduce motions to the convention, and any affiliated union may submit resolutions. Proposed resolutions should be submitted as soon as possible to facilitate distribution.

WSLC-affiliated unions and councils have already received their official convention calls, including notification of how many voting delegates to which they are entitled, registration forms and hotel information. For more information, contact Karen White at (206) 281-8901.

The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the nation representing some 13 million union members, is undergoing dramatic changes. It has streamlined its staff and functions (laying off more than 100 staffers), and has proposed a number of reforms to develop/enforce contract standards and to give unions who are part of an industry-wide organizing strategy protection against interference by other unions in those organizing campaigns.

But it may not be enough. Five AFL-CIO unions, led by the Service Employees International Union, have formed a new group called the Change to Win Coalition, and are threatening to quit the AFL-CIO. They want to replace AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, to increase funds available to organize workers by cutting AFL-CIO membership fees by 50%, and to empower to the AFL-CIO to force more mergers between unions. Other unions in the group are UNITE HERE, Teamsters, UFCW and the Laborers. The Carpenters union, which is no longer part of the AFL-CIO, also joined the coalition.

"The differences between the proposals for change are not too wide, and progress has been made on a couple of major issues," said Sweeney, who is hoping for a compromise. "A split would be bad for workers."

The dispute sets the stage for a dramatic and historic national convention of the AFL-CIO, set for July 25-28 in Chicago. The convention marks the 50th anniversary of the merger of the AFL and the CIO. Convention developments will be posted daily at the WSLC website: www.wslc.org

Virgil Hamilton, 42, of Port Orchard has been appointed by the Executive Board of the Washington State Labor Council to serve as a Vice President from the 6th District. Hamilton, a 15-year member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, replaces the late Joe Murphy who was lost last fall while flying in a small plane in Alaska, along with his brother, Jim.

"I am honored to be appointed, but I admit it is a bittersweet opportunity. Joe Murphy was such a strong labor leader and we all still miss his big smile and great heart," Hamilton said at the May 27 meeting of the Washington State Labor Council’s Executive Board, where he was sworn into office to finish Murphy’s term ending in 2006.

Supporters of the job-killing Initiative 912, which would repeal the gas tax funding for the 2005 investment in Washington’s transportation infrastructure, collected more than 400,000 signatures, virtually assuring a place on this fall’s statewide ballot. At stake is funding for more than 270 highway, bridge, ferry and transit projects, in every part of the state, which are focused on fixing our most dangerous roads and worst congestion points.

The 2005 package will create some 70,000 family-wage construction jobs and 195,000 other jobs over the next 16 years. More importantly, it makes a critical investment in our state, just as previous generations invested in our infrastructure to foster today’s economy. The Washington State Labor Council, the rest of organized labor, the state’s business and environmental communities, Democrats and moderate Republicans are all united in opposing I-912. In the coming weeks, the WSLC will distribute fliers and information to affiliated unions, requesting that they be forwarded to all union members across the state, so they understand the consequences of repealing this critical investment.

Although the Central American Free Trade Agreement was signed more than a year ago, it had not been introduced to Congress until recently, due to lack of support. Like NAFTA before it, organized labor is aggressively opposed to CAFTA because it does not include protections for workers’ right to form a union or safe work conditions.

Now, the Bush administration has finally decided to go for broke and push for votes on CAFTA. On June 30, the U.S. Senate passed it, 54-45, with both Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell voting "yes." But observers say the real battle will be in the House, which has passed so-called "free trade" bills in recent years by the narrowest of margins. Among Washington’s delegation, Democratic Reps. Brian Baird, Jay Inslee, Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith have all announced their opposition to CAFTA. Democrat Rep. Norm Dicks and Republican Reps. "Doc" Hastings and Dave Reichert say they will vote "yes" on CAFTA. At press time, only freshman Rep. Cathy McMorris (R-5th) has yet to announce her position on CAFTA. A vote could happen at any time.

Gallo of Sonoma, part of America’s wealthiest wine-making family, pays all its vineyard workers low wages, and denies the great majority all benefits and job protections. The Gallos were found guilty last year in California of illegally trying to get rid of their workers’ union, the Cesar Chavez-founded United Farm Workers.

Now the UFW is urging people of good will to join its second boycott of Gallo wine in 32 years. Hundreds of farm workers and supporters kicked off the new boycott of Gallo wine June 14 on the steps of San Francisco City Hall. The UFW boycott "went viral" on July 19, as union and other progressive blogs and listserves spread word of the UFW boycott from 20 metropolitan U.S. hubs (including Seattle) in a National Day of Internet Organizing for "No Gallo!"