Tuesday, June 14, 2016

LOCAL

See more photos from last Friday’s “One Equal Team” rally with the locked-out employees of Triumph Composite Systems in Spokane marking the one-month anniversary of the labor dispute. Click here to make a contribution to support the locked-out workers and their families.

► In the Seattle Times — Seattle must address the painful realities of on-demand economy (by Elizabeth Kennedy) — In recent weeks, Uber heralded its emerging fleet of self-driving cars and $3.5 billion capital infusion, affirming for many what they already believed about the ride-share giant: Uber is the future. Summoning a ride from your pocket that is hindered by neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night (surge pricing notwithstanding) can certainly feel like the future. But for its drivers, many of whom struggle to piece together stable wages, Uber is the past resurrected.

STATE GOVERNMENT

► In today’s News Tribune — State to fight order sending Western State CEO to jail — State officials are expected to ask a judge to block a contempt ruling that ordered Western State Hospital CEO Cheryl Strange report to jail. Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Craig Adams on Friday ordered Strange to admit a man suffering from dementia into the state’s largest psychiatric hospital. Because of a shortage of bed space, the man hasn’t been admitted and has instead been kept in a general hospital. Strange said she refused to admit the man over other people who were higher on the list waiting to get into the hospital.

► In today’s Seattle Times — Ex-state Rep. Graham Hunt’s effort to clear his name raises new accusation — Former state Rep. Graham Hunt has released new military records in an effort to clear his name. But the effort led a top GOP political operative to lob a new accusation of lying by the former lawmaker.

2016 ELECTIONS

► In today’s (Everett) Herald — As Inslee fills campaign coffers, Bryant struggles to keep pace — Incumbent Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee raised nearly $900,000 for his reelection in May, ending the month with $3.29 million, while Republican challenger Bill Bryant wound up spending more than he took in.

► In today’s Washington Post — Donald Trump’s assault on our values (editorial) — It had not seemed possible, but Donald Trump descended this week to a new low of bigotry, fear-mongering and conspiracy-peddling. Republican leaders who said last week that they expected a change in tone after Trump’s racist attacks on a California judge quickly received their answer. What can House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) or Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) possibly say now? As the country mourned the wanton slaughter of 49 people early Sunday, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee took a victory lap, hinted darkly that President Obama is an enemy of the nation, libeled American Muslims and, in grotesque punctuation, finished up with a vindictive attack on the media.

► From Politico — Trump renews call for Muslim ban

► From Politico — Washington Post ban is latest battle in Trump’s war on press

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

► In today’s NY Times — Study calls GOP’s blockade of Obama’s Supreme Court pick unprecedented — Senate Republicans say they will not consider any nominee offered by Obama to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. The power to appoint Justice Scalia’s successor, they say, should belong to the next president. That categorical stance is new in the nation’s history, write two professors in a comprehensive study published by The New York University Law Review. The Senate has never before transferred a president’s appointment power in comparable circumstances to an unknown successor, they said.

► From The Hill — Labor Dept. finalizes sex discrimination regulation — The Labor Department on Tuesday finalized a new rule to bar federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating against someone on the basis of sex.

► From Think Progress — White House takes aim at gender wage gap — The White House is holding an event focusing on women’s issues on Tuesday, and as part of the day-long summit it announced actions it is taking to try and reduce the gap in pay between men and women.

NATIONAL

► From AFL-CIO Now — AFL-CIO statement on the Orlando shootings — “Bayard Rustin said to be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true. We in the labor movement are not afraid. We are resolved to do everything in our power to make sure this never happens again. The truth as we know it is both devastating and infuriating. Forty-nine souls were lost in a cowardly act of violence. These are our brothers, sisters and friends. At least one was our member.”

► From think Progress — Where Walmart can find the money it to pay its workers at least $15/hour — One easy way would be to simply reduce how much it’s spending on buying shares of its own stock to help inflate the price and enrich its shareholders.

► From Huffington Post — This photo tells you all you need to know about corporate boardrooms — It’s 2016. We’re poised to possibly elect a woman president, yet the boards of directors of too many companies in corporate America look like this:

► In today’s NY Times — ‘Brexit’ vote has European workers in Britain unsure of future — Should Britain leave the European Union and start requiring European citizens to clear the same visa hurdles as other foreign workers, three-quarters of the 2.2 million people from other E.U. countries currently working in Britain wouldn’t make the cut.

ALSO at The Stand — French workers’ struggle is all too familiar (by David Groves)

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