Friday, July 1, 2022

ORGANIZING

The staff of Real Change are UNIONIZING! We are journalists, case managers, political organizers, and frontline/development staff who are deeply committed to Real Change’s mission. We aim to make Real Change the best it can be for vendors, ourselves, and our community. 1/2

— Real Change Union (@realchangestaff) June 30, 2022

Workers at the Madison Park store just won their union! ? We’re so excited! pic.twitter.com/5eb4sa7Kv4

— Starbucks Worker Solidarity (@VentiSolidarity) June 30, 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE — If you’re keeping track, with six more union victories on Thursday, there are now 182 unionized Starbucks stores in 30 states — including 13 here in Washington state. Seven months ago there were none. Are you ready for a real voice at work? Get more information about how you can join together with co-workers and negotiate a fair return for your hard work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!

TODAY at The Stand — Tumwater Fred Meyer employees join together with UFCW 367

THIS WASHINGTON

► From KNKX — Public comment period open for largest proposed energy storage project in Washington — If built, the Goldendale Energy Storage Project would be the largest pumped storage project in the Pacific Northwest, providing up to 1,200 megawatts on-demand, the equivalent of 12-hours of electricity for residents in a city the size of Seattle, said Erik Steimle, vice president of Rye Development, which is developing the energy storage project. In addition, the Goldendale project would make up one-fifth of the region’s need for energy storage, he said. A new draft environmental impact statement from the Washington Department of Ecology is out now. The public can comment on the draft EIS through Aug. 9 and can submit comments online.

► PREVIOUSLY from the P.S. Business Journal — Clean energy infrastructure vital to Washington’s future (by Matthew Hepner of the Certified Electrical Workers) — One important mature technology in Puget Sound Energy’s planning to remove global greenhouse gas emitting energy sources is closed-loop pumped storage. The proposed Goldendale Energy Storage Project in Klickitat County relies on this established carbon-free technology and would provide our region with the needed energy storage resources that will be essential in complying with Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act. The Goldendale Project will generate 1,200 megawatts of clean electricity while also storing the region’s abundant wind and solar electricity to use when it is needed… This project also makes good economic sense. It will create more than 3,000 family-wage jobs during its four-year construction period, and another 50 to 70 permanent jobs. Also, because the size and duration of the construction of the project it is an important opportunity for the building trades to add to our nation’s critically important skilled and technically trained workforce by training union apprentices.

► From the Olympian — WA state leaders want to ‘accelerate’ climate efforts after Supreme Ct. limits EPA’s power — “We are sounding the alarm and we are proud of what we’ve done, but this decision makes it clear that we will have to accelerate our efforts when it comes to climate change and carbon pollution,” Inslee said.

► From KUOW — Legislator calls for fraud audit of state’s largest charter school chain — State Rep. Gerry Pollet (D-Seattle) has called for fraud and performance audits of Impact Public Schools, Washington’s largest charter school chain, following a KUOW investigation that found scant services for students learning English and a lack of support for students with disabilities.

► From the AP — Inslee prohibits State Patrol from aiding abortion investigations — Gov. Jay Inslee has issued a directive instructing the Washington State Patrol to not cooperate with out-of-state abortion investigations, a preemptive move in case states where abortion is banned or significantly restricted seek to investigate whether their residents have traveled to the state.

LOCAL

► From KING 5 — Delta pilots picket at Sea-Tac Airport, several other U.S. cities — Off-duty pilots with Delta Air Lines plan to picket at airports — including in Seattle — Thursday morning. In a media advisory, the Air Line Pilot Association said the pilots would be protesting protracted contract negotiations as they want to send a message to the airline’s management team that “it’s time for an industry-leading contract.”

► From the SW Washington CLC — What is Vancouver USA Pride — and why does it happen in July? (Working to Live podcast) — Shannon and Harold sit down with three members of Vancouver USA Pride’s Board – Brian Beliel, Jennifer Lanier and Dustina Haase-Lanier – to find out why Pride is so important for working people (no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identity might be,) why Vancouver’s event is so much later than other Pride celebrations, and what working families can expect when they attend this year’s event.

SUPREME COURT

► From the NY Times — EPA ruling is a milestone in long pushback to regulation of business — In striking down an EPA plan to reduce carbon emissions from power plants, the court issued a decision whose implications go beyond hobbling the government’s ability to fight climate change. Many other types of regulations might now be harder to defend, reflecting conservative legal theories developed to rein in administrative agencies.

► From Politico — Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sworn in to Supreme Court — Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in on Thursday, the culmination of her historic ascension as the first black woman to claim a seat on the nation’s highest court.

► From Politico — The conservative Supreme Court is just getting warmed up — The next targets could include voting rights, state courts’ power over elections, affirmative action and laws banning discrimination against LGBTQ people.

► From Politico — Supreme Court to hear case on GOP ‘independent legislature’ theory that could radically reshape elections — The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in a case promoting a controversial legal theory that would consolidate elections power in the hands of state legislatures. Republicans have increasingly promoted the theory as a way around state courts that have recently struck down redistricting maps as partisan gerrymanders.

THAT WASHINGTON

► From the Spokesman-Review — A case of truth and courage about January 6, for those with the eyes to see (by Shawn Vestal) — On the day that Cassidy Hutchinson offered damning testimony about President Trump’s scurrilous behavior on Jan. 6, Cathy McMorris Rodgers went on Fox to talk about President Biden’s “anti-American” energy policies. Do you think she knows what “anti-American” means? The best way for her to find out would have been to pay attention to the hearings of the committee, which have masterfully built the case exposing the campaign of a former president to overturn an election he lost. She hasn’t done that, obviously. As with all things in the Trump era, McMorris Rodgers has adopted the three-monkeys strategy: Neither seeing, nor hearing, nor speaking any uncomfortable truths.

► From HuffPost — McConnell takes bipartisan bill hostage to block Democrats’ prescription drug bill — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell won’t support a bipartisan domestic manufacturing bill if Democrats try to lower prescription drug prices and tax the rich, the Kentucky Republican announced Thursday.

NATIONAL

► From the AP — Strike averted: 4 Atlantic City casinos reach deal with union — The main union for Atlantic City casino workers (UNITE HERE) reached agreements on new contracts with four casinos on Thursday, providing for what one worker called “big raises” and labor peace that will avoid a strike on Fourth of July weekend, one of the casinos’ busiest of the year.

► From the Detroit Free Press — GM, UAW reach tentative agreement to avoid strike at 4 Michigan plants

► From NPR — ‘The Simpsons’ production workers say they deserve a place at the table — Production workers at the long-running animated television shows The Simpsons, American Dad! and Family Guy filed to join a union this month. Employees said they are hoping to receive benefits, such as health care and retirement, but also to change the way production work is seen in the industry.

EDITOR’S NOTE — Ready for some benefits at work? Get more information about how you can join together with co-workers and negotiate a fair return for your hard work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!

► From The Hill — Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law takes effect today. Its impact is already being felt. — Under the measure, which was signed into law in March by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, public primary school teachers are prohibited from engaging in classroom instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity.

T.G.I.F.

► The Entire Staff of The Stand wishes a very happy birthday to Elwood Blues, who turns 70 today. His brother, “Joliet” Jake, did most of the lead vocals for their band, but Elwood always got to shine in this cover of a novelty doo-wop song originally recorded by The Chips. Enjoy him as he scats his way through “Rubber Biscuit” at the final concert at San Francisco’s legendary Winterland Ballroom, where the Blues Brothers opened for the Grateful Dead.

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