compiled by Sharlynn Cobaugh

progressive news from near and far

Building Industry Battles Labor Council

The Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) reports that the politically conservative lobbying group for homebuilders, the Building Industry Association (BIAW) is organizing to file an initiative titled "Right to Work" which would weaken unions in Washington State. If enacted, Washington unions would be banned from negotiating contract provisions that insist that all workers represented by a union contract be union members.

Many states already have "Right to Work" laws and in those states workers have lower average wages and fewer workers are covered by health benefits. Apparently, the BIAW has passed and financed a number of initiatives in Washington State with money they receive from a loophole in the states workers compensation laws that allows them to collect 20 percent of their members' premium rebates. The Labor Council believes that one of the reasons that the BIAW is motivated to reduce union membership and strength in Washington State is because unions have long sought to close the loophole and eliminate this cash cow for the BIAW. The legislation proposed by WSLC would have funneled the workers comp premiums back to the contributing companies directly, rather than the current system which distributes it to business groups like BIAW, who then allegedly use the funds to finance partisan politics.

Look for this issue on the 2005 ballot, when it may be introduced. In a recent BIAW newsletter, Tom Kwieciak wrote, "BIAW is ready to begin attacking our enemies in organized labor where it hurts them the most (and where they are trying to hurt us)--in the pocketbook".

(Northwest Labor Press, January 21, 2005)

Prison Water, Meat Contaminated with Feces

The McNeil Island Correction Center (MICC) near Steilacoom, Washington was discovered to have fecal coliform and E. coli in its water system. E. coli was also found in 6,000 pounds of ground beef processed at a meat plant on the Island prison. Both types of bacteria cause serious illness and death in humans.

As a result of the contamination, prisoners were given bottled water for one week while the bacteria was flushed from the system. Subsequent tests have found the water to be contamination free. The meat, which was headed to other prisons and meal programs for the elderly, has been isolated for tests and eventual destruction. Apparently, the water used to process the meat tested positive for the bacteria, and was the source of contamination.

In 2004 the Washington Department of Corrections was fined $60,000 when it was revealed that a MICC wastewater operator submitted 36 falsified water reports in an effort to conceal the problems with the water plant, which had fecal coliform levels far above those allowable by law. The water which contaminated the meat, and the drinking water was probably contaminated from the wastewater which collects in a resevoir on McNeil Island. Officials from MICC claim they will be testing the water for contamination, and have plans to improve distribution at the Correction Center in the near future.

(Prison Legal News, January 2005)

Port of Olympia Militarized in Secret

In the last issue of the Washington Free Press, I told you about the work of citizens in Olympia to prevent the Port of Olympia from supporting the occupation of Iraq, by encouraging the Port to refuse government contracts which provide service and delivery of war supplies. Olympians demonstrated their position on this issue by protesting at the port, attendance of a public meeting, and a letter-writing campaign.

Unbeknownst to these citizens, the militarization of the Port was being planned at the same time. Unfortunately, no one told them.

On October 12, 2004 the US Coast Guard (USCG) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published in the Federal Register that they were planning to create a "Security Zone" at the Port, and that any comments regarding this matter must be made by November 26, 2004. Apparently, the Federal Register is not well read, even by political scientists. It is where rules and regulations are made that enforce laws passed by Congress and the President. It is said to be the place where controversial proposals are presented if the US Government wants to hide activities from citizen attention.

This strategy seems to be quite effective, for on December 10, 2004 the Port of Olympia became a permanent "security zone", without written public comment, debate, or a request for a public hearing; all of which could have delayed or stopped the militarization. This new regulation gives the military control of the Port area any time a military ship, or other cargo is at port. One of the reasons given for militarizing the port was to protect it from Al Qaeda.

An important issue regarding this matter is whether or not the Port Commissioners were privy to the USCG and DHS plans during the public hearing on November 11, 2004; where a major topic of discussion was the use of the port for support of the Iraq War. Larry Mosqueda, a teacher at Evergreen College and a member or Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace writes, "Either the commissioners did not know of the impending takeover, in which case the USCG-DHS treated them with contempt and disdain and were derelict in their duties, or the commissioners did know about the impending takeover and did not inform the public who elected them on an issue that was obviously of great interest to the public...." Either way, there are many unanswered questions regarding this issue for Olympians: who will enforce this besides the military, what is the danger to the general public, and how much will this action cost the public and public agencies?

(Works In Progress, February 2005)

Coalition Keeps Neo-Nazis Out of Portland

When the Tualatin Valley Skinheads announced their intention to gather for a recruitment drive at Gabriel Park in Southwest Portland, local authorities sat on the information for a while before beginning to organize a "unity rally" on the same day, one mile away from Gabriel Park. But when the news of the skinheads' plans reached members of Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party, they decided that wasn't good enough. They began to organize the Ad Hoc Coalition to Protest the Tualatin Valley Skinheads. This group then decided to organize a militant and very visible counter protest at Gabriel Park. A leaflet was produced, calling for action: "We need to take these would be dictators seriously and respond with a counter-movement. It is the only way to stop them. Legislation can't stop them. Nor can the police." This call to action was heard and many responded. Neighborhood residents, the Islamic Center of Portland, CAUSA (an Oregon immigrant rights organization), Portland Jobs with Justice, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, several small businesses and Portland University student groups all endorsed and supported the action by distributing leaflets. The Portland Anti-Imperialists helped to break a black out by the local press by announcing the action through the Indymedia.

On January 8, the day of the planned skinhead membership drive, 500 counter protestors showed up at Gabriel Park an hour before the neo-nazis. When the neo-nazis began to appear picketers chanted "Racist, sexist, Nazi-Klan, we will stop you, yes we can," The bigots quickly fled and the counter protestors were victorious.

(Freedom Socialist, February-March 2005; graphic credit: Andrew Wahl)

National ID Cards Coming

On December 8, 2004 Congress passed legislation that requires states to give up regulatory rights over driver's licenses and birth certificates to the Department of Homeland Security. Beginning immediately, in 2005, new regulations will be issued regarding uniformity and plans for biometric security provisions will be implemented.

In plain English, biometric security measures mean a DNA marker will be imprinted on each card. Another major change to the identification system as Americans know it is the integration of each individual's financial information on a national database. Banks will no longer need to issue debit or credit cards, as everyone's financial information will be linked to their national id card in a national database in "real time". This is permitted under the Patriot Act. Other changes include the addition of a person's social security number to the identification card, and a policy that no child will be allowed to enter school, or any other federal benefits programs without presenting a Homeland Security registered birth certificate.

(Censored Alert, Spring 2005)

Columbians Resist War

In recent years a strong peace movement has emerged in war torn Columbia, home to the longest raging war in Latin America. In September of 2004 60,000 Indigenous Peoples marched from their mountain communites to the city of Cali declaring their opposition to armed warfare, their intention to remain neutral supporting neither the rightist paramilitaries nor the leftist guerrillas, and demanding that all armed groups respect their constitutional right to self-government and stay off their lands. The indigenous people's firm yet peaceful stand has inspired many Mestizo or peasant communities to follow suit and declare "active neutrality". One town, Uribe, has declared itself a Peace Community. An in war torn cities, youth groups have pledged their solidarity with these movements and are pledging their resistance to being conscripted into the armed forces. An organization called Red Juvenil (Youth Assistance) is supporting the youth in the barrios, whose life choices rarely include options aside from a violent life in gangs, conscription into the militias or to becoming armed assassins. This foundation is using theatre and art to teach the youth about their human rights, and works to support juveniles in their decision to be consciensious objectors and remain neutral to the warring parties.

All of the above groups, the indigenous peoples, peasant communities and youth organization have been targeted with violence and efforts to intimidate. Their members beaten, kidnapped and murdered for their efforts to remain neutral and out of the conflicts. But they have also had great successes. Recently five leaders of the indigenous community were kidnapped by the Guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia and after demands were made for their release by the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC) and the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN); four hundred members of the Nasa Indigenous Guard armed only with ceremonial staffs marched down to where they were being held demanding their release and won it after a day long stand off.

Although the indigenous, peasant and youth groups are all separate organizations, they support one another by working towards the same goal of peace; and they each hold one value central to their cause: that there must be an end to US Aid to Columbia in order for peace to prevail. They each maintain that this money is being used to fuel and escalate the war through the purchase of helicopters and guns as well as training and intelligence. Columbia is currently the third largest recipient of US Aid, trailing just behind Israel and Egypt in the number of US dollars received.

(Yes, Winter 2005)

Tort Reform May Protect Manufacturers of Dangerous Drugs

On January 4, 2005 President George W. Bush announced his intention to pass a bill that would prevent consumers from collecting damages for injuries caused by the prescribed use of pharmaceutical drugs which have been manufactured in accordance with federal drug-approval standards. The proposal follows the format of a Bill that was passed in 1986 called the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act (VICA). This bill protected vaccine manufacturers from liability for injury resulting from use of the vaccines produced in accordance with federal standards and transferred citizens ability to seek damages away from the vaccine manufactures and onto the federal government (aka. the taxpayers). Vaccine manufacturers have zero liability for long term and lethal side effects of their vaccines, and the same may soon hold true for the pharmaceutical drug industry. If the bill becomes a law, drug makers will be shielded from liability if they can prove they met US FDA standards when achieving their market approval; a process which FDA Safety inspector David Graham testifies we should be quite leary of.

(Idaho Observer, January 18, 2005)

The Ten Worst Corporations of 2004

The Multinational Monitor has published its annual list. Here are the winners.

1. Abbott Laboratories--In December of 2003 the company raised the US price of its anti-aids drug Norvir by 400%, unless the product is used in conjunction with other Abbott drugs, in which case the price increase is 0.

2. AIG--In October, subsidiary AIG-FP PAGIC Equity Holding Corp was charged with violating federal securities laws in connection with a fraudulent transaction to transfer $750 million in troubled loans and venture capital investments off its books. Due to a loophole in the law originally intended for minor street crimes, AIG and PNC are off the hook after performing some minor corporate restructuring.

3. Coca-Cola--(See Killercoke.org and Cokekills.org). Coca Cola is being accused of 179 human rights violations at its bottling plant in Columbia, including 9 murders. Union activists' family members have been abducted and tortured.

4. Dow Chemical--For this nomination the choices were many (20 in fact), but particularly in remembrance of the Bhopal, India disaster now 20 years in the past, where 27 tons of lethal gasses instantly killed 8,000 people and poisoned thousands of others.

5. Glaxosmithkline--Nominated for its heavily advertised blockbuster drug Paxil, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; because of the longstanding evidence of harm, coupled with company and regulatory refusal to consider evidence of dangerous side effects such as the increased risk of suicide in children who take the drug.

6. Hardee's--Maker's of the Monster Thickburger, also known as "heart attack on a bun". This is a 1,420 calorie sandwich. It consists of 2/3 lb. of ground beef plus four strips of bacon, three slices of American cheese, and mayonaise on a buttered sesame seed bun.

7. Merck--In November FDA whistleblower David Graham testified that the number of Americans who had suffered heart attacks or stroke as a result of taking the arthritis drug Vioxx in the range of 88,000 to 139,000. According to a study released by the British medical journal Lancet, the negative risks associated with Vioxx were evident as early as 2000, but the drug was not pulled from the market until September 30, 2004.

8. McWane--An Alabama sewer and waterpipe manufacturer exposed for its pathetic worker safety history. Nine McWane employees have died on the job since 1995, and more than 4,600 injuries have been recorded among the company's 5,000 employees.

9. Riggs Bank--Exposed by the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in July for illegally and knowingly operating bank accounts for former Chilean Dictator Augusto Pinochet, and ignoring evidence of corrupt practices when managing more than 60 accounts for the government of Equatorial Guinea.

10. Wal-Mart--With revenues accounting for two percent of the US Gross Domestic Product, this company was nominated for the ways in which it pinches and cheats its employees. Practices such as blocking union organizing efforts, paying low wages, allegedly extracting off the clock labor and providing inadequate and unaffordable healthcare packages for workers. Wal-Mart is currently facing a class action lawsuit filed by its women workers--who allege that they are paid and promoted less that male counterparts.

(Multinational Monitor, December 2004)