Wednesday, October 28, 2015

STATE GOVERNMENT

► In today’s Seattle Times — Washington near the top in subsidies (by Jon Talton) — Data from the group Good Jobs First, shows that Washington is No. 2 in the nation in giving subsidies for business. No. 1 is another “anti-business” state: New York. Washington handed out $13.2 billion in subsidies, with Boeing, not surprisingly being the top recipient. Orca Bay Seafoods, National Frozen Foods, Microsoft, Amgen and Weyerhaeuser also are at the top… The overwhelming number of subsidies from states go to big corporations, leaving small business behind.

BOEING

► In today’s NY Times — House votes overwhelmingly to reopen Ex-Im Bank — The House acted with rare bipartisanship on Tuesday to approve legislation that would reopen the federal Export-Import Bank, after a debate that underscored the split between the party’s traditional pro-business members and ascendant free-market conservatives who are suspicious of big corporations. The lopsided final vote of 313-118 belied that split.

EDITOR’S NOTE — Every member from Washington’s donation voted “yes” on final passage, including Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who was the only member to vote against the process that allowed the bill to be voted upon.

► From The Hill — Cruz pressures McConnell on Ex-Im Bank — “Majority Leader McConnell has publicly promised not to bring Ex-Im reauthorization to the Senate floor. If he keeps that promise, then this cronyism will remain dead, and Leader McConnell will deserve the credit,” said the Texas Republican.

► In today’s Seattle Times — Northrop beats Boeing for crucial Pentagon bomber contract worth $80 billion — The Pentagon has picked Northrop Grumman to design and build the new top-secret Long Range Strike Bomber for the U.S. Air Force, beating out a team led by Boeing for the most significant military-aircraft contract since Boeing lost the Joint Strike Fighter contract in 2001. It’s a huge blow to Boeing, which has a long history of building U.S. bombers. The contract announced Tuesday is worth about $80 billion in today’s dollars — about $23.5 billion for the development phase and $56.4 billion more for the production of 100 aircraft.

► In the P.S. Business Journal — Next bomber question: Will Boeing and Lockheed challenge Pentagon decision?

LOCAL

► In today’s Olympian — Olympia councilman to push for $15 minimum wage — The plan calls for phasing in the $15 wage over two years for large companies and over four years for smaller companies. Other aspects include mandatory paid “sick and safe time” for all workers, and ensuring more compatibility between employees’ work schedules and personal time. “I’ve been trying to get this conversation rolling for two years,” Cooper said, noting the possibility of a local or statewide ballot initiative in the future. “There are a lot of possibilities in the next year.”

ALSO at The Stand — $15 minimum wage proposed for Olympia

► In today’s News Tribune — $12 Tacoma minimum wage campaign just dollars away from raising $100,000 — The campaign advocating for a $12 minimum wage in Tacoma are just $101 away from raising almost $100,000 in just a little over a month, state records show. The competing campaign, 15 Now Tacoma, has raised about $8,400.

► And this shocker from Think Progress — The drivers behind Amazon’s new one-hour delivery service say they’re getting screwed — Prime Now drivers are suing Amazon over pay that amounts to less than the California minimum wage. Drivers in the Los Angeles market make $11 an hour, but buy their own gas, insurance, and auto maintenance service. The lawsuit alleges that the company is illegally treating the drivers as independent contractors rather than employees when the circumstances of their work fit the legal definition of an employer-employee relationship.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

► In today’s Tri-City Herald — What’s in the budget deal? Crises averted, relaxed spending limits — No government shutdown. No government default. No big spike in Medicare premiums for 15 million Americans. Looser limits on spending. And plenty of random stuff — including a new “Freedom Foyer” in the Capitol. “This bipartisan budget deal is an important step forward for the Tri-Cities and especially for the ongoing cleanup at Hanford,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

► From AFL-CIO — Trumka: Budget deal a positive step in addressing economic issues for working families — Said the AFL-CIO president: “While it does not offer long-term solutions… it provides relief without yielding to the conservatives’ extreme “entitlement reform” approaches that would have done real harm.”

► From the Hill — House approves three-week highway bill — Lawmakers in the House said the temporary patch will provide time for them to finish work on a six-year, $325 billion transportation funding bill that was approved last Thursday by the chamber’s Transportation Committee.

NATIONAL

► From the People’s World — Labor launches new measures to wipe out unequal pay for women — AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler announced that the labor federation is launching several measures to wipe out pay inequality based on gender and to guarantee that all workers have paid family and sick leave and fair scheduling.

► From AFL-CIO Now — Our Days, Our Lives: Working women need a voice on the job (by Liz Shuler) — (Discrimination) is experienced by every woman who takes home a smaller paycheck than her male counterpart for doing the same job. It is felt by every mother who is denied a promotion because she wants to balance work and family. It hangs like a dark cloud over every victim of workplace harassment, discrimination and violence. Even as we celebrate the advancement of women in work, the harsh reality is too many of us struggle when we shouldn’t have to. Sheryl Sandberg asked us to “lean in.” But most working women are already leaning in so hard we are practically falling over. We are being forced to hang on, scrape by and make do.

► From The Atlantic — A significant deal for automakers and unions — That the UAW was able to get both FCA Chrysler and GM to agree to phase out the two-tier system in contract negotiations this month is an impressive testament to the continued relevance of the union. It also suggests that businesses can make money while still treating their employees well.

T.G.I.W.

► The Rev. Entire Staff of The Stand will be gone for the rest of the week to officiate our sister’s wedding. So today will be our last day working with WSLC Field Director Lori Province, who is retiring effective Friday. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with her, lo these many years, but we know she will continue to be a strong presence in labor events and activities, especially in Northwest Washington. So we don’t say “goodbye,” we say, “see you soon.”

The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.