Darigold fight continues, gaining momentum and support
With the recent addition of Darigold to the AFL-CIO’s National Boycott list, the labor community has thrown its full support behind the struggle of locked out Darigold workers. The company locked out 200 union dairy workers on August 30th and fired another 60 drivers outright. The company did this so it could outsource those jobs to a non-union warehouse contractor and to try to force the workers to accept contract terms far below the industry standard.

Meanwhile, the local continues to stand ready to negotiate a fair and equitable labor contract, aiming for a decent wage and benefit package and a reduction in the amount of mandatory overtime workers are required to perform. The company’s most recent contract offer, made in mid-December in response to the widely-publicized press conference, showed no real progress and was released to media outlets before ever being presented to the union, workers or the federal mediator working on the negotiations.

Teamsters Local 66 can be reached by phone at (206) 441-8635 if you have questions or would like more information. To offer financial support for the workers, make checks payable to "Darigold Locked-out Workers Fund" and mail them to Teamsters Local 66, 552 Denny Way, Seattle, WA 98109.

Congratulations to IAM District 751!
Last month’s decision to build the 7E7 in Everett was terrific news for the leaders and members of IAM District 751 and the community as a whole. The Washington State Labor Council sums up our state’s crucial advantage as having "the best aerospace workers in the world." The community as a whole rallied around this cause thanks in large part to the efforts of IAM District 751 and SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001. These unions led the way in helping to move the agenda and secure our state’s economic future. Congratulations to the unions and their members!

In particular, PERC dismissed the UW’s argument that most research assistants do not provide a service to the University. This decision was based on the conclusion that the University’s research programs have become a huge revenue source for the institution and that the research assistants constitute a substantial portion of the workforce used by the University to both attract and fulfill the requirement of research grants.

PERC also ruled that teaching assistants, graders and tutors are covered by the collective bargaining law, trainees are included, fellows who have service expectations similar to research assistants are included, and employees who work at least 110 hours in a year are included. This ruling brings these workers one step closer to the certification of their union, GSEAC/UAW. Congratulations to the UW academic student employees and their union!

Mad cow of a different kind visits schools
After the USDA released news recently that it had banned beef made from "downer" cows or those slaughtered using air-injected stunners from the National School Lunch Program as far back as 2000, Operating Engineers Local 609 thought that was an important message for high school kids who leave campus for lunch to hear. Local 609, which counts among its membership over 250 school food service workers employed by the Seattle Public Schools, has been battling private (and in some cases illegitimate) vendors selling food outside schools for some time. Local 609 has mounted a public information campaign, which includes lunchtime visits to area schools, as the union seeks to compel the Seattle City Council to expand the current zone prohibiting such commercial activity from the current 200 feet to 1000 feet. Local 609 has also placed several of these vendors on the KCLC "Do Not Patronize/Unfair to Workers List" due to the effects these sales have on school food service workers.

Court victory for workers and unions
On December 31st, the day before detrimental new financial reporting rules for unions were to take effect, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler issued a one-year injunction to halt the Department of Labor’s enforcement of the rules. Judge Kessler wrote that forcing unions to wade through bureaucratic red tape on such short notice would cause unions "irreparable harm."

The ruling came in response to an AFL-CIO lawsuit challenging the timing and merits of the Bush administration’s proposed new LM-2 rules, which could cost local and national unions as much as $1 billion a year. The rules would require unions to devote vast amounts of time and money to purchase new computers and train staff to fill out the numerous forms. A decision on the merits of the case will soon be issued by Judge Kessler.

Monorail project gets a financial vote of confidence from lender
After careful review of the Seattle Monorail Project’s tax base, the Bank of America is offering a credit line potentially worth $500 million to help lower borrowing costs when construction bonds are issued for the 14-mile Monorail Green Line. The credit line would not be used to build the new monorail; rather it will act as a safety net to help secure lower interest rates when bonds are issued. This means more money will be available to build the Monorail. Bank of America’s willingness to provide a line of credit highlights the long-term stability of the Monorail’s tax base and the Monorail Project’s success in meeting its schedule commitments.

Grant Announcement
The Greater Puget Sound Union Community Fund is pleased to announce the grant award procedure for the first quarter of 2004. The fund will make $6,000 available for grants to qualified organizations eligible under IRS regulation 501(c)3 and meeting the following criterion: "Programs providing workers a voice by activating and expanding labor’s community services and partnerships for both the organized and the unorganized." Grant award amounts will be from $1,000 to $2,000.

Applications can be obtained by calling Jim Hutchins or Judy Reynolds at (206) 441-6583 or (206) 448-9277 and must be returned no later than midnight on February 9, 2004. The grants will be awarded April 15, 2004.

Got old t-shirts? Donate them for a good cause!
The Seattle Labor Chorus needs labor union t-shirts to be included in their 3rd Annual Labor Quilt Raffle. T-shirts in good condition can be dropped off at the next KCLC Delegates Meeting on January 21st. If you have questions, please call Susan Gordon at (206) 706-8981.

Upcoming Events
Monday, January 19th City-wide Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration with workshops beginning at 9:30 a.m., followed by a rally and march at 11:00 a.m. All activities will be held at Garfield High School, 400 23rd Avenue at East Jefferson in Seattle. For more information, call CAMP at (206) 812-4940.

Wednesday, January 21st, 5:30 p.m. KCLC New Delegates Training, Room 208, Seattle Labor Temple.

Wednesday, January 21st, 7:00 p.m. KCLC Delegates Meeting, Hall One, Seattle Labor Temple.

Wednesday, February 18th, 7:00 p.m. KCLC Delegates Meeting, Hall One, Seattle Labor Temple.

Friday, February 20th, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Seattle Labor Chorus Annual Sing-Along. Join the chorus for snacks, singing, prizes and fun at the University Unitarian Church Community Hall, 6556 35th Avenue NE in Seattle. Cost is $10-15, children free. Call (206) 723-6511 for more information.