• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO Non-Profit Org. 314 First Avenue West US Postage PAID Seattle, WA 98119 AFL-CIO Seattle, WA Permit No. 1850 2014 WSLC Legislative Report Washington State Labor Council report and voting record from the 2014 session of the State Legislature Senate GOP, GRIDLOCK AGAIN Tom just say ‘no’ In 2013, two erstwhile Democrats wage theft to electricians’ certification, bipartisan 90-7 vote. to progress, jobs traded control of the Washington State in most cases without a public hearing. Instead, Senate Republicans spent Senate to Republicans in exchange for For a second straight session, Senate the 2014 session launching aggressive The highlight of the 2014 legisla- better job titles and bigger offices. Republicans refused to allow a vote on attacks on labor standards and public tive session was Feb. 26 when Gov. In 2014, the real consequences of a desperately needed House-approved employees. Pushed by national right- Jay Inslee signed the “DREAM Act” those partisan political machinations are transportation package. GOP leaders wing groups, these bills had little chance into law. This creates the opportunity clearer than ever. Progressive policies talked (a lot) about “reforming” trans- of passage in blue Washington. It was all for children of undocumented immi- and job-creating infrastructure invest- portation first, but never produced a pro- about election-year posturing. grant workers to receive State Need ments supported by both Gov. Jay Inslee posal their own caucus could support. As you’ll read throughout this WSLC Grants to attend and the Democratic-controlled House Right up to the session’s final day, Legislative Report, voters in Washington public institu- were blocked by Senate Republicans. Senate Republicans obstructed efforts to state didn’t ask for it, but in 2014 they tions of higher They killed dozens of House-approved create jobs, blocking a school construc- got another bitter taste of Washington, education. This labor-backed bills on everything from tion bill that had passed the House on a D.C.-style political gridlock. law is a win for everyone—al- lowing children of immigrants Democratic House to follow their e d u c a t i o n a l PRESIDENT’S advances Shared dreams and al- lowing our state COLUMN to benefit from Jeff Johnson Prosperity Agenda the incredible creativity, talent, and productivity of these young people. But Republican Senate Apart from that, the session can be summarized by NO transporta- blocks hearings, votes tion package, NO capital budget, In contrast to the low expectations some legislators NO voting rights act, NO paid and pundits established for the short 60-day session sick days, NO increased minimum in 2014, the Washington State Labor Council, AFL- wage, NO protections against wage CIO supported a substantive set of budget and policy theft... goals. This “Shared Prosperity Agenda to Rebuild the Why so unproductive? Why Middle Class” embraced the values of Washington’s weren’t tens of thousands of jobs cre- working families in four main policy areas: addressing ated? Why weren’t income inequality wage theft, approving paid safe and sick days, closing and fair voting rights addressed? Be- loopholes in the Affordable Care Act, and raising the cause Sen. Rodney Tom (D-Medina) state’s minimum wage. and the Republican majority control- “It is clear that gains from the economic recovery ling the State Senate are out of step are not being shared by everyone in this state and with our values. income inequality has emerged as a priority issue in The first bill passed by the House Washington and nationally,” said WSLC President Jeff Democratic Caucus was the DREAM Johnson in January. “This agenda takes concrete steps Act, passed on Day 1 of the session. to address pressing issues and challenges faced today The first bill passed by the Senate by middle-class families and low-income workers.” Republican Caucus aimed to reduce By the session’s end in March, the Democrat- injured workers’ benefits. This con- controlled House of Representatives had approved trast in priorities was just the first of many of the bills included in the agenda. But the many that distinguished Democrats Republican-controlled Senate not only refused to vote in the House who stood up for work- on these important bills, they refused in most cases to ing people and Republicans in the even allow public hearings on them. Senate who mostly stood in the way Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 8 INSIDE Another year of Senate inaction on transportation standards, and thousands of family- people really wanted. Those needs were Workers’ compensation ........ 2 By JOE KENDO wage jobs in a construction sector that made clear: safe roads, sturdy bridges, Health care, privatization, If there was one thing that business, has yet to recover from the Great Reces- good jobs, and adequate transit. No one WSLC Lobbying Day ............ 3 environmentalists, transit advocates, and sion. But the Senate dithered in 2013, was clamoring to cut prevailing wages the labor movement agreed upon this “Good, Bad & Ugly” bill adjourning without voting on the plan or decrease apprenticeship opportuni- sponsorships ...................... 4 session, it was the need for a balanced, or making a proposal of its own, despite ties. Yet, those right-wing ideological comprehensive transportation package. two special sessions. demands kept creeping into the ever- 2014 W.S.L.C. LEGISLATIVE Last year, this broad-based support In the interim, Senate Transporta- changing list of “reforms” sought by VOTING RECORDS .............. 5 led the House of Representatives to pass tion Committee Co-Chairs Curtis King Senate Republicans in exchange for Education, capital budget ..... 6 a compromise proposal to ensure safer (R-Yakima) and Tracey Eide (D-Federal transportation investments. roads and bridges, fewer traffic jams, Attacks on public employees Way) took the transportation conversa- Compromises were made, negotia- and wage standards ............ 7 local funding options for mass transit, tion on the road, holding 10 town-hall tion sessions occurred ad nauseam, and improved freight and workforce mobil- meetings billed as Majority Coalition ity, sound environmental permitting listening sessions, ostensibly to see what Continued on Page 8 floor for a vote on the session’s last day, Safe and Sick Leave and four anti-wage Sen. Brian Hatfield (D-Raymond) Tom, Senate but was stymied by Republican opposi- theft bills passed the House, but were amended the bill by stripping out the tion. The last time there was no capital blocked in the Republican Senate. wage standard. When the House re- budget was 1996. Thousands of jobs While we give credit to the House fused to agree to that, he amended it GOP say ‘no’ were sacrificed. Democrats for passing five of the Shared to remove the wage standard from half Fair voting laws were killed by Tom Prosperity bills, they unfortunately fell of the CERB distributions. At a time to progress and the Republican majority short of mustering the sup- of growing income inequality, this is a even though HB 1413 passed port to pass a fair and simple horrible public policy. Unfortunately, Continued from Page 1 the Senate Government Op- minimum wage bill, phasing the bill passed the House on a squeaker erations Committee with a in a $12 minimum wage over vote of 53-44. However, the vote count of workers receiving a share of the pros- positive vote by its Chair Pam three years, and to close an was interesting in that 36 Democrats perity. Roach (R-Auburn). It would Affordable Care Act loophole voted “no” and then three Democrats Jobs were killed because Tom and have given local communi- that allows large corporations that voted “yes” submitted entries to the the Republican majority refused to vote ties the option of replacing to dump workers onto Med- House Journal that they had intended to on a transportation package and a capi- at-large voting with district- icaid, forcing all of us to pay vote “no.” So two-thirds of the House tal budget. Despite a labor, business and based voting so that there PRESIDENT’S for this coverage through our Democrats voted “no” and yet the bill environmental coalition that supported a would be a greater opportu- tax dollars. No doubt we have passed. How sad. Thankfully, Gov. Jay comprehensive transportation package, nity for communities of color COLUMN some work to do in the House Inslee vetoed the bill. including the mostly federally funded to vote for and be represented Jeff Johnson to convince folks that income So the 2014 session has ended and Columbia River Crossing, the Senate by elected officials of color. inequality is real and is hurt- we lost a huge opportunity to create tens hid behind ideological diversions like Under-representation of Latino elected ing families, communities, our economy, of thousands of new jobs, to increase so-called “reforms” of prevailing wage officials is a pernicious problem in the and our state’s general fund. the minimum wage, to provide paid sick and apprenticeship standards and phony City and County of Yakima, where can- Adding insult to injury, a bill lower- days to over one million workers in our financing which would have defunded didates of color often lose because of ing wage standards in our infrastructure state, to protect thousands of workers education by diverting sales taxes on their surname to inferior, less-qualified loan program passed on the session’s from wage theft, to protect tax payers construction projects away from the candidates. final day. The Community Economic from paying for the health care costs general fund. Most House Democrats The Shared Prosperity Agenda died Revitalization Board (CERB) program of large corporations, to create a more and Rep.

Load more

  8

Copy Link