WSLC Reports Today
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WSLC Reports Today links to stories of interest to organized labor; 
some positive, some negative. The intention is to inform.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

Rally Thursday to support WFSE workers at UW, Harborview
All union members and supporters are urged to join in consecutive rallies beginning at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21 at the University of Washington's Red Square and then at 4 p.m. at Harborview Medical Center's View Park. The rallies are in support of members of the Washington Federation of State Employees Local 1488 who are currently in contract negotiations with the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center. Learn more.

Rally TODAY in Ilwaco for Ocean Beach Hospital nurses
The Washington State Nurses Association is holding a rally at 5:30 p.m. TODAY (Wednesday) at the Black Lake Park in Ilwaco (at the southwestern tip of the state) in support of nurses at Ocean Beach Hospital. All union supporters are urged to lend their voices and support for these nurses.

Washington's Primary Election:
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- Gregoire vs. Rossi: The real rumble begins -- Four years ago, Rossi beat Gregoire in nearly all of the state's rural counties but lost to her by a wide margin in King County, where nearly a third of state's voters reside. In Tuesday's early returns, however, Gregoire was leading Rossi in many of the counties she lost in 2004. "It looks to me as though people are understanding that I've been working as governor to get results all across the state," Gregoire said.
▪  Today from AP -- Two State Supreme Court judges advance unopposed -- Justices Mary Fairhurst and Charles Johnson (both WSLC-endorsed) each got more than the 50% margin needed to move unopposed to the general election. Justice Debra Stephens (also WSLC-endorsed) ran unopposed in the primary, so she advanced unopposed in November as well.
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- State schools chief Bergeson to face Dorn -- Incumbent Terry Bergeson is supported by the WSLC, while Randy Dorn has the backing of the WEA.
▪  In today's Columbian -- Dunn's done in Olympia -- State Rep. Jim Dunn was eliminated from the running in the 17th Legislative District as his opponents grabbed the top two vote tallies. In the latest returns, (WSLC- endorsed Democrat Tim Probst got 49.5% of the vote, Republican Joseph James got 31.9% and Dunn, R-Vancouver (Lifetime WSLC Voting Record: 14%), was a distant third with 18.6%.

Election 2008:
▪  At HorsesAss.org -- State Republicans fund pro-Rossi smear with illegal soft money -- Not only are the mailings deliberately misleading and factually incorrect, but according to a complaint filed with PDC, they are also a blatant, massive violation of campaign finance laws prohibiting the use of soft money for direct advocacy. In other words, Dino Rossi and the Republicans are cheating.
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Across the state, Dino shows his other side (Connelly column) -- The Rossi campaign seems to be displaying its candidate to invited audiences. And it has shown hostility toward efforts to draw him out or nail him down. What are the "new ideas" promised in Rossi's TV spots? What about programs already under way? We may never hear answers to such questions. "This is my campaign. I'll talk about the issues I want to," Rossi told David Postman of The Seattle Times.
▪  In today's LA Times -- Obama, McCain in a statistical tie -- The poll also illustrates racial undercurrents confronting Obama as he strives to become the first African American president. Nine percent of voters say they feel uncomfortable voting for a black candidate. Most say they know people who feel that way. About one in six say the country is not ready to elect a black president.
▪  In today's NY Times -- Obama's ads in key states go on attack -- Obama is running a spot for a mock book, “Economics” by John McCain: “Support George Bush 95 percent of the time; keep spending $10 billion a month for the war in Iraq.”


Boeing news:  IAM District 751 invites all union members to a “Final Countdown Rally” at 12:30 p.m. this Sunday, Aug. 24 -- download/post a rally flier -- at the Doubletree Hotel in SeaTac in support of successful contract negotiations with Boeing.
▪  At the Everett Herald blog -- Machinists to Boeing: We're willing to strike -- "Main table" talks between Boeing and the Machinists union start on Thursday. The existing contract expires on Sept. 4.
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Boeing releases details of worker incentive pay plan -- Boeing says the plan would reward employees with cash payments for improving financial performance, safety, quality and productivity. It differs, however, from the company's employee incentive plan that is tied to Boeing's annual performance in meeting certain financial targets.  

Local news:
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Port of Seattle's container trade takes a hit -- The Seattle seaport is budgeting for up to 5% less containerized trade next year compared with 2008 expectations.
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- Sea-Tac light-rail station won't be delayed, Sound Transit says -- The airport station, promised by Dec. 29, 2009, might be delayed until spring 2010, according to a federal oversight report. But Sound Transit officials insist the station will open on time.
▪  In today's Spokesman-Review -- No vacancy at Ridpath as hotel closes its doors -- Owners of one of Spokane's oldest hotels have shut down for at least four months and laid off most of the staff.
▪  In the Aberdeen Daily World -- Cosmopolis Pulp Mill deal stuck in limbo -- The parties involved in the proposed sale say the discussions are ongoing, with nothing new to report.
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- Getting to gender equity requires valuing families (Marilyn Watkins op-ed) -- Last year, women on average took home $1,672 less than men each month, even though women's median hourly earnings had increased by then to 81 percent of men's. 

National news:
▪  At NewsDay.com -- Poll finds layoffs at a new high -- Layoffs reported by employees across the United States have reached the highest level in five years, with 30% saying their employers have made job cuts in the last six months. Fully 75% say now is a bad time to find a quality job.
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Lack of insurance, high medical costs put more in a bind -- In 2007, two-thirds of the working-age population in America was uninsured, underinsured, reported a medical bill problem or did not get needed health care because they couldn't afford the cost.
▪  In today's NY Times -- Higher costs are taking a toll on business -- Tens of millions of Americans are vulnerable to unpalatable alternatives: Either inflation will continue swiftly and impose austerity by shrinking the purchasing power of wages, or rising prices will be canceled out by weakness in the economy as the downturn hurts businesses and eliminates some paychecks altogether. 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008
Rally Thursday to support WFSE workers at UW, Harborview

All union members and their supporters are urged to participate in consecutive rallies beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday at Red Square at the University of Washington's Seattle campus to support members of the Washington Federation of State Employees Local 1488 who are currently in contract negotiations with the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center.

Delegates to the Washington State Labor Council's 2008 Convention held earlier this month in Vancouver unanimously passed a resolution in support of the state employees who are currently in negotiations with the University of Washington and Harborview.

The UW/Harborview has opened bargaining with low-ball offers that have insulted their employees, especially given that UW President Mark Emmert is the state's highest paid state employee, making $905,000 a year and living rent free in a 12,000-square-foot presidential mansion while getting perks like free memberships at The Rainier Club and the Seattle Tennis Club. (He makes another $304,000 a year serving on corporate boards, which may be where he learned his contract bargaining techniques.) By comparison, Governor Chris Gregoire earned about $150,000 in 2007. 

So WFSE Local 1488 members have organized consecutive rallies for Thursday to demand a fair wage increase and respect at the bargaining table. The action starts at the UW Campus's Red Square from 3 to 4 p.m. (see parking information), and then moves to Harborview Medical Center's View Park (west of the hospital located at 325 - 9th Ave.) from 4 to 5 p.m.

"For a major university that prides itself as having the only endowed labor center in the country, the UW is not walking the walk when it comes to its own employees," said David Freiboth, WSLC Vice President and Executive Secretary of the Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council. "It is time for the labor community in Seattle and King County to stand up for this work force."

Please join the Washington State Labor Council in support of the workers at the University of Washington and Harborview at Thursday's rallies.

Copyright © ^{2008 --  Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO}