GOP votes for higher costs | Niccol on the run | WA ICE arrests

Thursday, December 18, 2025

STRIKES

► From People’s World — Starbucks worker tries to talk with big boss but he runs — Starbucks workers in the Chicago area were conducting a two-day 24/7 picket line in front of one of the stores on the boulevard’s Magnificent Mile—Chicago’s high-class retail emporium—when a worker alerted Lee-Litowitz, a union activist and picket line co-captain, that Niccol was observing them. What happened next would be hilarious if it weren’t so serious. He ran; she followed…“Niccol shows up at 10:30 a.m. on Day 2,” only to find the Starbucks store he went to had no supplies. The delivery drivers, members of Teamsters Local 710, refused to cross picket lines with their trucks. “It showed how we” in the labor movement “could flex the power of continued solidarity,” Lee-Litowitz said.

LOCAL

► From the Seattle Times — Seattle youth homelessness nonprofit workers quit over shelter concerns –Sherrie Weis loved her job. The former case manager at YouthCare’s adolescent shelter in Seattle used to work 20-hour shifts, go home, take a shower, sleep two hours and be right back at work. And she was never happier. Weis worked with 12- to 17-year-olds, often runaways who were escaping abuse or unstable family situations. Sure, it was challenging, but the times she could help children move on to better situations made it all worth it. Starting about six months ago, she said that no longer felt possible. Weis said repeated layoffs left the shelter so understaffed that children missed medical appointments, expired food was left in the fridge and kids were essentially trapped in the building. She quit at the end of November and wasn’t the only staffer to resign in frustration.

Editor’s note: YouthCare workers are represented by OPEIU Local 8

► From KING 5 — Metro, transit union honor slain bus driver Shawn Yim with memorial ride — At Wednesday’s event outside Central-Atlantic Base at 1500 Sixth Ave. S, a group of about 30 people boarded the bus in his honor, including Yim’s colleagues, closest loved ones and even the first responders who answered the call on the night he was killed. At approximately 7:20 p.m., the bus paused on the west side of 15th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 43rd Street and Campus Parkway for a brief wreath-laying ceremony. The bus then continued south and return to Central-Atlantic Base. Metro also plans to pause bus service briefly at 2:54 a.m. and 2:54 p.m. Thursday for a moment of silence and remembrance.

► From KUOW — Live updates: More than 100,000 still without power in Western Washington amid severe weather — The number of Western Washingtonians still without power sits at just under 60,000 as of Thursday morning, a day after high winds and fallen trees caused outages for hundreds of thousands. But more outages could be on the way, as the National Weather Service has issued wind advisories in my counties throughout the region. Flood warnings remain in place for some rivers as of Thursday morning, including the Cedar River in Renton, the Green River near Auburn, the White River in parts of Pierce and King counties, the Snohomish River at Snohomish, and the Skagit River near Mount Vernon.

► From the Tri-City Herald — Windstorm knocks out power, downs trees in Tri-Cities. Landslide reported — Utility crews spent much of the night responding to widespread power outages caused by the windstorm…The Washington state Department of Transportation reported a small landslide onto Highway 263, sometimes called Devils Canyon Road, a mile southwest of Kahlotus in Franklin County and debris on the road.

► From the Washington State Standard — Immigration arrests in WA surged in recent months — And as detainments have increased, the share of those with criminal records has dropped. This despite federal authorities claiming that they’re targeting immigrants with violent criminal histories…But even having a criminal history still doesn’t justify allegedly abusing people’s rights, said Vanessa Torres Hernandez, the integrated policy director at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington chapter. President Donald Trump’s campaign has more than doubled deportation arrests compared to last year under President Joe Biden. Nearly 2,000 people in Washington have been arrested since Trump retook office, compared to about 800 over the same period last year.

► From the Tacoma News Tribune — Mold, subpar conditions prompt Tacoma apartment building tenants to unionize — Among the New York Apartments Tenant Union’s demands are for the owners to ensure all units have working radiator heating systems, ensure all building locks properly function at all times, freeze rent increases for two years, replace faulty plumbing, electrical wiring and rotted walls/floors, respond to emergency maintenance requests within eight hours and non-emergency requests in two business days, do not enter units without a minimum 48-hour notice, provide pest control in all affected units and “cease all threats, harassment and intimidation” of tenants.

CONTRACT FIGHTS

► From the Willamette Week — After Strike Threats, OHSU and Its Largest Union Reach Tentative Agreement — Oregon Health & Science University and a union representing about 8,000 of its workers have settled on a new contract, union leaders announced Wednesday, diminishing the chance of a major labor conflict at Oregon’s flagship medical institution. The agreement is tentative. Members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 328—an eclectic mix of staff whose work spans patient care, administration, and food service—must still approve the contract.

► From Reuters — Boeing, union pause contract talks for former Spirit AeroSystems white-collar workers — SPEEA negotiators, who put forward a contract proposal to Boeing last week, criticized the planemaker for being unprepared for the talks, even though a six-year contract is set to expire on January 31, 2026. “I’m incredibly pissed off by this demonstrated lack of respect,” SPEEA negotiator Wes Gardner said in a statement.

► From CNBC — As WNBA labor deadline nears, players union is ‘frustrated’ by lack of progress — “We’re a little frustrated with where we are right now, but we are holding to our principles,” Terri Jackson, executive director of the WNBPA, told CNBC Sport in an interview. “We’re staying open to the fact that these negotiations will continue, because they must. We’ll be at the table for as long as they take, and we’re hopeful that there’s enough folks on the team side of things that will start to push these things along.”…Jackson declined to mention specifics about where the negotiations have stalled, citing her nondisclosure agreement, but added, “Everything seems to still be a sticking point.”

ORGANIZING

► From the Portland Mercury — City Council Staff Form New Labor Union — “Council staff play a critical role in making City Hall work,” a December 17 press release from the newly formed Council Alliance of Workers (CAW) states. “However, staff have experienced significant instability across offices during this transition. The formation of CAW is intended to provide greater structure, consistency, and protection for staff working across City Hall.”…The unit of eligible employees includes 41 staff members across all City Council offices. Nearly 60 percent have signed union cards requesting representation by CWA, and paperwork was filed with the Employment Relations Board December 17, according to CWA 7901 President Meg Ward.

NATIONAL

► From Fast Company — The Warner Bros.-Netflix merger could doom Hollywood film workers — But skepticism among the industry’s workers comes from precedent. When companies merge, it means job losses and fewer projects. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the union of “below the line” film workers—camera operators and technicians, makeup and costume artists, grips, electricians, and the like—noted the deleterious consequences that follow from such deals in a recent issue of its bulletin. “Unfortunately, when large entities merge, they don’t continue producing the same amount of content as when they were two separate companies,” the union wrote. (IATSE has not yet commented on the Netflix-WBD deal.)

► From OPB — Under Trump, 317,000 workers are out of the government. Here are 3 of their stories — Just one year ago, being a federal employee was a very different proposition: It meant job security with solid benefits, for the most part, and the chance to serve the American people. Then in January, President Trump returned to the White House and scrambled those assumptions…“When I lost my job, I lost our family dental insurance,” says Stainnak. “So do we take our toddler to the dentist and pay out of pocket, or is that an expense that we choose to cut?” Stainnak is now part of a class-action lawsuit alleging that the Trump administration illegally discriminated against potentially thousands of federal employees who worked in DEI roles before they were fired. Those Stainnak knows personally are all people of color, women, or members of the LGBTQ+ community.

► From the AP — Rural schools hit by Trump’s grant cuts have few options for making up for the lost money — Federal money supports school programs for the most disadvantaged students, such as those with disabilities, kids learning the English language and children living in poverty. Some is appropriated by Congress for bipartisan priorities such as reducing barriers to education and improving youth mental health. In Shelby County, where federal spending makes up about 18% of schools’ budgets, it also helps pay for teacher development opportunities — a key to staff retention — plus expanded after-school offerings that include tutoring, clubs and transportation. The programs are not political, Superintendent Joshua Matthews said, and the funding loss only hurts students.

POLITICS & POLICY

► From Reuters — US House passes Republican healthcare bill without ACA subsidy renewal — The 216-211 vote, likely Congress’ last vote on healthcare policy this year, came hours after Republican leaders faced a rebellion within their ranks in support of a Democratic-backed extension of the Obamacare benefit. Earlier, the House voted 204-203 in a procedural move to stop the last-minute attempt by Democrats, aided by four Republicans, to force quick votes on a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidy. Democrats loudly protested, accusing Republican leadership of gaveling an end to the vote prematurely while some members were still trying to vote.

► From the Government Executive — Additional shutdown layoffs must be rolled back, judge rules — Four agencies violated a clause of the deal that reopened government last month when it proceeded with reduction-in-force actions, California-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said, noting the funding bill specifically prohibited such actions. The temporary pause, which will go into effect Dec. 23, will impact around 700 employees across the departments of State and Education, as well as the Small Business Administration and General Services Administration.

► From the Washington State Standard — Trump administration policy blocked that limited congressional visits to ICE facilities — A federal judge Wednesday blocked a policy from the Department of Homeland Security, finding that it violated an appropriations law that allows members of Congress to make unannounced oversight visits to federal facilities that detain immigrants. Judge Jia Cobb rejected the Trump administration’s argument that the new policy doesn’t prevent members of Congress from entering a DHS facility that detains immigrants. “The notice requirement as implemented by ICE officials does just that: it stops visiting Members of Congress from entering a facility unless they have provided seven days of advance notice,” she wrote in her opinion. The stay on the DHS policy from Cobb is temporary, while the case proceeds.

► From the Olympian — Olympia advances new tenant protections. What do they mean for renters? — Lenssen said the proposed ordinance would limit the amount of income applicants have to prove they have upfront to 2.5 times the monthly rent. Right now, it’s three times the monthly rent. And applicants would be able to use their combined household income to qualify for a unit under the new rules. She said landlords can request that an applicant provide a co-signer or demonstrate a history of successful rent payments if they don’t meet the 2.5 times monthly rent requirement. The ordinance also includes language on requiring a social security number on an application, which Lenssen said can have an unintended discriminatory effect on immigrants and refugees.

► From the Seattle Times — WA carbon market revenue hits $4.3B as prices reach record  — The revenue goes toward funding programs like electric school buses, solar and heat pump installations, battery research, electric vehicle rebates and energy credits. Money from the program also makes up a third of Washington’s 16-year transportation plan.

► From the Washington State Standard — Respect states’ rights, new bipartisan group of legislative leaders tells feds — The Assembly of State Legislative Leaders, which includes more than 40 lawmakers from 30 states, unanimously approved a 449-word declaration on the importance of states’ ability to legislate independently. The document, released on Tuesday at the bipartisan group’s inaugural meeting in Columbus, Ohio, noted that the U.S. Constitution did not create the states, “but rather the states created the Constitution, ratifying a framework in which we would both govern collectively and independently.”

INTERNATIONAL

► From People’s World — Australian unions condemn Bondi Beach terror attack as politicians vow tighter gun laws — The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) said it “condemned antisemitism” as it expressed “sorrow and heartbreak” over the incident…The ACTU said it was important to “acknowledge and honor the extraordinary courage of emergency services workers, including police, paramedics, and first responders, who rushed towards danger to save lives. “The bravery of these workers, alongside the heroic actions of civilians, undoubtedly prevented further loss of life.”

JOLT OF JOY

I learned this week about Ornette Coleman and the Free Jazz movement (apparently, it’s the 65th anniversary of a foundational album). I listened to it this morning as I put this news roundup together, which certainly added a bit of frenzy to the process. But it’s been a frenzied year, so that felt appropriate. Wishing a little less chaos and much more rest to you all as we head into 2026. See ya in January!

The STAND posts links to local, national and international labor news (almost) every weekday morning. Subscribe to get daily news in your inbox. The next edition of The STAND’s news roundup will be January 8.