Local Digest
Group Health gets strike reprieve

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The workers, members of the Service Employees International Union District 1199NW, voted July 14 to authorize union negotiators to call for a strike.

Federal labor laws require the union to give a 10-day notice before a walkout, which at Group Health cannot start until the contract expires at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 7.

The union is negotiating a new contract for more than 2,000 Group Health workers, more than half of them licensed practical nurses, custodians and medical assistants whose contracts expired last September.

The union is trying to block the Seattle-based health co-op from charging members a monthly premium for health insurance for the first time.

A Group Health spokeswoman said the co-op needs workers to share the high cost of health care but that it hopes to "come to an agreement as quickly as possible."

Seattle

Council members introduce tax plan

Four members of the Metropolitan King County Council yesterday proposed asking county voters whether they're willing to approve additional taxes to make transportation improvements in the Puget Sound area.

If approved by the full council, the advisory measure would go on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The proposal was introduced by council members Julia Patterson, Rob McKenna, David Irons and Bob Ferguson.
 
Patterson, prime sponsor of the advisory ballot, said it is uncertain whether voters are willing to pay more for making improvements to the Alaskan Way Viaduct, extending light rail to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport or reducing congestion points such as the Interstate 405/Highway 167 interchange.

Seattle Times staff and news services