Labor Neighbor Radio

For Thursday, July 29, 2010

 

Hello again.

 

The President is coming to Seattle.   The trip in mid August is part of Obama's recent forays around the country to address jobs and economy.  It is also designed to help Senator Patty Murray’s campaign for re-election.

As the political season heats up,  the Washington State labor Council Convention, set for August 9th in Tacoma, will feature many office holders and wanna be’s.  Among them: Senator Murray, and U.S. Reps. Norm Dicks, Adam Smith, Jim McDermott and Jay Inslee.

 

Pundits think Murray could have a tough time.  Dicks McDermot and Inslee are regarded as shoe-ins.

 

Inslee has picked up some competition…from two political first timers…. They are 50 year old James Watkins from Redmond, who holds a degree in business administration,  and 48 year old Matthew Burke of Woodinville, a financial planner

Meantime the State Labor Council is criticizing the Seattle Times for failing to endorse state legislative candidate Louis Moscoso in Snohomish County, simply because he’s a labor leader.

As Adult Abuse Prevention Month comes to a close, the state is asking relatives and friends to report suspected abuses at living facilities.  The Nursing Home Litigation Attorney for the Washington Association for Justice, Mike Fisher says,

(sot) "You need to be an advocate on that person's behalf; you need to be involved. You need to go visit them; you need to go check on the person who is caring for them. I think it always comes down to having family involved who are there, and paying attention and making sure the care is appropriate."

He says too often people keep quiet because they don’t want to create waves.

(sot) "People are in these facilities because they're dependent on somebody to care for them 24 hours a day, and they fear that if they make a report, or make a complaint, that they're somehow going to be retaliated against."

The Department of Social and Health Services thinks that only about one in five cases of elder abuse is reported.  Still they got 14,000 reports last year.

Other quick headlines

29 other states pay a higher percentage in state and local taxes than we do in Washington.  A new report from the State Department of Revenue.

Spokane nurses have voted to strike for one day at Deaconess and Valley hospitals as frustration increases over a contract that has been 20 month in bargaining.

The Puyallup Fair has about 3,000 seasonal jobs open and they want people to apply online only.  …at www.go2worksource.com.   This is for work between September 10th and 26th.

 

 Labor Neighbor Radio is funded, in part by Iron Workers District Council (2)

 

I’m John Sandifer   

Labor Neighbor Radio

 

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Hello again.

 

At the start of this month about a quarter million Washington workers had been on unemployment compensation.  Many of them will be able to continue because of an extension approved by Congress….and administered by the State Department of Employment Security.

 

(sot)  Yes our department handles all of that…and this extension will take people through November.

Spokesperson Sherrill Hutchinson says people are anxious about their benefits, but calling right now on the telephone will just plug things up.

 

(s0t)  We know who is eligible…and will be sending out letters to them within the next two weeks.

 

Not all jobless will be eligible….some have already used up their unemployment income.

 

(sot)   What happened is…about 14,000 exhansted benefits, but for others, this extension will provide continuing income.

 

Area farmers say this has been a terrible growing season.  I agree, based on how my beans and cucumber is turning out.   The rainy start of summer put a damper on crops.  Corn crops have been hit hard.   Its going to affect choices at the market.

The political season is growing.  The Washington State Labor Council is putting its Labor Neighbor door knocking campaign into high gear.  Union members will be seeking out collegues in their homes to talk about initiatives and candidates within the next few days.

 

The state reports its public budget meetings have been a big hit….with 300,  400 citizens attending to put in their two cents about how we ought to be spending tax money.   A couple of meetings have been moved to bigger facilities…in Vancouver and Spokane this week.

 

Speaking of state money….the Washington State application for Race to the Top education money didn’t make it through the final competition.  19 states have a chance to share in 3 billion dollars…and we’re not one of them.

Unions packed the Seattle City Council chambers this week to argue for getting started on the waterfront tunnel and creating jobs.  But the Council surprised everyone by delaying approval of the project…..probably to avoid a veto by Mayor McGinn,  or a public vote.   The sticking point is still whether Seattle would really be required to shoulder any cost overruns.   State officials say no,  not really, but then the legislative bill says yes.  City officials worry about leaving that hanging in mid-air.

 

Labor Neighbor Radio is funded, in part by The Washington State Labor Council

I’m John Sandifer

 

 

Labor Neighbor Radio

For Thursday, July 22, 2010

 

Hello again.

 

Latest job report from the Department of Employment Security:  Private sector payrolls are growing and the unemployment rate is falling for the third straight month.  Spokesman Jamie Swift.

 

(sot)

 

The state wants to get you involved in the budget.  It has set up an interactive website so people can provide input on where our spending ought to go.  And a series of meetings has been taking place this week in various cities to get your two cents worth.

 

Mary Brown is the director of the governors office of financial management….

 

(sot)  "We're going to get down to some very tough decisions about what to spend taxpayer dollars on and what not to. We need to hear from folks about what they think is important to receive from the state, from the taxpayer's perspective and from some people who receive those services."

 

According to Brown, the meetings are part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's plan to examine every state service and decide whats absolutely essential.  Because next year is going to be another tough year.

 

Small businesses in Washington benefit this year from the new health care reform law, because nearly 110,000 of them qualify for tax credits for health insurance.  Director Joshua Welter of the Main Street Alliance says this should result in more coverage for Washington Workers.

(sot) "It'll be a help to the small business that is currently offering coverage but struggling to afford to do so, struggling to maintain the quality of benefits they want for their employees. It'll also be a benefit to those businesses that want to provide coverage, but for which it's just been a little bit out of reach."

The tax credit is for businesses with fewer than 25 employees. 

King County:  If labor doesn't agree to new wage freezes, County Executive Dow Constantine says there will have to be significant layoffs of county employees.  Meantime voters will be asked to agree to higher sales taxes to help pay the bills.

It looks like another extension of unemployment benefits will squeak through Congress as Republicans lose the power to filibuster.

 

 

 Labor Neighbor Radio is funded, in part by Laborer’s Local 1239

 

I’m John Sandifer