Monday, October 14, 2019

ELECTION

► In the Seattle Times — Vote no on I-976, which will slow our traffic and the economy (by Larry Brown, Steve Mullin and Alex Hudson) — This isn’t just about commute times, it’s also about jobs. Huge amounts of raw materials, agricultural goods and manufactured products move via roads and railways. That’s why our state’s business, labor and environmental leaders have all come together to oppose I-976. We agree that I-976 threatens our economy and our environment. It is far too costly.

► In the (Vancouver) Columbian — We can’t afford the savings I-976 would bring (editorial) — Initiative 976 on the Nov. 5 statewide ballot imagines a fantasy world in which Washington’s highways, roads and bridges either come without cost or are already and forevermore complete. Instead, an adequate and efficient transportation system that is the foundation of the state’s economy depends on funding from vehicle fees that would be gutted by I-976. The Columbian’s Editorial Board recommends a “no” vote on the measure.

► In the (Vancouver) Columbian — I-976: Cities stand to lose transportation dollars

► In the (Vancouver) Columbian — End affirmative action ban, vote yes on Ref. 88 (editorial) — Historically, in Washington and elsewhere, it does not take much effort to find examples of exclusion based on race or gender — be it in housing, education, employment or simply the ability to procure a loan. Much progress has been made to abolish such discrimination, but it would be naive to suggest that no more is necessary. Initiative 1000 would allow Washington to continue its progress toward becoming a more inclusive state that truly provides equal opportunity for all. The Columbian Editorial Board recommends a “yes” vote on Referendum 88.

ALSO TODAY at The Stand — I-1000 opponents linked to racist hate group — Backers of I-1000 call upon opponents to denounce their affiliation with Proud Boys hate group, national Trump-affiliated anti-rights organization, and end use of racially charged language.

LOCAL

► In the (Longview) Daily News — Grocery workers ratify ‘historic’ contract with Fred Meyer, Safeway — A “sizable majority” of members in a regional grocery workers union ratified a contract with Fred Meyer and other stores late Friday night, ending a 16-month period of sometimes tense negotiations, according to union officials. The three-year contract guarantees employees a minimum 20-hour work week, provides wage increases for all workers and “aims toward” closing a perceived gender pay gap, said UFCW Local 555 spokeswoman Kelley McAllister. The union, which represents about 18,000 grocery workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington, also didn’t lose any ground in negotiations, she said.

► In the Columbian — New I-5 Bridge project: Here we go, again … again — Officials stay positive about second effort, but divisive issues remain from failed Columbia River Crossing.

► ICYMI, from Time magazine — Progressives and business leaders are going to war in Seattle, with major omplications for the country’s future — If there’s a left-leaning policy being proposed by a Democratic presidential candidate this election season, odds are it has already been suggested — and probably even tested — in Seattle. Want to tax the rich, like Bernie Sanders advises? Seattle’s city council unanimously passed a bill doing so in 2017 (though it quickly got tied up in court.) Want a $15 minimum wage for all workers, as Elizabeth Warren calls for? Seattle passed that into law five years ago. How about a bill of rights for domestic workers, a measure supported by Kamala Harris? Seattle passed that last year. And while critics of those plans say they put an undue burden on businesses, local officials in Seattle say they’re helping, not hurting, economic growth. “The interesting role that Seattle has played in the last 10 or so years has been to lead with progressive policy and show that it worked,” says Teresa Mosqueda, a 39-year-old city councilwoman, from her second-floor office in Seattle’s City Hall.

THIS WASHINGTON

► In the Spokesman-Review — Spokane judge blocks Trump rule restricting immigration for people who need government help — The Trump administration proposed a tightening of the definition of a public charge that would allow denying the application for permanent residence to anyone who receives public benefits for more than 12 months in a three-year period. U.S. District Court Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against those changes Friday.

BOEING

► In the Seattle Times — Dennis Muilenburg out as Boeing chairman but keeps CEO position — With pressure mounting on the Boeing board and increased public concern about a need to revamp the company’s safety culture, the board on Friday took away Dennis Muilenburg’s role as company chairman, separating that position from his chief executive role. Having both chairman and CEO titles put Muilenburg in an unassailable position of power. As CEO, he is an employee of the board. But as chairman of the board, he effectively controlled the direction and makeup of that body. It’s generally viewed as poor corporate governance policy to have one person in both roles.

THAT WASHINGTON

► In today’s Washington Post — In China, talk of ‘progress’ and a ‘result,’ but no mention of any trade deal with U.S. — One word has been suspiciously absent from China’s media coverage of the trade talks with the U.S. over the past few days: deal. There has been a “result,” there has been “progress,” but there has been no “deal.” Beijing’s version of recent events stands in sharp contrast to the way Trump has described them.

► An impeachment update from the Washington Post — Trump renews call to unmask whistleblower; House GOP decries ‘clown show’ as another witness testifies — Trump renewed his call to unmask the whistleblower whose complaint sparked an impeachment inquiry, and he took issue with a suggestion by a leading Democrat that the anonymous U.S. intelligence official may not be called to testify in person before Congress.

► In today’s NY Times — Macabre video of fake Trump shooting media and critics is shown at his resort — A video depicting a macabre scene of a fake President Trump shooting, stabbing and brutally assaulting members of the news media and his political opponents was shown at a conference for his supporters at his Miami resort last week. The most violent clip shows Trump’s head superimposed on the body of a man opening fire inside the “Church of Fake News” on parishioners who have the faces of his critics or the logos of media organizations superimposed on their bodies.

► From The Hill — Backlash erupts at video depicting Trump killing media, critics

NATIONAL

► In today’s Detroit News — GM strike, day 29: Talks continue as pressure ramps up for agreement — The UAW strike against GM entered its 29th day Monday after another tumultuous weekend at the bargaining table. Officials met to start bargaining around 8 a.m. Monday after negotiations paused at 10 p.m. Sunday.

► In today’s Detroit Free Press — Here is what’s been settled and what remains in play in GM-UAW talks — By early Monday morning, three main sticking points remained between General Motors and UAW negotiators as they pushed to close in on a new tentative contract.

► From Reuters — UAW boosts strike pay as GM walkout continues — The union will boost strike pay for 48,000 hourly GM workers by $25 a week to $275 as a strike against the largest U.S. automaker nears the end of its fourth week.

► From The Morning Call — Mack workers go on strike, begin picketing Sunday morning — About 3,500 Mack Trucks employees (UAW) in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida went on strike Saturday night for the first time in 35 years.

► From PR Newswire — Thousands to strike against ASARCO’s Unfair Labor Practices — The United Steelworkers (USW) said that about 2,000 hourly workers at five ASARCO LLC, locations in Arizona and Texas voted overwhelmingly to strike against unfair labor practices rather than to accept the Grupo México subsidiary’s so-called “last, best and final” offer.

► From The Guardian — Workers making £88 Lululemon leggings claim they are beaten — Lululemon, an athleisure brand whose £88 leggings are worn by celebrities and Instagram influencers, are sourcing clothing from a factory where Bangladeshi female factory workers claim they are beaten and physically assaulted.

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