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Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Before Costco Started Writing Checks

Morning Fizz   June 18, 2010 at 8:08 am Morning Fizz

1. The Department of Neighborhoods is trying like hell to help the businesses in South Park deal with the imminent South Park Bridge closure.

One shot of hope: DON expedited Muy Macho’s liquor license. South Park’s best tacqueria just got a little better.

2. Politico has more on the story we first reported earlier this week—that Sarah Palin is planning to do fundraisers for local Tea Party candidate, Clint Didier.

3. The Seattle Times had the scoop yesterday: The City Council is urging Mayor Mike McGinn to reopen the police chief search.

4. Now that Costco says it has enough signatures to put I-1100—one of the liquor privatization measure—on the ballot, Morning Fizz thought it would give some deep advice to the privatization opponents at the United Food and Commercial Workers union, UFCW, which represents the workers at state-run liquor stores: Tell Costco you won’t fight the measure—which will save Costco from putting another half-a-million dollars into a bitter campaign (as Camden first reported, they’ve already contributed $535,000 to the signature drive) if Costco will agree to unionize their work force.

The Fizz can’t take credit for the clever political advice. We overheard a local labor leader from another union spell out the strategy last night. (And admittedly, UFCW should have made the offer before Costco started writing checks at all).

5. We’ve made some improvements to the site: smarter navigation, cleaner layout, and we’ve moved PubliCalendar up to a permanent spot between the lead story and the blog. A couple of more changes are on the way.

Be sure to let us know what you think.




  • http://twitter.com/fattailed fattailed

    Nothing like 50% of Costco workers in Washington are organized. The actual figure is close to zero. From what orifice did you extract that figure?

    Delightful fact-checking as always.

  • Josh Feit

    Thanks.

  • seven7

    I wonder where the Costco workers stand?

  • Rob

    It should be noted that Costco actually treats their workers decently.

  • Jack

    If anyone thinks Costco is going to open the door to UFCW to save a measly $500K, they are a moron.

  • also get off my lawn

    the new site is great except having the tweets share submit to digg constantly worm its way down as you scroll down makes me seasick and it's highly annoying.

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed fattailed

    In 2004 the fact-checkers at the P-I reported it was 13% unionization overall, none in WA.

    http://www.seattlepi.com/business/166680_costco…

    Their only unionized employees it seems were already union members when Costco bought a different chain.

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed fattailed

    By the way, thanks for the correction despite my rudeness. Still curious where on earth you got the idea that 50% of Costco workers were union.

  • Josh Feit

    That 50 percent figure came from the union leader I referenced in the post, but I think I misheard him (we were watching the Lakers vs. Celtics game in a noisy bar). I think he/she was actually talking about several places where UFCW is trying to organize.

  • N8

    I know lots of costco workers in the Seattle area and they all seem to be very happy with how the company treats them. I don't know how that is in other areas, but I bet that unionization would be pretty hard and that the employees wouldn't anything out of it.

    Unions can be good, but in this case, I think they are just going after the money and clout that costco workers would bring in for them.

    Josh: as for number 5, I don't like the layout changes.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    I doubt they would stop laughing for 10x that.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    There is a level of “the site is watching me” creep that is accepted more as the media becomes branded as more social. It follows you somehow tells people that there is more intrusion than there really is (which is wayyyyyy more than most understand).
    There is a point where people are repulsed that is difficult to predict. There is so little reward of convinience to offset the “feeling”.

    It does not bother me at all, other than clogging my phone screen with something this site thinks I might want all of the time right in front of me.

  • elaineinballard

    I'm also seasick from the bouncing tweet/share/digg widget. To get over it, I'm going to lie down and watch another soccer game.

  • ivan

    Adblock Plus for Firefox got rid of it for me. Use the “hide element” feature.

  • doug_in_seattle

    As a former California Costco employee (I currently pay dues to UFCW 21 in WA), I can tell you that Costco is NOT the company unions should be gunning after. Their pay and benefits is above average, especially for the “lifers” (think cashiers making $40-$50k a year) and the health benefits are also very good. Unions are good for companies who treat their employees like enemies, rather than as valuable assets like Costco does.

  • sarah68

    I don't want things moving when I'm trying to read.

    Have to say that the Stranger's layout is a lot easier to read. Simple individual posts, one on top of each other as they're chronologically posted, and a comment page you can simply X out of without having to use the arrows.

    And what's with the Obama Care–Stop Him ad? Can't Publicola make it financially without that stuff?

  • Local 77

    I think it would be great if the UFCW and Costco could work together to enter into a new kind of union contract. Something totally out of the traditional box that represents the workers, but allows for innovation and performance pay.

    Unions are great – I'm a proud union member myself – but they are in serious need of fresh thinking.

  • http://twitter.com/VeloBusDriver VeloBusDriver

    From everything I've heard, Costco keeps the door “closed” to Unions by treating their employees well. Several years ago, Costco management took a lot of heat from Wall Street because they weren't screwing their employees enough. I haven't owned the stock for a while but I suspect it's pretty much the same these days…

  • Williamson3245

    Unions are just money hungry Quasi-Political groups that want/need your money. Costco has done very well by their employees. After seeing what Unions have done to this country (lately) I shudder to think of them reigning more power. Unions were once a needed group but in this, and MANY other, situation(s) they are just pawns of the “progressives and communists”.

  • seven7

    As a member of UFCW 21 I totally agree with you. Unfortunately I have very little hope that that would happen.

    I would encourage workers to FORM their own union rather than join an established one. Unions today are part of the establishment and that is why they have ceased being a movement and have ceased serving a progressive function in society.

  • seven7

    Yeah. Uh huh.

  • seven7

    Who was that “leader” you referenced?

    What were those places they are trying to organize?

  • Jason_Mitchell

    Well done on the facelift.

  • Josh Feit

    We put a stop to it.

  • Where's OED?

    When did DON get into the liquor licensing business? I thought that was a state thing.

  • Www_cowgirl

    Oh really? Is that why a law suit for gender discrimination has been brought against them by some of their own employees. Costco is not the company they want you to think they are.

  • Republicans are whores

    Just what have unions “done to this country”. And where are you getting your talking points from, the John Birch Society?

  • Local 77

    I think that idea – and union reform in general – would be a really neat thing to have a discussion over – sans the “my grandpaw knew somebody who knew somebody who said the unions killed puppies at midnight in the Masonic Lodge” meme that so many anti-labor sheep bleat all day long.