DAILY NEWS
Longview labor rally, ‘F’ on funding, blue-collar votes, Cheesy Days…
Friday, June 13, 2014
LOCAL
► At AFT.org — Talks break down: UW lecturers still fighting for fair first contract — English Language Faculty at the University of Washington announced Thursday that talks have broken down again on their negotiations for a fair contract with the UW administration. After two weeks of progress, the sides are stuck over recompensation for the years of underpayment these instructors have experienced.
► At WFSE.org — Judge orders KTSS back to the bargaining table in series of unfair labor practice rulings — An NLRB administrative law judge has ordered Kitsap Tenant Support Services back to the bargaining table with the Washington Federation of State Employees and to cease and desist from actions the judge deemed illegal.
► From KIRO TV — Seattle City Light employees petition against 114K CEO raise — Some Seattle City Light employees have launched a petition opposing a 45 percent increase in their chief executive officer’s pay. Last week City Council committee approved a raise for Seattle City Light CEO Jorge Carrasco, to bring his annual salary to a total of $364,000 from his current rate of $250,000.
TAKE A STAND — Here is the petition urging the Seattle City Council to oppose the 45 percent raise for Carrasco.
► In today’s Seattle Times — Big cuts possible at King County public health clinics — Up to four clinics could close because of a $15 million-per-year shortfall facing Public Health — Seattle & King County for the next two years.
► In today’s Seattle Times — Sakuma Brothers berry growers to pay $850,000 settlement — Sakuma Brothers Farms has agreed to pay $850,000 and change certain employment practices at the Skagit Valley berry supplier in what could be the largest farmworker wage-and-hour settlement on record in Washington.
YESTERDAY at The Stand — Sakuma farm workers win record wage settlement
STATE GOVERNMENT
► In today’s Seattle Times — High court to lawmakers: Why are schools still underfunded? — “I don’t know of anyone who likes to be called into court,” said House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan (D-Covington). “I’m disappointed that we are where we are.”
► In the (Everett) Herald — Services reduced to one word (editorial) — Infrastructure is vital to the economic and social health of the Pacific Northwest. If we don’t invest in it, the Northwest loses capacity to move goods, stimulate business and ensure primary services such as public safety.
AEROSPACE
► This morning in the Seattle Times — Boeing inks $7.4 billion 737 order from Chinese airline — Boeing won its biggest order from a Chinese carrier as China Eastern Airlines Corp. agreed to buy 80 737 jets valued at $7.4 billion.
► In today’s Seattle Times — Boeing, 5 Japanese suppliers ink 777X deal — Boeing inked a deal Thursday for five Japanese companies to manufacture key components for its twin aisle 777X jets, but the contract doesn’t include making the wings, which were a source of delays for the 787 Dreamliner.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
► At AFL-CIO Now — Low-wage federal contract workers move closer to $10.10 an hour — The more than 200,000 food service, cleaning and other low-wage workers employed by federal contractors across the nation are closer to getting a raise to $10.10 an hour. The Labor Department today issued a proposed rule to implement President Barack Obama’s February executive order requiring federal service and construction contractors to pay workers a minimum of $10.10 an hour.
► At AFL-CIO Now — U.S. trade deals limit choices in government purchasing — Everything the government buys, from computers, iron pipes and furniture to services such as construction and janitorial contracts should be used as a tool to promote job creation, wage growth and a cleaner environment for working people. But the opportunities to use government purchasing in this way are limited by trade deals that restrict governments’ choices.
► In the Atlantic — The real reasons that young people can’t find jobs — 1) Young people can’t find work because they’re not looking for work, they’re in school. 2) They’re young, and young workers have been under-employed at high levels for decades. 3) They’re having the same trouble that other job-seekers are having following the deep recession and slow recovery. They’re competing with older workers because too much work only pays an entry-level wage.
POLITICS
► In today’s NY Times — The fix isn’t in (by Paul Krugman) — “Movement conservatism” is an interlocking set of institutions and alliances that has won elections by stoking cultural and racial anxiety but used these victories mainly to push an elitist economic agenda, meanwhile providing a support network for political and ideological loyalists. With the surprise primary defeat of Rep. Eric Cantor, it is unraveling before our eyes.
► In the Onion — Resigning House Leader Cantor reflects on all the accomplishments he thwarted — “Of course, I’m disappointed because I thought I had many more years of impeding accomplishments ahead of me, and I’ll be the first to admit that I never quite managed to stall environmental policies as much as I would have liked. But at the end of the day, I’m very proud of how I helped Congress accomplish so little during my time in office.”
T.G.I.F.
► Happy 44th birthday, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo! Twenty years ago (!), on what would have been Buddy Holly’s 58th birthday, Weezer released this single. Cuomo had wanted to leave it off the band’s debut album because it was too “cheesy,” but producer Ric Ocasek (of The Cars) convinced him to keep it on. This memorable video of the band performing at Arnold’s Drive-In from TV’s “Happy Days” boosted the song’s popularity, and it eventually eked it’s way onto Rolling Stone‘s Top 500 Songs of All Time. And so, The Entire Staff of The Stand™ presents, the 499th Greatest Song of All Time. Enjoy!
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.