Tuesday, April 16, 2019

THIS WASHINGTON

► In the Yakima H-R — Nurses need breaks — for everyone’s safety (editorial) — A common-sense state bill requiring nurses to take regular rest breaks and prohibiting mandatory overtime or “on-call” status has passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan vote and is awaiting state Senate action in the coming weeks. For the sake of patient safety, and for the health and well-being of the medical workers themselves, we urge the Senate to follow suit and pass a substitute HB 1155 to ensure that nurses are treated with the same respect and care they give to patients under their charge.

TAKE A STAND! — SHB 1155 passed the House, 63-34. Since then, the unions that represent frontline health-care workers have accepted changes sought by hospitals, but after passing two Senate committees, has been languishing in the Rules Committee for nearly two weeks. Call the Legislative Hotline NOW at 1-800-542-0904 and leave a message for your state senator to bring this critical patient and workplace safety bill to a vote, and to vote YES! Also, you can visit BreaksAreALifesaver.org to send your senator a message to support the bill.

► From KING TV — Washington school districts preparing for layoffs, higher class sizes — Some school districts said they are facing budget deficits due to a change in the way the state funds education. “We’re facing a devastating reduction without any help from the legislature,” said Tacoma Public Schools spokesperson Dan Voelpel. “What we’re really advocating people do is contact their legislators and let them know we want that local levy funding restored.”

LOCAL

► From MLK Labor — Board Member Highlight: Phyllis Campano — As the leader of Washington’s largest local education union, Phyllis Campano reflects on going from the classroom to becoming a labor leader.

► In today’s Wenatchee World — Police chief sues union for defamation — East Wenatchee Police Chief Randy Harrison and Assistant Chief Ray Coble have filed a defamation lawsuit against union representative David Simmons and Teamsters Local 760.

► In today’s Columbian — Lucky 21 employees out 3 weeks’ pay — The April 8 closure of the Lucky 21 Casino in Woodland — also known as the Oak Tree Casino — left most of the business’s 115 employees not only suddenly unemployed, but also unpaid for their final three weeks of work.

THAT WASHINGTON

► In today’s LA Times — Medicare-for-all debate should focus on the people it would cover, not the cost (by David Lazarus) — The failure of U.S. policymakers to use this as the basic premise of healthcare reform is why tens of millions of Americans remain uninsured, and why this country pays more for healthcare than any of its economic peers… The White House and congressional Republicans immediately attacked Sanders’ Medicare-For-All plan as being unrealistic, unreasonable and downright un-American — yet once again offered no proposals of their own to expand coverage or address market dysfunction that results in sky-high costs… Reforming the U.S. healthcare system requires mature discussion and a willingness to act in the best interests of the American people. What it doesn’t need is fear-mongering and blatant falsehoods.

► From Forbes — Five Republican myths employed at recent Social Security hearings (by Nancy Altman) — Republican politicians seek to scare the American people by implying that Social Security is a big problem or worse, in crisis. What the Republicans never acknowledge is that Social Security is a solution. It is a solution to the nation’s retirement income crisis. It is a solution to the intolerable economic squeeze on America’s families. It is a solution to the upward redistribution of wealth the nation has witnessed over the last few decades. I am confident that the American people will see through the Republican lies and support the effort to expand this successful, essential program.

► In today’s Washington Post — Trump says he has no regrets about sharing Ilhan Omar video

EDITOR’S NOTE — Reporter: Rep. Omar says your tweet has led to death threats… any second thoughts? Trump: “No, not at all.”

► From The Onion — Ilhan Omar disrespectfully refers to America as ‘a place’

DÉJÀ VU

► In today’s NY Times — ‘Stop Sanders’ Democrats are agonizing over his momentum — From canapé-filled fund-raisers on the coasts to the cloakrooms of Washington, some mainstream Democrats are beginning to ask how do they thwart a 70-something candidate from outside the party structure who is immune to intimidation or incentive and wields support from an unwavering base, without simply reinforcing his “the establishment is out to get me’’ message — the same grievance Trump used to great effect? But stopping Sanders, or at least preventing a contentious convention, could prove difficult for Democrats.

NATIONAL

► In today’s CT Post — Stop & Shop strike enters 6th day; talks continue — The Stop & Shop workers’ strike enters its sixth day Tuesday with both sides still unable to agree on a new contract. Negotiations, however, will continue Tuesday morning. “While talks continued with the company Monday through the federal mediator, Stop & Shop is still demanding major concessions that could severely impact your ability to provide for yourselves and your families,” UFCW Local 919 said in a statement.

► From the AFL-CIO — Support Stop & Shop workers — Stand with our brothers and sisters today and sign UFCW’s petition demanding that executives agree to a fair contract that reflects the true value of their workers.

► From the AP — GOP states discover a tax hike they have to like: for roads — After passing waves of tax cuts in recent years, some lawmakers in several Republican-dominated states have decided it’s time to make a big exception and are pushing for tax increases to fix roads that are crumbling from years of neglect.

► From NBC News — Ohio couple made laxative cookies for striking school workers — Police say a couple made laxative-laced cookies for striking school employees because they were tired of the noise from the picket line near their home.

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