Legislative staff hold sickout after collective bargaining bill dies in WA Legislature
Washington’s Democratic state lawmakers often talk up worker solidarity and union organizing. But after they failed to advance a bill this week to allow their own staffers to collectively bargain, Democratic legislators got a taste of organizing from the boss’s side of the table. On Wednesday, scores of Democratic legislative staffers engaged in a sickout after learning that House Bill 1806 would not advance. Nearly three dozen emails sent Wednesday morning by The Seattle Times to House Democratic legislative assistants bounced back with out-of-office messages. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)
King County ending vaccine requirement at bars, restaurants
Washington’s most populous county will no longer require COVID vaccination checks to enter restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms beginning March 1. King County officials made the announcement Wednesday. Businesses will be free to impose their own vaccination requirements if they choose, but there will be no countywide requirement. Since last fall, indoor eateries and cultural and recreational spaces have been required to verify their customers’ vaccination status or a negative COVID test as a condition for entry. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Bellamy Pailthorp)
WHO says global case decline affected by drop in testing, deaths still alarmingly high
Newly reported coronavirus cases are dropping worldwide, but World Health Organization officials urged caution Wednesday, saying that a drop in testing might be contributing to that decline and that covid deaths remain alarmingly high. During the week starting Feb. 7, health officials reported 16.3 million new infections globally, an 18.2 percent drop from the previous week, according to WHO figures. Deaths inched higher in the same period, though, to above 73,000, an increase of 0.5 percent from the previous week. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Paul Yeung)
Associated Press
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CORONAVIRUS: King County to end vaccine-verification policy