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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2008)
Labor battling Washington Legislature OLYMPIA — Washington labor leaders are doing battle in the State Legislature. Sometimes it’s with De- mocrats. When it comes to health care, the most common sense reforms often run aground if monied stakeholders are op- posed to it. Case in point this month is a “prescription privacy bill” backed by a coalition that includes the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The bill (HB 2664 in the House and SB 6241 in the Senate) would restrict phar- maceutical companies from purchasing physicians’ prescribing histories for marketing purposes. WSLC reports that the bill is in trouble. A large majority of House Democrats support the bill, but it will not get to the House floor unless they can show that 50 Democrats are on board. A media campaign was planned for this week targeting De- AFL-CIO blasts Bush renomination of anti-union NLRB chairman WASHINGTON,D.C. (PAI) — AFL-CIO President John Sweeney blasted President Bush for renominating Robert Battista to a new 5-year term as chair of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Sweeney called the nomination “poisonous.” Battista has presided over arguably the most anti-worker, anti-union labor board in history. His last five-year term expired in December. “Under the Bush Board, the National Labor Relations Board abandoned its statutory mission to protect workers’right to form unions and promote col- lective bargaining,” Sweeney said. “ In a series of results-oriented decisions, the Bush Board stripped workers of their rights while protecting employers — and with breathtaking bias.” The NLRB’s party-line 3-2 rulings under Battista produced nationwide la- bor-led protests in November and a formal AFL-CIO complaint to the Inter- national Labour Organization that the agency breaks international rules. ILO is investigating the charges. Along with Battista, Bush nominated management attorney Gerard Morales of Arizona and former NLRB member Dennis P. Walsh. Walsh has served on the Board twice, beginning with a recess appointment in Decem- ber 2000. Bush’s nominees must now be confirmed by the Senate. mocrats who seem to be favoring the pharmaceutical lobby on this issue. Two were in Southwest Washington: Vancouver Representative Deb Wallace (D-Dist. 17) was reportedly opposed to the bill, while Rep. Bill Fromhold Dis- trict 49 (D-Clark County) had concerns and questions about it. WSLC is asking constituents to call their representatives. Several other health care reforms are part of the package the coalition is push- ing. One (SB 5261) would give the state insurance commissioner the ability to review any rate increases proposed by health insurance companies. That bill passed the Senate Jan. 31 by 31-18; a companion bill (HB 1234) is being taken up by the House. Another pro- posal would create a committee to en- vision the future of health care in Wash- ington, which would come back with a proposal for lawmakers to consider. The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council is also pushing a set of bills, including one aimed at reviving career and technical education in Washington high schools. High schools would be encouraged to start programs in high demand, high wage fields like construction. On the employment front, labor is supporting a green jobs measure pro- posed by Gov. Chris Gregoire. The bill would provide more than $7 million in the next five years for workforce train- ing and education programs to increase so-called “green-collar” jobs. The sec- tor employs about 12,000 Washingto- nians now, and backers say they want to triple that number by 2020. SB 6516 and its companion measure HB 2815 have each been approved in committee. Swanson, Thomas &Coon ATTORNEYS AT LAW Since 1981 James Coon Jacqueline Jacobson Ray Thomas Kimberly Tucker Margaret Weddell Cynthia F. 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