WSLC Reports Today
Updated DAILY... Almost Every Day!™ by 9 a.m. Pacific

Links are functional at date of posting, but sometimes expire. 
WSLC Reports Today links to stories of interest to organized labor; 
some positive, some negative. The intention is to inform.

Local news:
▪  In tomorrow's Seattle Times -- Boeing weighs exiting $35 billion tanker competition -- Boeing may bail out of the politically-charged bidding for a contract to build aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force, if it does not receive an additional four months to put together a competitive offer.
▪  Today from Bloomberg -- Boeing requests six months to submit tanker bid -- The company says it may drop out of the race unless the Pentagon allows it up to six months to prepare a new  proposal that meets the revised contract requirements that favor Airbus's larger-plane proposal.
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- Don't strike, teachers (editorial) -- State law prohibits teacher strikes. This point bears repeating as nearly a dozen school districts with expiring teacher contracts face down the threat of a strike. (Counterpoint from the staff of WSLC Reports Today: Or... strike.)
▪  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Areva to add uranium recovery operation at Richland plant -- Areva plans to add $2.5 million of equipment to its Richland plant this year for a newly developed technology. Work will be done in-house and the equipment can be operated with its current staff. 
▪  In today's Columbian -- Thousands of children can get help with medical insurance -- About 5,000 kids in Clark County are eligible for free or cheap coverage, but their parents don’t know it. 

The Plight of the Homeful:™
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- McCain has so many houses he can't keep track -- He thinks you’re “rich” only if you make $5 million or more. And, in the thick of a housing crisis, he admits he doesn't even know how many properties he owns. No wonder McCain says the economic crisis is mostly “psychological.” Maybe he thinks working families are worried about foreclosure because they haven’t asked their staff whether they have 7 houses or 8. 
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- A housing crisis? One looms for McCain -- A political gaffe, it is said, occurs when a politician inadvertently tells the truth... thus did McCain's frank admission that he does not know how many homes he and his wife own. 
▪  In today's SF Chronicle -- Would you know how many homes you own? -- McCain couldn't answer the question, but his campaign later answered: four. But a fact-checking group found the McCains actually own seven homes. Eight, if you count a San Diego-area condo they bought this year.
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- The mysterious Mr. McCain (Robinson column) -- I don't begrudge McCain his multiple residences or his $520 Ferragamo shoes. I understand that he was just being flippant and unresponsive when he said at the Saddleback forum last weekend that being rich meant having an income of at least $5 million a year. But it's a stretch, to say the least, for McCain to portray himself as a Regular Joe while painting Barack Obama as some kind of jet-set celebrity.

Election 2008:
▪  In today's Washington Post -- Obama says he's chosen his No. 2 -- He announces that he has decided on a running mate -- but declined to provide a name, fanning already intense speculation about the choice. He is expected to announce by Saturday. 
▪  In today's Orlando Sentinel -- Hillary Clinton touts Obama to union crowd at Disney -- "I've seen his (Obama's) passion, his determination, his grace and his grit," Clinton tells the Sheet Metals Workers union. "He's lived the American dream. He wants to be sure that dream is there for us."
▪  In today's NY Times -- Now that's rich (Krugman column) -- One thing’s for sure: Barack Obama isn’t planning to raise taxes on the middle class, by any reasonable definition. Of course, all the evidence in the world won’t stop Republicans from claiming, as they always do, that Democrats are going to impose a crippling tax burden on ordinary hard-working Americans. But it just ain’t so.
▪  In today's Yakima H-R -- Former Republican Congressman stands behind Democrat Fearing -- Pete McCloskey of California is a fiery critic of George Fearing’s opponent, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-4th).
▪  In today's Yakima H-R -- Gregoire, Rossi debate set -- The rematch between Gov. Chris Gregoire and gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi comes live to Yakima on Wednesday, Oct. 1. 
▪  Today from AP -- Maker admits voter-machine flaws -- A major voting-machine maker has cautioned its customers in 34 states, including Washington, to look out for a programming error that may cause votes to be dropped.

National news:
▪  At AFL-CIO Now -- Public overwhelmingly supports Employee Free Choice Act -- A new poll again demonstrates the popular support behind the freedom to form unions and, specifically, the strong support for the EFCA, which last year passed the House but was blocked from a vote by Senate Republicans. The poll is bad news for U.S. Representatives who voted against the EFCA (like Rep. Dave Reichert): 68% of middle-class adults wanted their representative in the U.S. House to vote for the bill. That includes 80% of Democrats, 60% of Republicans and 59% of Independents.
▪  Today at WBZTV.com -- Mainers turn out for, against "card-check" bill -- Dozens of union members turn out to confront a national business group's campaign to promote opposition to the EFCA.
▪  In today's NY Times -- GM, with an eye on profit, invests in Ohio plant -- One reason executives think GM can make money on by investing $500 million in the compact-car plant is the labor agreement signed last fall with the UAW. The deal significantly reduces GM's liability for health care and other costs the company says had hindered its ability to make money on small cars.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008
"It's Our Time This Time!" Rally Sunday with Boeing Machinists

District 751 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers invites and urges all union members and their families to support their push for a fair contract at a Final Countdown Rally starting at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 24 outside the site of around-the-clock negotiations at the DoubleTree Hotel, 18740 International Blvd. in SeaTac.  Join union negotiators and rank-and-file Boeing Machinists and their families as they march from the Doubletree Hotel to Angle Lake Park, and help demonstrate the labor solidarity and community support that has definite impact on what happens at the bargaining table.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008
Oil spill response workers (IBU) are on strike in Tacoma
Marine Spill Response Corp. has reportedly threatened union members

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