Today, you can join in a million-person march for health care in Washington, D.C., from this Washington. MoveOn, Health Care for America Now! and other groups are staging a virtual march on the nation’s capital to tell Congress it’s time to stop stalling and pass real health care reform.

The virtual march coincides with a real life Capitol Hill rally and the arrival in Washington -- after an eight-day, 135-mile march from Philadelphia -- of a group of health care activists honoring the memory of Melanie Shouse. The St. Louis, Mo., health care activist recently lost her battle with breast cancer after her insurance company refused to pay for treatment her doctors said she needed. She was 41 years old.

The virtual and real rallies -- the day before the televised White House health care summit -- are designed to tell lawmakers they have had plenty of time to discuss and debate health care reform over the past year, and now it’s their job to make it happen.

Click here to join the virtual march and here, here and here for reports, photos and videos from Melanie’s March

Local 191 is working hard to see that Hb 3147 is passed in this years legislative session. However; just like last year this item is receiving a lot of talk and very little action.  Hb 3147 will put many of our members back to work if passed. 

Currently the bill sits in the House Finance Committee awaiting consideration, where it has sat since February 9th.  Please contact the members of the rules committee encouraging them to move it out with a favorable vote.

Most likely you will be informed that the cut-off date for this bill has passed and will not be able to continue moving forward: however, this bill has NTIB (Needed To Implement Budget) status and is still alive.  Just make sure thatthey know how important this bill is to our members getting some work.

Rules Committee contact info.

Neil S Sidhu
Political Director IBEW Local 191

Local 191 could begin receiving requests for workers in Canada very soon.  As such we would like to ecourage all of you with application packets currently out to get them turned as promptly as possible.  For those of you who have not yet filled out an application, and are still considering  it, we encourage you to come into the hall and fill one out.  

If you have any questions contact Travis Patterson at the Everett Hall.

The following guest column by Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council, appeared in Sunday's edition of The (Tacoma) News Tribune. It was written in response to a previous TNT editorial on thesubject of our public nonprofit workers' compensation system.

A News Tribune editorial (1-29) argued that because of unions’ political threats, the Democratic majority in Olympia is ignoring a “mandate” from business interests to lower workers’ compensation premiums. Unless business-backed reforms that cut injured workers’ benefits are approved, the editorial warns that the Building Industry Association of Washington will push
its “drastic alternative” of privatizing the system.

The editorial doesn’t mention labor’s motivations for protecting our existing system – except perhaps that we like to bully elected officials for sport – so I thought I’d describe them. They are the injured workers.

Those people are mentioned just once in your editorial, when you suggest they are all lining up for the lifetime pensions that the state is handing out as fast as it can.

Please contact your State Representatives and speak to them about the following bills.

HOUSE BILL 2920 & SENATE BILL 6587

These bills would decrease UI tax payments for employers and undermine the UI trust fund balance available for so many unemployed workers. Labor’s position is VOTE NO

HOUSE BILL 3129 & SENATE BILL 6793

These bills are “title only” bills that address UI benefits. While our position is one of concern on HB 3129 & SB 6793, our intention is to balance any tax reductions the business community may receive with benefit improvements.

HOUSE BILL 2546 & SENATE BILL 6729

These bills would increase the number of classroom hours required to renew an electrical trainee certificate from 16 to 48. Labor’s position is VOTE YES

HOUSE BILL 2555 & SENATE BILL 6492

These bills authorize the Department of Labor and Industries to issue subpoenas to enforce the production and examination of necessary information when there is reason to believe a violation of laws relating to electricians and electrical installations has occurred. Labor’s position is VOTE YES

HOUSE BILL 1992

This bill extends application of the prevailing wage requirements to construction projects that involve tax incentives, loans provided by a public entity, or public land or property that is sold or leased. Labor’s position is VOTE YES

WWW.LEG.WA.GOV

An informational meeting will be held Monday February 8th at 3:30 in the Everett Hall regarding possible work opportunities in Local 424 Alberta Canada. The service at this time will only be offered to Local 191 members.  The office will not be taking calls about this so please attend the meeting. All requirements and questions will be answered at the meeting so please hold all questions until the meeting.

A tentative second meeting is scheduled in Wenatchee on Tuesday February 9th at 2:30.

Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka On President’s State of the Union
Address, January 27, 2010:

The Rebuilding Our Economic Future Coalition -- which includes the Washington State Labor Council and several of its biggest affiliated unions -- is planning a major rally at noon on Presidents Day, Monday, February 15 on the Capitol Steps in Olympia. All union members are urged to make plans to attend and to tell our elected officials to stand up against special-interest lobbyists, the Eyman Extremists and the right-wing teabaggers and protect our future during this economic crisis.

Download the rally flier.

Help stop devastating cuts to education, health care, environmental programs, and services for the most vulnerable. Instead, our state should close tax loopholes and create other sources of revenue. The future of our state and our economic prosperity depend on it! 

Recently KCPQ 13 Fox ran a story on green construction jobs in Washington.