(May 23, 2013) — Seattle is known as a progressive, culturally rich Northwest city and the Space Needle, the symbol of our community, should represent these values. We have the second largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the country, as well as a rich history of immigrant cultures from around the world. LGBTQ individuals have enjoyed civil rights in Seattle since the 1970s and in 2012, Washington residents voted to pass the Marriage Equality Act. It is time that the symbol of Seattle reflects the values of its citizens by flying the Rainbow Flag yearly during Pride month, and show fairness to the folks working underneath the flag by committing to a fair union contract that upholds their human dignity in all its forms.

The Space Needle Corporation flew the flag in 2010. In 2011, they flew the flag after requiring the LGBTQ community to raise $50,000 for four LGBTQ organizations. In 2012, during the drive for marriage equality, the Space Needle refused to fly the Rainbow Flag.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and immigrant individuals make up a significant percentage of the hospitality industry workforce in the greater Seattle area. Workers at the Space Needle have gone for two years without a contract and are currently seeking guarantees for fair working conditions, including living wages, health care benefits, and job security.  Our communities and members often patronize the Space Needle and surrounding businesses at the Seattle Center. Supporting the service employees at the Space Needle, a significant portion being from the LGBTQ and immigrant communities, will raise the bar for all workers in the Seattle hospitality industry.

The Pride flag stands for justice and human dignity for LGBTQ individuals (both immigrant and non-immigrant). The workers underneath the flag deserve justice and a fair contract. Flying the flag and settling a fair contract CAN happen by the owners of the Space Needle. The Rainbow flag, if flown on top of the Space Needle, will represent pride, justice and human dignity when justice for the employees underneath the flag is also granted.

Background:

Ten LGBTQ organizations banded together urging the Space Needle Corporation to fly the Rainbow flag, annually, during the month of Pride and to settle a fair contract. The Seattle LGBT Commission and LGBTQ Allyship met with Ron Sevart, CEO, and Jeff Wright, owner, asking them to support the two requests, but the Space Needle remained non-committal. Currently, the LGBTQ  and immigrant rights communities have come together in collaboration to urge the Space Needle to do the right thing.

PREVIOUSLY at The Stand — LGBTQ groups urge Space Needle to settle contract (April 26, 2013)

TACOMA — Apprentices from Ironworkers Local 86, located at Bates Technical College, have incorporated something historic into their education. They have carefully created an upright monument out of two twisted steel beams from the wreckage of the World Trade Center 9/11 attack. The beams will be placed at the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial at Evergreen Rotary Park in Bremerton.

The apprentices fabricated and welded two 30-inch, 900-pound steel base plates to the end of each 4,000 pound-beam, which will resemble an arch that will measure 28 feet at its highest point when set in the park’s grounds.

Apprentice Kaz Kraynak, who has been working on the SR 520 pontoons in Tacoma, said he felt privileged to help build the memorial.

“I was able to create something good from the tragedy,” he said.

Bates Fire Service students salute the beams as they drive off campus on May 20.

The apprentices then erected the two columns in a structural mock-up and positioned them so the memorial’s architect could review and confirm that the specifications were accurate.

As part of the process, a clear acrylic protective coating was painted onto the beams to prevent rusting. The paint gives the steel columns a glossy appearance, according to Ironworker Apprenticeship Instructor Bill Nutter.

People can still view the original markings and paint, and the different textures and the asphalt from their original placement in the World Trade Center buildings in New York, said Nutter, who estimated the cost of the donated steel base plates at $900.

The beams and a cornice from the Pentagon traveled from the college’s South Campus at 2201 S. 78th Street in Tacoma, to a secure facility in Silverdale on Monday, where they will remain until the grounds at the memorial are ready to receive the beams, which is estimated to occur in fall.

About Bates Technical College

Founded in 1940, Bates Technical College offers certificate and degree opportunities in 53 career education programs, and serves approximately 3,000 career training students and 10,000 more community members annually in extended learning, distance learning, high school, and other programs. For more information, go to www.bates.ctc.edu, or call 253-680-7000.

SEATTLE (May 21, 2013) — On the same day a King County Superior Court commissioner denied Jeremy Griffin’s motion to avoid eviction from his South Park home, the Sheriff posted a notice ordering the union ironworker to vacate his home by midnight on Tuesday, May 14.

This is a scene that has played out millions of times across the country and thousands of times in Washington State since the recession began. But this time, the Sheriff met some resistance, thanks to a group called SAFE (Standing Against Foreclosure & Eviction).

A week later, SAFE members are still camped out in Griffin’s yard waiting for the Sheriff to arrive. His home is covered with banners reading: WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED, EVICTION-FREE ZONE, and TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT THE BANKS. Many of the protesters, whose tactics are strictly non-violent, are prepared to risk arrest by standing between authorities and Griffin’s home. (Visit SAFE’s Facebook page for the latest updates.)

With numerous lawsuits pending against the big banks that allege illegal evictions, refusal to negotiate with families, and documented acts of fraud, SAFE members say that the banks “have lost their right to prey on our community.”

“Hundreds of Seattle homes go to auction each month” said SAFE’s Josh Farris, a member of the Electrical Workers (IBEW). “With more vacant homes than people sleeping on the street, we need a moratorium on all bank evictions.”

According to Larry Benes, a SAFE member, military veteran, and 10-year union stevedore whose home is also in foreclosure, “The big banks are corrupt and should not be allowed to ruin families and blight our communities. At some point, you’ve got to say, ‘Enough’!”

Jeremy’s Story

For years, Jeremy Griffin has labored as an ironworker on construction projects, reading plans, and physically carrying on his shoulders tons of rebar each day.

When the Great Recession hit, the construction industry dried up, along with Jeremy’s income. After the stress of years of unemployment and underemployment, his life partner left him. Soon his mortgage went into default.

Then in 2012, the construction industry began to revive, and Jeremy got a job again as an ironworker on a bridge near his South Park home. He told his bank, Wells Fargo, he could now pay his mortgage, but they weren’t interested. He even delivered to Wells Fargo’s Seattle headquarters his $1,200 rent checks.

On his first rent delivery, Wells Fargo threatened to call the police. On his second delivery, they opted to close the entire 47-story headquarters for the afternoon, rather than accept his money.

“The building trades went through a tough time with the recession,” said Ironworkers Local 86 Business Manager Steve Pendergrass. “Jeremy always wanted to work, now things are looking good and he has solid work — it’s a terrible thing that the bank won’t renegotiate and keep him in his home.”

Learn more about Jeremy’s story here.

How You Can Help

If you want to be part of SAFE’s Rapid response Network to protest when authorities come to evict (you can protest without risking arrest), here’s how you sign up:

1. Go to SAFE’s website: www.SAFEinSeattle.org

2. Click JOIN RRN

3. Complete contact information

4. Click SUBMIT

If you are nearing foreclosure, or would like to stand together to fight the banks, please contact SAFE, 206-203-2125 or info@SAFEinSeattle.org. SAFE also has weekly meetings at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, at Bethany UCC, 6230 Beacon Ave. South (corner of Graham St.). All are welcome.

SAFE is made up entirely of volunteers and homeowners dedicated to building a mass movement to stop bank evictions, achieve principal reductions, and put people before profit. SAFE believes Housing is a Human Right.

The WSNA is asking for all of the nurses’ labor and community supporters to help them in their struggle to get a fair contract in two ways:

Attend a WSNA Solidarity Event in Vancouver on Wednesday, May 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. on the sidewalk outside PeaceHealth CEO Alan Yordy’s new $3.5 million corporate offices, 1115 S.E. 16th Ave, Vancouver, WA, 98683. The WSNA is bringing together nurses from PeaceHealth facilities across Washington and are urging all nurses, labor friends and community members in the region to join them. For more info, download the event flier.

Sign this online petition urging PeaceHealth CEO Alan Yordy and Whatcome Regional CEO Nancy Stieger urging then “to do the right thing for St. Joseph Medical Center and our community by stepping forward with a fair contract for St. Joseph nurses.” You can also download and print the petition to collect signatures from your friends, family and co-workers.

For more information, visit the WSNA website or contact WSNA Nurse Representative Barbara Friesen via email or by calling 1-800-231-8482 ext. 3056.

SEATTLE (May 20, 2013) — As Alaska Air Group holds its annual stockholders meeting on Tuesday, award-winning Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, will rally outside as they continue to press management for a fair contract.

“Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants have been distinguished by numerous awards for our hard work, sacrifices and dedication. Bolstered by our exemplary service, Alaska Airlines has just received the JD Power and Associates award for the sixth year in a row — unprecedented in the industry,” said Jeffrey Peterson, AFA president at Alaska Airlines. “We have worked closely with management to create a winning strategy and have been key to the success of our airline. Despite this extraordinary performance record, our wages continue to fall below inflation and behind those of our peers in the industry. It is time for the over 3,100 Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants to reap the benefits of our airline’s success and be adequately compensated. We are stakeholders in this airline. We have proven our dedication.”

Flight Attendants’ contract negotiations began in November 2011 and have been ongoing for the past 18 months. AFA filed for mediation earlier this month after talks stalled over compensation. Mediation will begin in July.

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Rally 
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
1 p.m. Pacific Time

(Stockholders meeting at 2 p.m.)
Bell Harbor International Conference Center
2211 Alaskan Way, Pier 66
Seattle, Washington

The Association of Flight Attendants is the world’s largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 67 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions.  Nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

OLYMPIA (May 16, 2013) — State employee counselors, advisors, resident directors and others at The Evergreen State College voted Wednesday night by a 90% margin to authorize job actions up to and including strike action. This is the first strike vote taken by the Washington Federation of State Employees at any level since the successful statewide “rolling” strike of 2001.

This comes after the unit of 55 Student Support Services Staff still has no agreement on due process for disciplinary actions (just cause) and compensation. Bargaining on their first contract started 16 months ago.

The vote to authorize a possible strike was 45-5 or 90%. That met the two-thirds majority required by the Washington Federation of State Employees for any strike vote.

There’s no date for any possible strike. The union and the TESC administration have a scheduled bargaining session May 21.

The TESC Student Support Services Staff are non-management exempt staff who won collective bargaining rights under 2007 legislation.

Federation local unions have already pledged more than $20,000 to support any strike action at TESC.

ALSO at The Stand — New video chronicles “A Year of Bargaining” at Evergreen

SEATAC (May 16, 2013) — Airport workers and community allies are moving forward on a voter initiative to improve the jobs of thousands of low-wage workers in and around SeaTac Airport. Last week, airport workers who are part of the SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs filed an initiative petition with the City of SeaTac and have begun to collect signatures to get the measure qualified for presentation to the City Council, and for inclusion on the November 2013 ballot

More than 90 volunteers came out last Saturday to gather signatures. The Committee expects to gather enough signatures to qualify to get the measure qualified for presentation to the City Council, and for inclusion on the November 2013 ballot in the coming weeks. A broad array of workers, faith and community supporters, union members and retirees are part of the SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs. Working Washington is also part of the Committee.

The measure would set basic employment standards for workers employed in the transportation, tourism and hospitality industries in SeaTac:

•   Paid sick leave, to allow workers to care for themselves and immediate family members
•   More full-time work opportunities for those who need it
•   Companies that collect automatic service charges, or collect tips on customer bills, must give 100 percent of the service charges or tips to the workers who performed the service
•   Living wages of at least $15/hour

The measure would cover businesses in and around the airport, including airport baggage handling, passenger services, cabin cleaning, aircraft fueling, security, and retail stores, along with hotels, rental car and parking lot facilities. Small businesses are specifically exempt.

Approximately 5,000 workers, the vast majority of whom are currently stuck in poverty-wage jobs, would see their conditions improved by the initiative. If adopted by SeaTac voters, the initiative would pump millions of dollars a year into the local economy.

“It’s great that so many people support the SeaTac good jobs initiative,” said Yoseph Diallo, an airport ramp worker and one of the SeaTac residents who filed the initiative. “SeaTac it is my home town and that is why I’m committed to getting this good jobs initiative passed. I love SeaTac and I want to make this a better place to live and work.”

Community leaders also spoke out in favor of the initiative.

King County Councilmember Julia Patterson, a SeaTac resident, noted, “When workers aren’t paid a living wage their ability to be self-sufficient is compromised.  They are forced to choose between food, housing costs, gas for their car – the day-to-day necessities that most of us can count on.  As a result, things like their health care and their ability to save for the child’s college education are secondary, or most likely, out of reach.  It’s a cycle that affects not only them, but the entire community.  It impacts our schools, our neighborhood health centers, and our community’s economic vitality. ”

The Rev. Jan Bolerjack noted that many low-wage airport workers currently rely on charity for basic living. “I see families of Sea-Tac workers struggling to pay rent and utility bills. Many even visit our food bank regularly.  The good jobs initiative can transform poverty wages to good airport jobs for families. The resources are scarce around here but now the neighborhoods are filled with a new hope,” Rev. Bolerjack said. “There is a possibility for change. What a wonderful feeling it brings to our community.”

For more information on the prevalence of low-wage jobs at Sea-Tac, see the report Below the Radar, issued in March 2013 by Puget Sound Sage.

An open house hosted by Washington Young Emerging Labor Leaders (WA YELL) is planned from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 24 — see the event flier — which is the evening preceding the start of the Washington State Labor Council’s 2013 Convention in Vancouver on July 25-27.

But the museum needs financial support in order to finish the exhibit. To that end, Executive Director Susan M.G. Tissot sent letters to local labor leaders seeking tax-deductible contributions for some exciting sponsorship opportunities, both for union organizations and rank-and-file members:

Union organizations that donate $500 will be featured in the exhibit gallery on an interpretive panel that is printed solely to represent the combined Union Shop support. Each organization donating at the $1,000 level will be represented on the interpretive panel and have their logo featured on an exhibit banner that will hang on the front of the museum building. Businesses that contribute $2,000 will be represented on the interpretive panel, have their logo featured on the building banner and have their logo featured on media advertising that the museum produces in conjunction with the exhibit. Deadline to participate: June 1.

Union members are also being asked to contribute whatever dollar amount they can afford to give at this time ($20, $50, $75, $100 or more). In exchange, the museum will create a “Rolodex” type of acknowledgement that will be featured in the exhibit gallery. This unique Rolodex will list the union members grouped by their donation amount and by union affiliation. All members of a specific union would be featured together on a Rolodex page to show their combined support of the labor project.

You can donate online via PayPal — just indicate in the comments that it is for the “Tools of the Trade” exhibit and what your union affiliation is. You can also print, fill out and mail in this donation form with your contribution.

“In these times when labor is under attack, the need to remember and celebrate our history and share it with the community becomes all the more important,” wrote WSLC President Jeff Johnson and Secretary-Treasurer Lynne Dodson in a letter to affiliated unions urging them to contribute to the effort. “We urge your assistance with this beautiful exhibition and are grateful to the Southwest Washington CLC and the Clark County Historical Museum for putting it together for all of us, our families, and our communities to enjoy.”

If you have questions about the sponsorship opportunities, email Susan Tissot or call her at 360-993-5679.

From left, Patty Rose, Helen McGovern and Vance Lelli. (Click to enlarge.)

This year’s goal was to beat last year’s total. On Wednesday night, the tally was taken and a remarkable 5,021 jars of peanut butter — an estimated 10,000 pounds of it — were collected by local unions for local food banks. Most of it was union-made JIF or Adams, both made by UFCW members at the Smuckers Corp. in Ohio, and each jar had a sticker on it saying it was donated by organized labor and by which local union. (See more picture of the haul at PCCLC’s Facebook page.)

“We had 35 locals contribute to this year’s collection and I thank each and every one for their amazing generosity,” said PCCLC Secretary-Treasurer Patty Rose. “We had one of the Teamsters 117 members from Davis Wire (where workers were on strike for three months last year) stop by in his work clothes and drop off a donation. He said he was giving back after all the help labor gave them during their strike.”

Here were the top contributing organizations:

Machinists District Lodge 751 collected 1,690 jars, more than tripling its total from last year. Special thanks to Terri Myette, David Henry and Rob Curran for their extraordinary efforts in organizing this haul.

IBEW Local 483 delivered 1,009 jars. Local 483 Business Manager Alice Phillips reportedly encouraged members to donate jars by pledging to get a Mohawk haircut if her members donated more than last year’s 483 jars. The clippers come out on Saturday, May 18.

ILWU Local 23 brought 828 jars, doubling their total from last year. For a union with just 825 members, that showed remarkable generosity. Thanks go to PCCLC President and Vance Lelli, a longshoreman, for being a driving force.

The Tacoma Education Association donated 682 jars. They were quietly collected from teachers at Tacoma-area schools and then a surprise delivery was made to the PCCLC.

All of the peanut butter will be donated to the Emergency Food Network, which provides food to the 67 food banks and feeding programs in Pierce County. EFN Executive Director Helen McGovern was at Wednesday night’s delegate meeting and thanked labor for holding the peanut butter drive. She said the EFN would hold on to the peanut butter and start distributing it in June when schools get out and kids don’t have access to the school lunch programs.

“It will be pretty hard to top this effort next year,” Rose said, “but we will certainly try!”

And special thanks to the PCCLC’s Nathe Lawver both for his hard work on this project and for bringing this important video (more than 32 million views!) to The Stand’s attention:

The launch of the “Spokane Loves Our Nurses” ad campaign coincides with National Nurses Week (May 6-12).  The television ad, airing on cable news and other stations in the Spokane region, features a Sacred Heart nurse.

The ad highlights findings from a recent Spokesman-Review investigation around Sacred Heart’s $50 million profit last year, and the non-profit Providence’s extravagant salaries for its executives back in Renton.

Nurses at Sacred Heart are currently in heated contract negotiations with Providence around fair working conditions and improving patient safety. For nine years Providence refused Sacred Heart nurses’ calls to protect patient safety by providing for adequate rest periods during and between their 12-hour, or sometimes 14-hour, shifts. Last month the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) won its legal case against Providence in the Washington State Supreme Court.

“Providence CEO Koster is telling Sacred Heart’s nurses to work harder for less, while he’s making more than $6.4 million in salary,” said Christine Himmelsbach, RN, WSNA Assistant Executive Director of Labor Relations. “Spokane loves our nurses, why doesn’t Providence love them, too?”

SpokaneLovesOurNurses.org includes pictures and personal stories from former Sacred Heart patients and invites visitors to post their own stories, and sign a petition to Providence CEO Koster.

ALSO at The Stand — Tacoma Loves Our Nurses: Share you stories at new website