DAILY NEWS
Grocery vote, grand bargaining, McResources, Made Up Mind…
Friday, October 25, 2013
LOCAL
ALSO at The Stand — Tentative agreement averts Puget Sound-area grocery strike
► In today’s Wenatchee World — WSD employees win back pay over unfair labor practice — A group of 17 Wenatchee School District secretaries and teaching assistants will receive back pay totaling about $50,000 after winning an unfair labor practices lawsuit against the district.
► From AP — Seattle tunneling machine digs out of launch pit — The machine boring a new Highway 99 tunnel under downtown Seattle has finally dug itself out of its own launch pit.
STATE GOVERNMENT
► From AP — Pension lawsuit goes before State Supreme Court — The state Supreme Court on Thursday heard arguments over legislative action in recent years to end some pension benefit increases for state and local government employees. At issue are two actions taken by lawmakers. In 2007, the Legislature repealed pension “gain-sharing” that benefited retirees when the markets were doing well. Then in 2011, lawmakers ended cost-of-living increases for pensions for public employees enrolled in two older pension plans. Lawsuits were filed by various unions and others opposed to the changes.
ALSO TODAY at The Stand — Court urged to toss ‘raw deal’ on pensions
BOEING
► From Reuters — Boeing gets $20.7 billion worth of 737 Max commitments from China — The Boeing Co. has secured commitments for around 200 of its 737 Max aircraft, the upgraded variant of its best-selling short-haul planes, from multiple Chinese customers, said two sources familiar with the deals.
CONGRESS
► At Politico — How (the other) Washington is killing the economy — The latest round of fiscal drama has sputtered to a temporary close, but the routine crises have one clear victim: the U.S. economy, which is once again losing altitude. And for the third year in a row, Washington gets much of the blame.
► In today’s NY Times — In search of Republican grown-ups (editorial) — The Republican Party will have to do much better than avoiding default to earn back the public’s trust after their disastrous and juvenile shutdown stunt.
► In today’s NY Times — Obama urges House Republicans to act on immigration reform — President Obama on Thursday renewed his call for an immigration overhaul, telling an audience of activists at the White House that the fate of a bipartisan Senate bill now rests with Republicans in the House.
► In The Hill — GOP comfortable ignoring Obama pleas for vote on immigration bill — Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has repeatedly ruled out taking up the comprehensive Senate bill, and senior Republicans say it is unlikely that the party, bruised from its internal battle over the government shutdown, will pivot quickly to an issue that has long rankled conservatives.
NATIONAL
► At Salon — McDonald’s tells workers to get food stamps — An audio recording released by labor activists Wednesday afternoon captures a staffer for McDonald’s’ “McResources Line” instructing a McDonald’s worker how to apply for public assistance.
► At WSJ — ‘Captain Phillips’ helps union make its budget pitch — The International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots was hoping a couple dozen members of Congress would turn up at a Washington, D.C. , movie theater to watch Tom Hanks portray one of their own, Captain Richard Phillips, and overcome Somali pirates in “Captain Phillips.”
► From CNN — Explosion in Mexican candy factory kills 1, injures 40 — A powerful blast rocked a U.S.-owned candy factory in northern Mexico, killing one person and injuring more than 40 as rescuers searched for any other victims, officials said.
► At Union Plus — Union-made Halloween treats — See the list of candy products made by members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM); snack foods by members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW); or fruit and nuts from members of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW).
MUST-SEE T.V.
► Right now, we are urging Washington’s working families to get out and vote in support of their own economic interests. So we hesitate a bit to share actor-comedian Russell Brand’s message urging people not to vote. But it’s just too damned good. Watch the whole thing and see how a passionate argument eventually silences even the most cynical newsman. Don’t have 10 minutes? Skip ahead and watch the end starting from about 8:30. (Hat tip to Gawker: Russell Brand may have started a revolution last night)
T.G.I.F.
► Ever wonder what Bonnie Raitt might sound like if she had a better band with Stax-style horns? (Who hasn’t?!) Well, wonder no longer. The Entire Staff of The Stand™ presents the first single from an excellent new album by the Tedeschi Trucks Band, as performed this week on Conan. Enjoy!
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.