DAILY NEWS
Boeing SC union vote | Judicial activism | Cathy vs. Dreamers
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
BOEING
LOCAL
► In today’s Seattle Times — Worker dies in fall at Sound Transit light-rail construction site in Bellevue — A construction worker died early Tuesday after he fell 30 feet to the ground while working on a column for Sound Transit’s Eastside light-rail extension at Highway 520 and 148th Street in Bellevue. The victim was believed to be a longtime employee of Sound Transit’s contractor, Kiewit-Hoffman.
► In today’s (Everett) Herald — Mukilteo board president explains denial of union demand — Board president John Gahagan said they are “very willing to meet and discuss increased compensation” but declined the Mukilteo Education Association demand “because it is not necessary to reopen our existing contract in order to discuss providing MEA members with increased compensation allowed by the state during 2018-19.”
JANUS
PREVIOUSLY at The Stand —
— Janus (Part 1): The fix is in at the Supreme Court (March 6)
— Janus (Part 2): Get ready to defend your freedom (March 7)
► From Politico — Blue states strike first against awaited anti-union court ruling — Blue state lawmakers are waging a preemptive strike against an anticipated U.S. Supreme Court decision that could decimate the power of public-sector unions across the nation. New York and New Jersey officials are pursuing an end-run around Janus v. AFSCME, a case that could give government workers across all states the option of declining to pay union fees even if they benefit from that union‘s contract negotiations.
FROM the WSLC’s 2018 Legislative Report — Public employees achieve ambitious agenda
THIS WASHINGTON
► In today’s (Longview) Daily News — Following Texas shooting, Rep. Walsh proposes letting K-12 staff concealed carry — State Rep. Jim Walsh (R-Aberdeen) is proposing legislation that would allow certified and trained K-12 staff to carry concealed firearms on campus. Rich Wood, a spokesman for the Washington Education Association, said Monday that the state’s teachers union does not support arming teachers in schools. “Putting more guns in schools is not going to make them safer,” he said.
► In today’s Yakima H-R — Attorney General Bob Ferguson vows to fight for Dreamers — When he stopped in Yakima on Monday to discuss the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, he was surprised by the engagement he received from the community. Ferguson garnered cheers from the crowd often as he explained how confident his office is in its many lawsuits against the Trump administration, including one that seeks to block DACA from being scrapped. “It was inspiring,” Ferguson said of the crowd. “I had no idea so many people would show up.”
THAT WASHINGTON
EDITOR’S NOTE — The centrist Republicans are five signatures away from forcing a vote on bipartisan legislation to create a path to citizenship for Dreamers brought to the U.S. as children. Hard-liners call that “amnesty” and are threatening Ryan’s remaining months as Speaker unless he blocks a bill that clearly has enough votes to pass.
► In today’s Washington Post — Supreme Court rules that companies can require workers to accept individual arbitration — The cases involve non-unionized workers, but labor leaders said it was representative of how the court sides with business over workers.
EDITOR’S NOTE — AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka’s statement released Monday:
Today, five justices on the Supreme Court decided that it is acceptable for working people to have our legal rights taken away by corporations in order to keep our jobs. This decision forcing workers to sign away the right to file class-action suits against such illegal employment practices as wage theft, sexual harassment and discrimination is outrageous—and it is wrong. In this case, the newest justice has joined the dangerous trend of this court to side with corporations over working people. We call upon Congress to immediately enact legislation making clear that no worker can be forced to give up their right to effectively challenge illegal conduct in the workplace in order to keep their job.
► In today’s NY Times — Trump team’s infighting thwarts victory on China trade — Deep divisions and ceaseless jockeying for influence in the White House’s trade team helped deprive Trump of a quick win on his most cherished policy agenda.
► From Politico — ‘Too inconvenient’: Trump goes rogue on phone security — President Donald Trump uses a White House cellphone that isn’t equipped with sophisticated security features designed to shield his communications, according to two senior administration officials — a departure from the practice of his predecessors that potentially exposes him to hacking or surveillance.
NATIONAL
► From Politico — Education Department launches ‘top-to-bottom’ review of teachers’ grant program — It’s a financial nightmare for public school teachers across the country: Federal grants they received to work in low-income schools were converted to thousands of dollars in loans that they now must pay back.
► In today’s Washington Post — Here’s what to know as voters in Texas, Georgia, Kentucky and Arkansas head to the polls today — While the Democrats’ race for governor of Georgia has earned the most attention, congressional contests in Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas may reveal more about the shape of the party in this year’s midterm elections.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.