The Spokesman-Review
Ronald D. White
Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES – Some of the nation’s biggest oil companies are looking at permanently reducing how much gasoline and diesel fuel they make, a move that analysts say would almost certainly trigger higher prices for drivers.

Energy companies are suffering huge losses from refining because of slumping gasoline use – a product of the economic downturn and changing consumer habits and preferences. Energy experts say refining cutbacks have already begun and will accelerate as corporations strive for profits.

Major refiners have been circumspect about their plans, saying they are considering options that could include closing refineries, selling parts of their operations, laying off workers or slashing spending.

“Refineries will have to be closed,” said Fadel Gheit, senior energy analyst with Oppenheimer & Co. “Unless this excess capacity is permanently shuttered, a recovery in refining margins is unsustainable.”

This week, Chevron Corp. launched an overhaul of its fuel-making and retailing business with a plan to cut at least 2,000 jobs, put a refinery in Wales up for sale and take a hard look at its Hawaii refinery.

Royal Dutch Shell said it is reviewing its refinery operations with the idea of keeping only those with the best growth potential. Sunoco Inc. has sold one plant and said last month that its previously idled Eagle Point, N.J., refinery was being shut down permanently.

Valero Energy Corp., the nation’s largest refiner, last year closed a Delaware refinery, laying off 500 workers, and mothballed a plant in Aruba.

By The Associated Press 
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 8:53 pm

OLYMPIA — The state Senate has approved an updated construction budget, a plan that Democrats say will translate to some 4,800 jobs.

The $5.7 billion capital budget passed Wednesday by a 32-16 vote. It represents about $140 million less in bond income, the result of a lower debt ceiling tied to recent drops in state revenue. Another $150 million was transferred to the state's operating budget.

The capital budget also includes $39 million for new construction projects, including campus improvements at the University of Washington and Central Washington University.

The proposal is a 4.8 percent reduction from the 2009-2011 capital budget approved last year. The Senate's version now heads to the House for approval.

The proposed capital budget is Senate Bill 6364.

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.

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.

TUMWATER – The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has launched a Twitter site as its newest “social networking” feature. It also has consolidated its YouTube videos into one easy-to-use listing.

Links to both L&I’s Twitter and YouTube sites are available on the agency’s Web site, www.Lni.wa.gov.

L&I’s Twitter is a Web-based micro-blogging site with a range of information about such things as workers’ compensation, workplace safety and health, H1N1 flu and more. Some “tweets” on the site link to informative articles published in magazines and newspapers. Go to www.Lni.wa.gov/main/contactinfo/twitter/ for more information.

YouTube videos related to workplace safety and health are now listed at www.youtube.com/user/LaborandIndustries1. Topics cover such issues as heat stress, ergonomics, workplace-safety procedures, chainsaw safety and more. Also available on YouTube are winning student-made videos about workplace safety, and L&I’s
“Work Safe. Home Safe” public service campaign.

L&I also shares information through 27 listservs that provide information important to specific groups of people. These listservs can be viewed at www.Lni.wa.gov/Main/Listservs/.

Laura Isensee
Reuters