David Huerta | NIOSH | Social Security data

Monday, June 9, 2025

STRIKES

► From the Pittsburgh Union Progress — Striking journalists and the Post-Gazette meet for a rare bargaining session — In the first contract bargaining session since November 2024, during a strike that’s almost two years and eight months long, Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh journalists and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette got a bit closer on a few small things, but they’re still very, very far apart…They also agreed to disagree on most of the areas where their proposals differ, but in a few instances, Lowe said the company would tentatively agree to — that is, “TA” — the guild’s proposals. On other items, the union and the company agreed to go back and look at their respective proposals, which go back several years, for clarity.

LOCAL

► From the Washington State Standard — WA farmworkers fear reporting sexual harassment to federal anti-discrimination agency under Trump — If things get worse for Marlen, she probably wouldn’t report it to the EEOC, the commission that for nearly three decades has defended immigrant farmworkers like her against workplace sexual harassment and abuse — no matter their immigration status. As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown reaches into agricultural communities across the country and the EEOC shifts priorities to align with those of the president, it’s unclear to these farmworkers and their attorneys whether the agency will continue to protect them.

► From KING 5 — Old Tacoma elementary school being transformed into a workforce and childcare hub — The council is transforming it to be used for multiple purposes, including a section of the building being turned into a 24-hour affordable childcare center for union employees. The council said the childcare center will start with serving union employees who are in apprenticeships in the construction and building sectors. “You can’t have a conversation more than 20 to 25 minutes without somebody talking about childcare being a barrier,” said Nathe Lawver with the Pierce County Central Labor Council. “It’s impossible for our members that are in the building and construction trades to be dispatched to be on the job site at 5:30 a.m. and be able to find childcare for that.”

► From the Spokesman Review — Four ways NIOSH’s Spokane Research Lab, now facing closure, has improved workers’ safety — At hard-rock mines like Lucky Friday in the Silver Valley east of Coeur d’Alene miners can’t get to valuable minerals without blasting, crushing and grinding a lot of crystalline silica, the most common mineral on earth. But when a miner breathes in silica dust, it damages the lungs and causes silicosis, an incurable disease that causes severe breathing problems and can lead to death…The researchers have developed a tool that produces same-day test results, but a project in Spokane to create a wearable, real-time silica monitor that would immediately alert workers to dangerous levels of dust is now in jeopardy.

► From the Spokesman Review — As Trump administration aims to boost mining, drilling and fishing, Spokane office dedicated to workers’ safety remains in jeopardy — Tristan Victoroff, an epidemiologist in NIOSH’s Western States Division, said he and his colleagues thought they might escape the Trump administration’s sweeping effort to slash the federal workforce because their work supports enterprises the president says he wants to grow. “The industries that we work in, particularly with the mining program and the Western States Division – oil and gas, wildland firefighting, commercial fishing, mining – our mission does support those workers,” said Victoroff, a union steward with the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1916. “We had considered ourselves to be in line with the administration’s priorities, and so it really did come as a surprise when they essentially eliminated NIOSH.”

► From the Lynnwood Times — IAM District 751 opens new Machinists Institute & Union Hall in Everett — Designed by Urbal Architecture, the new facility replaces the previous union hall, includes modern administrative offices and features a manufacturing area for hands-on learning educational training center focused on aerospace, automotive, and metal fabrication trades. The former Everett Union Hall was demolished in 2021 to pave way to construct the new building.

► From My Northwest — WA ranked No. 3 economy in U.S., but underemployment remains high — Washington’s economy is among the strongest in the nation, but not every Washingtonian is benefiting from that. The prospect of getting a great job attracts new residents and keeps many of those born or raised in Washington from leaving. However, finding a good job can be challenging. Nine percent of Washingtonians are underemployed, meaning they’re working in a job that doesn’t adequately utilize their skills or experience.

CONTRACT FIGHTS

► From the Tacoma News Tribune — Pierce County area grocery workers authorize strike against Kroger, Albertsons stores — Pierce County and area grocery workers represented by UFCW 367 have voted to authorize an Unfair Labor Practice strike against Kroger brands Fred Meyer and QFC, as well as Albertsons and Safeway…According to the UFCW 367’s website, the workers seek wages and raises that keep pace with cost of living and consistent scheduling that gives workers the hours they need to qualify for healthcare. They also seek improvements to address understaffing, enforcement of safety protocols and “ensuring management takes action to protect workers and customers alike.”

ORGANIZING

► From Cascadia Daily News — WWU agrees to most of striking students’ demands — The university hasn’t agreed to recognize the union of operational student employees, who work as resident advisors, recreation assistants and more. But it did agree to provide much of what the students wanted. That includes a month’s notice before layoffs, increased sick leave, bereavement leave, increased pay and a dispute resolution process, according to a letter signed by President Sabah Randhawa to the employees. “They gave us an enforceable set of terms and conditions. This is unprecedented for non-educational student employees,” said Emma Jean McGreevey, a member of the operational student employees’ bargaining committee, in a video on social media.

NATIONAL

► From the Los Angeles Times — ICE arrested a California union leader. Does Trump understand what that means? — Perhaps more importantly, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, speaking for her 15 million members, issued a statement. Huerta “was doing what he has always done, and what we do in unions: putting solidarity into practice and defending our fellow workers,” she said. “The labor movement stands with David and we will continue to demand justice for our union brother until he is released.” Similar statements came from the Teamsters and other unions. Solidarity isn’t a buzzword to unions. It’s the bedrock of their power. In arresting Huerta, that solidarity has been supercharged. Already, union members from across the state are making plans to gather Monday for Huerta’s arraignment in downtown Los Angeles.

Editor’s note: a solidarity rally in support of Huerta is being held at Seattle City Hall today at 11am. 

► From the New York Times — Agents Use Military-Style Force Against Protesters at L.A. Immigration Raid –The raid at the clothing wholesaler began about 9:15 a.m. in the Fashion District, less than two miles from Los Angeles City Hall. It was an extraordinary show of force. Dozens of federal agents wearing helmets and green camouflage arrived in two hulking armored trucks and other unmarked vehicles, and were soon approached by a crowd of immigrant activists and supporters. Some agents carried riot shields and others held rifles, as well as shotguns that appeared to be loaded with less-than-lethal ammunition.

► From the New York Times — Deportee’s Lawyers Push for Contempt Proceedings Despite His Return — On Sunday, lawyers for Mr. Abrego Garcia in the civil case filed blistering court papers arguing that even though the White House had finally complied with an order to return their client, the judge overseeing the case should still pursue contempt proceedings against Trump officials. The administration, the lawyers wrote, had spent much of the past three months “engaged in an elaborate, all-of-government effort to defy court orders.”

► From KUOW — DHS memo details how National Guard troops will be used for immigration enforcement — National Guard troops would be used in immigration-enforcement activities, including in “night operations and rural interdiction,” as well as “guard duty and riot control” inside detention facilities, according to a memo from the Department of Homeland Security obtained by NPR. DHS officials requested 20,000 National Guard troops three weeks ago, but this memo details what duties those troops will be asked to perform. The memo, dated May 9, from Andrew Whitaker, the executive secretary at DHS, says the department will need up to 3,500 Guard personnel for its requirement to “Attempt to Locate — Fugitives.” Another 2,500 Guard soldiers would be needed for detention support.

POLITICS & POLICY

► From Common Dreams — ‘Dangerous Power Grab’ as Supreme Court Sides With DOGE on Social Security Data — The unsigned emergency order from the court came in response to an emergency application from the Trump administration defending DOGE’s ability to have access to Social Security databases that two labor unions, alongside the Alliance for Retired Americans, had file a legal suit to protect. By its ruling, the Supreme Court stayed a lower federal court’s ruling that said DOGE must “disgorge” and “delete” any of the data it accessed or downloaded from the agency files. While the underlying case plays out, DOGE is now authorized to retain the data and access to the information, which critics say cannot be entrusted to the newly-created department and unvetted personnel who control it.

► From the Washington Post — Trump administration races to fix a big mistake: DOGE fired too many people — Across the government, the Trump administration is scrambling to rehire many federal employees dismissed under DOGE’s staff-slashing initiatives after wiping out entire offices, in some cases imperiling key services such as weather forecasting and the drug approval process…Trump officials are trying to recover not only people who were fired, but also thousands of experienced senior staffers who are opting for a voluntary exit as the administration rolls out a second resignation offer.

Editor’s note: in other breaking news, water is wet, the Pope is catholic, etc. 

► From the Government Executive — Federal workforce advocates flood opposition to renewed Schedule F — With just a day remaining until the window to comment on the Trump administration’s proposal to reinstate Schedule F and strip tens and thousands of federal employees of their civil service protections, groups representing or otherwise advocating on behalf of federal workers have formally registered their opposition to the measure…As of Friday afternoon, more than 30,000 comments had already been submitted, the vast majority of which appear opposed to OPM’s proposal.

► From Politico — Like Elon Musk, Russ Vought wants to break Washington. Unlike the billionaire, the budget guru might just succeed. — Vought, the two-time director of the Office of Management and Budget, is the most strategic player in executing the Trump administration’s effort to slash the federal government. Just this week, Vought has been everywhere from doing TV hits at the White House and on the Sunday shows to sitting in Speaker Mike Johnson’s office to sell the “big beautiful bill” and lay the groundwork for codifying the DOGE cuts.

► From the New York Times — Trump Administration Asks Justices to Clear the Way for Cuts to Education Department — The request came as an emergency application, the latest in a flurry of such appeals to the Supreme Court filed since the start of the second Trump administration. In Friday’s filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the justices to overturn a temporary ruling issued in late May by a federal judge in Massachusetts that had ordered government officials to reinstate thousands of fired workers.

► From Propublica — DOGE Developed Error-Prone AI Tool to “Munch” Veterans Affairs Contracts — As the Trump administration prepared to cancel contracts at the Department of Veteran Affairs this year, officials turned to a software engineer with no health care or government experience to guide them. The engineer, working for the Department of Government Efficiency, quickly built an artificial intelligence tool to identify which services from private companies were not essential. He labeled those contracts “MUNCHABLE.” The code, using outdated and inexpensive AI models, produced results with glaring mistakes.

► From the (Everett) Herald — Everett’s minimum wage goes up on July 1. Here’s what to know. — Currently, workers making minimum wage in Everett are paid $16.66 per hour, the minimum wage statewide. On July 1, workers making minimum wage at large companies — those with over 500 employees — will be paid $20.24 per hour. Workers making minimum wage at companies that employ between 15 and 500 workers will be paid $18.24 per hour. Companies with fewer than 15 employees or an annual gross revenue of less than $2 million will pay the state minimum wage. Under the new law, tips, gratuities and service charges will not count toward the minimum wage.

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