by Doug Collins

Vice President Al Gore's appearance at a Labor Day picnic stirred some controversy in the King County Labor Council in early September. When council president Ron Judd announced that security would be beefed up to accomodate Gore's visit, some delegates expressed disagreement with Gore's visit and the extra money spent on security, citing Gore's part in laying off thousands of federal employees, and his support for NAFTA and Fast Track. Many delegates were in favor of asking Gore tough questions rather than allowing him to use the picnic as a rally, reports Linda Averill in the 587 News Review, a union publication for Metro bus drivers. Ron Judd countered the dissent by pointing to the difficulties for labor during the Reagan/Bush era. Averill writes, "Herein lies two different philosophies about how to advance labor: Do we remain satisfied with lesser-evil politics or insist we can win more?"

The Washington Single Payer Action Network (Wa-SPAN), is starting to plan for a statewide initiative for the year 2000 to establish a single payer state trust fund to cover all Wahington residents with comprehensive health insurance. The organization has conducted a fiscal impact study that estimates the statewide savings of a unified-payment health system at $2.2 billion per year. To get involved call 206-233-1171.

Jennifer Wiebe, 17, and Tessa Lowinger, 16, in August successfully organized the 83 workers of the McDonalds restaurant in Squamish, British Columbia, with the help of the Canadian Auto Workers. It is the first-ever unionized McDonalds franchise in North America. The two complained to an interviewer that "schools spend all their time teaching us how to get a job, but they don't teach us how to defend ourselves once we get one." Wiebe says that her resolve to form a union started one day when she became sick during work. Instead of letting her go home, her supervisor forced her to stay in the bathroom for two hours until a replacement arrived.(Freedom Socialist)

Twelve daughters, sisters, and wives of striking Colorado steelworkers chained themsleves to pillars in the lobby of Oregon Steel Mills Inc. headquarters in Portland on October 5. They were arrested and charged with criminal mischief and trespass. The demonstration called attention to the first anniversay of a lockout-imposed strike of more than 1000 steel workers in the Pueblo, Colorado Rocky Mountain Steel plant, a subsidiary of Oregon Steel Mills. The company continues to operate the plant with scab labor despite charges by the National Labor Relations Board charging the company with more than 100 illegal labor practices. If the charges are upheld, striking workers will receive roughly $40 million in full back pay. (NW Labor Press)

This summer, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled in favor of the Teamsters, charging that the anti-union campaigns by Stemilt and Washington Fruit apple companies were illegal, and ordered Stemilt to bargain with employees. The company has since decided to fight the NLRB ruling in court and avoid negotiating a union contract. If you'd like to help, write or call Governor Gary Locke and your state legislators and ask them to urge Stemilt and Washington Fruit to sit down and bargain with their employees now. (WSLC Reports)

You can find out how your US senators and representatives stand on working family issues by accessing the AFL-CIO website www.aflcio.org/vrecord. The site covers legislative voting records on Fast Track, fair wages, education, workplace safety, health care, and workers' rights. (America@work)

Daily 5 a.m. - 8 p.m., at West Seattle Psychiatric Hospital, 2600 Holden St; spend some time on the picket line with striking health care workers, on-strike for quality patient care and a contract that includes basic community standards (union shop, fair wages & benefits, labor-management committee, seniority rights, and a grievance procedure) since August, snacks appreciated; info District 1199NW Executive Vice President Emily Van Bronkhorst 206-283-1199.

Boycott Gallo of Sonoma wines to support the United Farm Workers union, (Mondavi dispute is settled), local info 206-443-7645.

Weekdays, 5 a.m. - 6 p.m., visit the Jet Equipment and Tools picket line in Auburn, on strike since January, and they need the support; directions, rides, info Steve Leigh sleigh@u.washington.edu or 206-616-2931.