State Labor Council, AFL-CIO Non-Profit Org. 321 16th Ave. South US Postage PAID , WA 98144 AFL-CIO Seattle, WA Permit No. 1850

2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO

The WSLC’s report and voting record from the 2018 session of the Washington State Legislature Proof that every vote counts Every vote counts. Political organizers say it all the ing rights to prevailing wages, many pro-worker bills time, but the 2018 session of the Washington State Leg- were approved and signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee. islature proved the difference a single vote can make. A healthy capital construction budget, long delayed by 2018: ‘A down In this case, it was last fall’s special election of Sen. partisan brinkmanship, passed and will create jobs and (D-Redmond), which shifted control of invest in infrastructure throughout the state. But law- payment on hope’ the Senate from Republicans to Democrats. That one makers failed to approve important bills on issues like vote broke loose a legislative logjam in place for the hospital workers’ breaks and contracting transparency. Five years of Republican stranglehold on past five years. Many bills supported by the Washing- We’ve done our best to squeeze it all into this 2018 common-sense measures to improve the lives and ton State Labor Council, AFL-CIO and its affiliated WSLC Legislative Report, including an unprecedented working conditions of working people has come to unions had been blocked from votes by Senate Republi- number of votes in Voting Record (Pages 4-5). an end. And it’s about time. can leaders. But in 2018, they finally got fair votes and So read on, see the difference a vote makes, and get Much longer and the people of our state would many passed with strong bipartisan majorities. ready to support Manka Dhingra (again) and dozens of have become as cynical as From voting rights to equal pay, from bargain- other pro-worker legislators in this fall’s election. the Republican Party itself. Instead the 2018 legislative session was a down payment on hope. What a difference an election makes. Although House and Senate Democratic majori- ties remain slim, the breadth of common-sense legislation PRESIDENT’S signed into law was inspiring: COLUMN n No longer will people of color be denied fair politi- Jeff Johnson cal representation because of polarized voting schemes designed to favor en- trenched power. n Workers will no longer be silenced when talk- ing about pay discrimination at work, and they will have real options to ensure gender pay equity on the job. n Dreamers will remain eligible for state aid for higher education expenses. n A significant capital budget will provide tens of thousands of jobs to Washington residents while energy retrofitting schools, building affordable housing, cleaning storm water pollution, and so much more. n Community and technical college faculty will be able to bargain over local college funds to im- prove the quality of education for our adult stu- More voters get ‘Access to Democracy’ dents. Over 1 million Washingtonians were eligible to reg- One of them was the Washington Voting Rights n The cycle of debt to prison will be significantly ister to vote in 2016 but didn’t. And of those registered, Act, SB 6002, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D- reduced by limiting legal financial obligations. nearly 1 in 5 didn’t vote. The November 2017 General Seattle). For the sixth time in as many years, the House n The formerly incarcerated will have a fair Election set a record low for voter turnout — only 37 passed this bill (see Vote #8) creating a path for local chance of employment by eliminating the box for percent of voters returned their ballots. governments to change discriminatory voting systems “felony” on job application forms. So in 2018, Democratic legislative leaders priori- while avoiding costly lawsuits. But this year, the Senate n Hanford cleanup workers who contract beryl- tized removing barriers to voting, both in terms of reg- finally got to vote on it, and it passed 29-20 (Vote #16). lium poisoning, lung cancer or occupational de- istration and supporting better election systems. And The WVRA will promote more equal representation by mentia will be presumed to have valid workers’ they delivered. On March 19, Gov. Jay Inslee signed allowing district-based elections or other alternative compensation claims. a package of five bills—dubbed the Access to Democ- voting systems to best suit individual communities. n Prevailing wages will be set by local collective racy package —to improve voter access and strengthen Continued on Page 2 democracy in Washington state. Continued on Page 7

Equal pay, Legal Financial Safety net strengthened for Hanford workers I Obligations, Ban the Box ...... 2 Capital Budget, Building Trades, By NICKOLAS BUMPAOUS world. And yet, the people who work self-insured employers. The U.S. De- N Pesticide Drift ...... 3 there face nearly insurmountable barri- partment of Energy and its contractors, In 1943, the federal government ers accessing the workers’ compensation have used the lack of accurate worksite 2018 VOTING RECORDS ... 4-5 S brought 50,000 people to the Hanford safety net when they get sick due to data to question and deny the validity of I Faculty Bargaining, Public Nuclear Reservation to manufacture toxic exposure. sick workers’ claims. This highlighted Employees, Health Care ...... 6 plutonium for the world’s first atomic That will end with this year’s pas- the need for a new standard presuming bombs. In 1990, Hanford’s mission DD Dream Act, Voting Rights ...... 7 sage of HB 1723. that certain occupational illnesses are shifted from nuclear materials produc- work-related, and for the last two years E Supplemental Budget, tion to environmental clean-up. Despite the recognized uniqueness of 8 Plumbers and Steamfitters (UA) Local Revenue Issues ...... Today, Hanford remains the most the risks, Hanford workers’ comp claims contaminated worksite in the western are denied at five times the rate of other Continued on Page 3 Victory on equal pay Washington was one the first states in the nation to address the wage gap by passing the Equal Pay Act in 1943. In 2018, the state made history again by adding additional provisions aimed at closing the gap between what women and men are paid with the passage of HB 1506, the Equal Pay Opportunity Act sponsored by Rep. paid less for similar work on the basis of gender. It also Kent) passed in 2018 to address this issue: (D-Mercer Island). It was signed into law by ensures employees receive access to equivalent career n SB 5996 prohibits employers from requiring em- Gov. Jay Inslee on March 21 (pictured). advancement opportunities, regardless of gender. This ployees, as a condition of employment, to sign a non- “With this bill, Washington is not only updating our will help put women and men on equal footing for pro- disclosure agreement that prevents disclosure of sexual 75-year-old equal pay law, but once again leading the motions and upward mobility. harassment or sexual assault in the workplace. country with equal pay policy,” Senn said. “Protecting During the legislative process, an effort was made n Similarly, SB 6313 voids any employment agree- women from bias in career advancement opportunities to add preemption language that would prohibit local ment that requires employees to waive their right to file is a new step to help battle equal pay disparities.” governments from adopting and enforcing their own a discrimination or harassment complaint with the state Today, a white woman working full time in our anti-discrimination measures. Fortunately, the final bill or requires such claims to be resolved using a confiden- state makes 76.5 cents to the dollar that white men earn. signed by the governor does not include that language. tial dispute resolution process. Women of color fare worse: African American, 61.1 n SB 6417 directs the state Human Rights Commis- cents; Native American, 59.8; and Latinas, 46.3. New protections against sexual harassment sion to develop model policies and best practices for HB 1506 (see House Vote #21 and Senate Vote The #MeToo movement has prompted an overdue employers and employees to keep workplaces safe from #19) allows employees to discuss earnings with co- reckoning against managers and co-workers who sexu- sexual harassment. workers and ask for equal pay, without fear of backlash ally harass and employers who conceal such actions. All three bills passed unanimously and were signed or retaliation. It offers remedies for employees who are Three bills, all sponsored by Sen. (D- into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Moving from mass incarceration The wealthy in Washington state don’t ‘Hope’ in 2018 come close to paying their fair share. Continued from Page 1 But some will argue, if we tax the to mass employment in Wash. rich more, they will leave our state. By ERIC GONZÁLEZ ALFARO ate Vote #11), sponsored by Reps. Jeff bargaining rates. As FDR responded when this argu- Holy (R-Cheney) and n Automatic voter registration upon ment was made to him, “(we) shall In 2016, delegates to the Washington (D-Kirkland). Under this new law, courts license renewal and same-day voter miss them very much.” The point State Labor Council, AFL-CIO conven- cannot sanction defendants for contempt registration will increase the voice of is the wealthy in our state can and tion approved Resolution #23, “Ending or issue an arrest warrant unless their fail- democracy in Washington. should pay a percentage of Mass Incarceration and Supporting Path- ure to pay is willful. The courts must also Many of those bills their income in taxes signifi- ways to Reentry.” This year, the WSLC determine whether the defendant has the waited for five years to see cantly greater than those in backed two bills that help our state move ability to pay at the time of sentencing. the light of day. Let’s keep the bottom income quintile, away from mass incarceration and put us the sun shining by support- but they don’t. And if they on a path towards mass employment. The Fair Chance Act passed to “ban ing candidates who support did, surely they would not In Washington, people entering the the box” in Washington (House Vote #17 working people. have to dress in rags, forgo criminal justice system owe an average and Senate Vote #10). Under HB 1298, a latte, or send their children of $2,400 in Legal Financial Obligations. by Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self (D-Mukilteo), The Legislature was not to public schools. These fees, which accrue 12 percent in- employers can ask about convictions at able to address the structural terest, are intended to support the judicial the second stage of the process—after an deficit that Washington state PRESIDENT’S As climate destruction system. But data shows that courts rarely application is filled out and qualifications has suffered for more than COLUMN exacts greater costs to our collect these debts, which grow expo- have been considered. a decade. We simply do not Jeff Johnson environment, economy, nentially during and after incarceration, People with records suffer from raise enough revenue to ad- health and property, more and instead often sell them for pennies pervasive discrimination in many areas equately pay for the needs of our soci- and more public revenue will have on the dollar to collection agencies. of life, including employment, housing, ety. This became painfully clear in the to be diverted from education, health People with criminal records suf- education, and eligibility for many forms “Great Recession” of 2008 and every care, mental health, state parks, etc. fer higher unemployment and under- of social benefits. These bills will make year since. Climate change significantly raises the employment. Without income, they have our criminal justice system more equi- Republicans of today are stuck in price of civilized society. little to no chance of paying their LFOs. table and move us away from “tough on the dead-end narrative that taxes and To counter this, we need to both Under state law, those who fail to pay crime” policies that have resulted in mass government spending are bad. They fairly tax the wealthy and put a price their LFOs are sent back to prison. It’s a incarceration. Today, we embrace “smart should remember the words of the first on carbon emissions. prison-to-debt-to-prison cycle. on crime” strategies and restorative jus- Republican, Abraham Lincoln: “The Gov. Jay Inslee and Sens. Reuven That will change with the passage tice efforts that put us on a path toward legitimate object of Government is Carlyle, Guy Palumbo and Kevin of HB 1783 (House Vote #20 and Sen- mass employment. to do for the people what needs to be Ranker, with support from Rep. Joe done but for which they cannot by in- Fitzgibbon, made a valiant effort to pass a carbon tax during the 2018 The WSLC Legislative Report is an annual publication of the dividual effort do at all, or do so well, by themselves.” session. Unfortunately, the resistance Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Franklin D. Roosevelt from the fossil fuel industry remained 321 16th Ave. S., Seattle, WA, 98144 — 206-281-8901 quoted this from Lincoln in a 1936 too great and Democratic majorities 906 S. Columbia St. SW, #330, Olympia, WA, 98501 — 360-943-0608 speech and added his own statement too slim to pass the bill out of the Sen- President: Jeffrey Johnson Secretary-Treasurer: Lynne Dodson that “taxes are the price we all pay col- ate. In light of the legislative failure, Vice Presidents: lectively to get things done.” Jon Holden, IAM Christine Reid, IBEW FDR believed in the doctrine of The Alliance for Jobs and Clean Ener- Kevin Allen, CBTU Rick Johnson, IBEW Mark Riker, SMWIA Mike Andrew, PAW Verlene Jones, CLUW Rigo Rivas, LIUNA democracy in taxation -- that taxes gy, a coalition of labor, organizations Cariño Barragán Vance Lelli, AFM Connie Rodriguez, LCLAA ought to be higher for those who can of color and environmental groups, Talancón, Worker Centers Kim Mead, WEA Patty Rose, IBEW Jackie Boschok, ARA Tina Morrison, AFM Michele Stelovich, WFSE afford to pay them and less for those working closely with the tribes, has Todd Crosby, UFCW Dave Myers, IBEW Karen Strickland, AFT who can afford to pay less. If, as Su- filed Initiative 1631. It would set a Emmanuel Flores, IBEW Paul Parmley, IBT Eric Thrift, LIUNA Nicole Grant, IBEW Daniel Peters, IFPTE Jim Tieken, AFSCME preme Court Justice Oliver Wendell carbon fee on large emitters and use Bob Guenther, IBEW Anne Tan Piazza, WSNA Shannon Walker, IAM Holmes said, “Taxes are the price we that revenue to create equity for low- , APALA Gabriel Prawl, APRI Shaunie Wheeler, WA YELL pay for civilized society,” and if we income individuals, communities and Administrative Staff: want a fair society then, according to displaced workers. It would leverage Cherika Carter ...... Field Mobilization Director Support Staff: Carlos de la Torre ...... Accounting Manager FDR, taxes shall be levied according investments in the clean-energy econ- Eric González Alfaro ...... Legislative & Policy Director Richard Cox to ability to pay.” omy and creating healthier air, forests D. Nolan Groves ...... Communications Director Jessica Gallardo Dulce Gutiérrez ... Union, Community & Naturalization Organizer Janet Hays This is an important principle for and water. If I-1631 qualifies for the Caitlyn Jekel ...... WIA Labor Liaison Willa Hockley-Smith Democrats going into the 2019 ses- ballot and passes, it will significantly Joe Kendo ...... Government Affairs Director Robert New Viona Latschaw ...... Project HELP Director Kathy Petruzzelli sion. We need to raise enough revenue lower carbon emissions, and facilitate Bill Messenger ...... WIA Labor Liaison Karen White to pay for a civilized society while the transition to a clean-energy econ- Graciela Nunez Pargas ...... 2018 Legislative Intern Kairie Pierce ...... K-12/Apprenticeship/College Director www.wslc.org lessening the burden on those who omy, while not leaving communities April Sims ...... Political & Strategic Campaign Director www.thestand.org have less and taxing the wealthy fairly. and individuals behind.

PAGE 2 WSLC 2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT Capital budget means good jobs Costly hostage crisis finally ends With Democrats gaining control of the Senate, their earlier investments. party leaders in both houses vowed to move quickly to The WSLC is thankful that Democratic control of As legislators convened in January, $4.3 billion in end this hostage crisis and pass the capital budget, the Senate broke the logjam and allowed a fair vote on job-creating public infrastructure projects had been which was one of the highest priorities of the Washing- a capital budget that everyone from both parties sup- held hostage by Senate Republicans for nearly a year ton State Labor Council, AFL-CIO in 2018. ported. In particular, we thank Sen. (D- over an unrelated water-rights issue. That is exactly what happened. Within the first few Seattle) and Rep. (D-Sequim), who This unprecedented injection of partisan politics weeks of the session, negotiators reached a compro- took the lead in writing their caucuses’ capital budgets, into last year’s capital budget approval meant that bad- mise on the water-rights issue and approved the 2017- and Rep. Pat Sullivan (D-Covington) who worked dili- ly needed school construction, sewer improvements 18 capital budget in January. But legislators weren’t gently to resolve the water-rights issue. and other projects in communities across the state had done yet. In the session’s final days, a $414 million We are hopeful that this unprecedented and costly been suspended, their costs increased, and thousands supplemental capital construction budget was ap- hijacking of our state’s construction budget doesn’t of jobs were not created. proved and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee to enhance those happen again in future years. Big wins for building trades When we work Building and construction trades workers scored licensing and certification requirements. It passed the some major legislative victories in 2018. The follow- House 96-0 and the Senate 45-4. together, we win ing were all signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee: n HB 1672, sponsored by Rep. (D-Seat- n SB 5493, prime sponsored by Sen. Steve Conway tle), is a bipartisan bill to “stop the clock” on the dead- By MARK RIKER (D-Tacoma), establishes prevailing wage rates on line for workers to recover wages owed to them under public works projects based on collective bargaining prevailing wage laws. It passed the House 98-0 and the The Washington State Building and Construc- agreements. Already done in eight other states, this Senate 38-11. tion Trades Council entered the 2018 legislative practice will provide more accurate and consistent pay n HB 1673, sponsored by Rep. Beth Doglio (D- session with two main goals in mind: to create jobs rates and save the state money by replacing the cur- Olympia), requires training in public works and pre- for our members, and to make sure those jobs are rent cumbersome survey process, which incentivizes vailing wage standards to qualify as a responsible bid- the best jobs possible. Due to the hard work of our employers to under-report wages. It passed the Senate der. It passed the House 63-35 and the Senate 31-17. affiliates and their members, and the labor com- 32-15 (see Vote #3) and the House 53-45 (Vote #12). n SB 5576, sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser (D- mittee chairs and their staffs, the building trades n SB 6126, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D- Kent), strengthens enforcement and compliance of the community of unions brought a lot home in 2018. Seattle) and supported by the IBEW, requires comple- state’s apprenticeship utilization standards. It passed Had we only passed SB 5493, sponsored by tion of an apprenticeship program to receive a journey the House 39-8 and the Senate 39-8. Sen. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma), which sets pre- level electrician certificate of competency. It passed the n HB 1953, sponsored by Rep. (D- vailing wages using collective bargaining agree- Senate 43-6 (Vote #17) and the House 62-36 (Vote #9). Olympia), raises penalties for health-and-safety ments, we would have been pleased. Had the only n HB 1952, sponsored by Rep. (D-Ab- violations in the state (WISHA) to be at least what is bills passed been SB 5493 and the SSB 1723, the erdeen) and also supported by the IBEW, permits cities charged by the federal government (OSHA). It passed Hanford workers’ compensation bill sponsored by that conduct electrical inspections to enforce electrical the House 53-45 and the Senate 26-22. Rep. (R-Richland), we would have been very pleased. Happily, I can report that those two high priority bills are now law. But we didn’t stop there. Hanford Building trades unions supported passage of Continued from Page 1 bills improving enforcement of apprenticeship uti- lization laws so that the next generation of trades 598 has led the charge to implement men and women gain the skills needed to main- just that. tain and build our state’s infrastructure (HB 1849). In 2017, Rep. Larry Haler (R- When that infrastructure is built, contractors will Richland) sponsored HB 1723, creat- get some basic training courses to ensure they know ing an occupational illness presump- the rules and laws that support our wages and our tion for Hanford workers. It passed the training opportunities (HB 1673). And if they fail House on a bipartisan vote, but died in to pay the prevailing wage, workers will no lon- the Senate committee chaired by Sen. ger get caught up in complicated complaint filing (R-Spokane). deadlines while L&I investigates (HB 1672). This year, under the leadership of We need to properly direct our thanks, and I’ll the Democratic-controlled Legislature, start by thanking each and every person who sup- Haler and Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent) ported, campaigned, leafleted, walked and stood up fought strong and swift to reintroduce for Manka Dhingra to be elected senator of the 45th and fast track the bill in both houses. Legislative District last fall. That allowed all of the House Speaker (D- good work of so many over the past five years to Seattle) and Rep. (D-Ever- come to fruition this session. Majorities matter. It ett), chair of the House labor commit- is a great testament to the fact that when we as a tee, positioned HB 1723 for early floor labor movement do the work, have patience, and action and on Jan. 11, just three days this great country. Our selfless In 2018, the Legislature’s persevere, our good works will be rewarded. into the session, the House passed Nuclear Veterans continue that moral compass and strong ad- While we do not always see eye to eye with it 74-21 (see Vote #7). With Keiser, mission to this day, protecting our vocacy by Local Union 598 and each other, within our trades unions, and within the now Chair of the Senate labor com- lands, our rivers, and our air. organized labor has led Hanford labor movement over all, the successes of the 2018 mittee, leading the charge, the Senate Cleaning up 56 million gal- workers to more secure shores show what is possible when we work together, and passed it 35-14 (Vote #1) on Jan. 25. lons of radioactive waste will take and has come to the aid of these support each other. After House concurrence with minor at least another 50 years. During proud citizens and their families. Now, let’s get back to work. changes, Gov. Jay Inslee signed HB that time, Hanford workers will 1723 into law on March 7. continue to be exposed to some Nickolas Bumpaous is Political Mark Riker is Executive Secretary of the Washing- Hanford’s story began with a mis- of the most hazardous substances and Government Affairs Director ton State Building Trades. sion for the benefit and protection of known to man. of UA Local 598. Pesticide drift study will explore how to protect workers, community By ERIC GONZÁLEZ ALFARO to land on the intended target. We know based on data many incidents go unreported. Farmworkers in particu- that pesticides are toxic, that advance communication lar may refrain from seeking health care for pesticide- The Legislature passed ESB 6529, sponsored by is lacking in the industry, and that air blast sprayers and related illness because of the cost of time away from Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), which establishes a aerial applications pose higher risk for drift. work, the cost of medical care, and fear of retaliation workgroup to identify ways to prevent pesticide drift While we support more training for applicators, just including potential job loss. exposure, including pre-application notification and In order to maintain a strong agricultural economy, post-application reporting. The group will report its 5 percent of the root causes of pesticide illness among farmworkers is a result of the applicator not properly workers need healthy working conditions and proper findings, recommendations, and draft legislation to the protections. This workgroup is critically important governor and legislative committees by Nov. 1, 2018. trained or supervised — the two highest root causes are drift and ineffective or nonexistent notification. as we look to national and global strategies Between 2010 and 2016, more than half of the 537 around notification and pesticide use reporting P recorded incident of pesticide illness among farmwork- While these cases alone are of great concern, the A systems that can help achieve those goals. G ers were a result of drift — meaning the pesticides failed true number of cases is likely much higher because E WSLC 2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT 3 Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO — 2018 LEGISLATIVE VOTING RECORD

SENATE SB 6230 (Conway)—Establishing collective bargain- HB 1336 (Kirby)—Workers’ compensation So- 6ing rights for professional employees at the ports. 13cial Security offset. Right vote: YES (Passed 48-0 HB 1723 (Haler)—Hanford occupational disease; Right vote: YES (Passed 29-18 on Feb. 12.) on March 2.) 1 presumption that certain illnesses are work-related for workers’ comp purposes. Right vote: YES (Passed 35-14 HB 1237 (Sells)—Expanding wage bargaining for HB 1849 (Sells)—Apprenticeship utilization. on Jan. 25.) 7community/technical college faculty. Right vote: YES 14Right vote: YES (Passed 37-12 on March 2.) (Passed 27-21 on Feb. 27.) SB 6231 (Kuderer)—Unfair Labor Practice statute SB 6219 (Hobbs)—Reproductive health cover- 2of limitations clarification. Right vote: YES (Passed HB 2669 (Doglio)—Granting civil service protections 15age. Right vote: YES (Passed 27-22 on March 3.) 27-20 on Feb. 9.) 8 for part-time workers. Right vote: YES (Passed 27-21 on Feb. 28.) SB 6002 (Saldaña)—Washington Voting Rights SB 5493 (Conway)—Setting prevailing wages by 16Act. Right vote: YES (Passed 29-20 on March 5.) 3Collective Bargaining Agreements. Right vote: YES HB 2751 (Stonier)—Granting immediate union rights (Passed 32-15 on Feb. 12.) 9 and dues deduction for public employees unless they SB 6126 (Saldaña)—Electrical apprenticeships. opt out. Right vote: YES (Passed 26-22 on Feb. 28.) 17Right vote: YES (Passed 43-6 on March 5.) SB 6529 (Saldaña)—Pesticide application safety; 4establishing a study group to make legislative recom- HB 1298 (Ortiz-Self)—“Ban the Box” job applica- SB 6245 (Saldaña)— Expanding collective bar- mendations. Right vote: YES (Passed 45-2 on Feb. 12.) 10tion protections re: arrests and convictions. Right 18gaining rights for interpreters at state agencies. vote: YES (Passed 33-16 on Feb. 28.) Right vote: YES (Passed 32-16 on March 6.) SB 6229 (Van De Wege)— Providing union access for 5New Employee Orientations to explain union mem- HB 1783 (Holy)—Legal Financial Obligations. HB 1506 (Senn)—Equal Pay Opportunity Act. bers’ rights and responsibilities. Right vote: YES (Passed 11 Right vote: YES (Passed 32-17 on Feb. 28.) 19Right vote: YES (Passed 36-12 on March 6.) 27-20 on Feb. 12.) HB 1488 (Hansen)—Dream Act 2.0. expanding HB 2595 (Hudgins)—Automatic voter registra- 12higher education opportunities Right vote: YES 20tion. Right vote: YES (Passed 27-21 on March 6.) (Passed 34-15 on March 1.)

Which legislators sponsored bills that didn’t get votes Lots of bills that would have serious let; and Sens. Fain, Keiser, Hasegawa, SPONSOR: Rep. alcohol in their system. benefits or consequences for working Saldaña, Kuderer CO-SPONSORS: Reps. Pike, Griffey, Van SPONSORS: Rep. families never get a full House or Senate Werven CO-SPONSORS: Reps. Manweller, Es- vote. But you can tell who supports the n SB 5689— KEEP WASHINGTON lick, Condotta good, bad and ugly bills by checking the WORKING—Establishing guidelines n HB 2716/SB 6043—PREEMPTION list of sponsors and committee votes: that prevent unconstitutional detention FOR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK n HB 2869—PASSING ON HEALTH and profiling of our immigrant work- COMPANIES—Blocked cities from es- COST INCREASES TO WORKERS— force. tablishing regulatory systems for digital Capping the share public employers pay TheThe SPONSOR: Sen. transportation companies like Uber. for health care at 80% of premiums so CO-SPONSORS: Sens. Saldaña, Nel- SPONSORS: Rep. Gael Tarleton and Sen. public employees bear the brunt of cost increases. GOODGOOD son, Keiser, Hasegawa, McCoy, Carlyle, Steve Hobbs Pedersen, Chase, Ranker, Conway, Dar- CO-SPONSORS: Reps. Orcutt, Wylie, SPONSOR: Rep. Harmsworth, and Sens. King, Mullet, Fain n HB 2903/SB 6522/SB 6526—RE- neille, Kuderer CO-SPONSORS: Reps. Taylor, Haler STRICTING NON-COMPETITION n AGREEMENTS—Prohibiting non- SB 6542—SPECIAL TAX BREAK FOR MANUFACTURERS—Granting competition contracts that unjustly block The TheThe all manufacturers in Washington the same people from seeking better jobs in their preferential Business & Occupation tax industry. BAD UGLYUGLY rate that Boeing gets, which further shifts SPONSORS: Rep. Derek Stanford and the tax base onto working families and Sens. Marco Liias and Steve Conway n HB 2830—SUBMINIMUM WAGES n HB 2697—DRUG TESTING IN- other businesses. CO-SPONSORS: Reps. Val- FOR TRAINEES—Allowing grocery JURED WORKERS AND CUTTING SPONSORS: Sen. Michael Baumgartner stores and restaurants to pay trainees 75 BENEFITS—Cutting workers’ com- dez, Gregerson, Hudgins, Pol- CO-SPONSORS: Sens. Hobbs, Mullet, percent of the state minimum wage. pensation benefits by up to 90 percent if PAGE Fain, Short, Wilson injured workers are found to have drugs/ 4 WSLC 2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO — 2018 LEGISLATIVE VOTING RECORD

workers’ comp purposes. Right vote: YES (Passed 74-21 SB 6245 (Saldaña)—Expanding collective bar- HOUSE on Feb. 19.) 15gaining rights for interpreters at state agencies. Right vote: YES (Passed 53-44 on March 1.) HB 1715 (Ricelli)—Guaranteeing hospital worker SB 6002 (Saldaña)—Washington Voting Rights Act. 1 breaks and restricting overtime. Right vote: YES 8 Right vote: YES (Passed 52-46 on Feb. 27.) SB 6231 (Kuderer)—Unfair Labor Practice stat- (Passed 56-42 on Jan. 11.) 16ute of limitations clarification. Right vote: YES SB 6126 (Saldaña)—Electrical apprenticeships. (Passed 50-48 on March 2.) HB 1336 (Kirby)—Workers’ compensation Social 9 Right vote: YES (Passed 62-36 on Feb. 27.) 2 Security offset. Right vote: YES (Passed 65-33 on HB 1298 (Ortiz-Self)—“Ban the Box” job applica- Feb. 7.) SB 6229 (Van De Wege)—Providing union access 17tion protections re: arrests and convictions. Right 10for New Employee Orientations to explain union vote: YES (Passed 52-44 on March 3.) HB 1849 (Sells)—Apprenticeship utilization. Right members’ rights and responsibilities. Right vote: YES 3 vote: YES (Passed 97-0 on Feb. 8.) (Passed 58-40 on Feb. 27.) HB 1488 (Hansen)—Dream Act 2.0; expanding 18higher education opportunities. Right vote: YES HB 2669 (Doglio)—Granting civil service protections SB 6230 (Conway)—Establishing collective bar- (Passed 59-37 on March 3.) 4 for part-time workers. Right vote: YES (Passed 50-47 11 gaining rights for professional employees at the on Feb. 12.) ports. Right vote: YES (Passed 56-42 on Feb. 27.) HB 1237 (Sells)— Expanding wage bargaining 19for community/technical college faculty. Right HB 2751 (Stonier)—Granting immediate union rights SB 5493 (Conway)—Setting prevailing wages by vote: YES (Passed 57-41 on March 5.) 5 and dues deduction for public employees unless they 12Collective Bargaining Agreements. Right vote: opt out. Right vote: YES (Passed 50-48 on Feb. 12.) YES (Passed 53-45 on Feb. 28.) HB 1783 (Holy)—Legal Financial Obligation re- form. Right vote: YES (Passed 83-15 on March 6.) HB 1851 (Dolan)—Accountability and transparency SB 6529 (Saldaña)—Pesticide application safety; 20 6 in government contracting. Right vote: YES (Passed 13creating a study group to make legislative recom- HB 1506 (Senn)—Equal Pay Opportunity Act. 52-45 on Feb. 12.) mendaitons. Right vote: YES (Passed 57-41 on Feb. 28.) 21Right vote: YES (Passed 70-28 on March 7.) HB 1723 (Haler)—Hanford occupational disease; SB 6219 (Hobbs)—Reproductive health cover- HB 2595 (Hudgins)—Automatic voter registra- 7 presumption that certain illnesses are work-related for 14age. Right vote: YES (Passed 50-48 on Feb. 28.) 22tion. Right vote: YES (Passed 50-48 on March 7.)

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WSLC 2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT 5 School funding, negotiating rights – at last Campaign materials for Republi- colleges as well. This year, the State cans and Democrats nearly always tout Board for Community and Technical the candidates’ strong support for pub- Colleges received their full capital bud- lic education. Yet, with a divided Leg- get request, meaning needed major and islature over the past sev- minor construction and design eral years, the slogans on projects can finally get done. campaign literature never Community and techni- materialized into real prog- cal college faculty have had ress on funding our state’s some collective bargaining schools. rights for decades. They’ve This year was different. been organized into collec- With Democratic majorities tive bargaining units almost in both the House and Sen- Secretary since the two-year system was ate, we saw improvements Treasurer’s Column established. While faculty in in the system from kinder- Lynne Dodson every one of our two-year col- garten through college. leges are members of the AFT Top among the improvements in the or the WEA, they haven’t shared the K-12 system was money to increase same right to bargain salary increases AFT Washington members visit the State Capitol to lobby in support of HB 1237. teacher salaries, funding for special ed- that teachers in the four-year college ucation, changes to the appropriations and K-12 systems have. Faculty in the training in new employment areas, at the local level, the Legislature fi- model from last year that will ensure two-year system have had to rely on and that are in nearly every region of nally passed HB 1237 enabling college school districts don’t lose revenue, and appropriations from the Legislature for our state. They’ve been underfunded faculty to bargain local college funds additional funding to support Running salary increases. That’s meant wages and neglected for decades. And while for salaries. During testimony on HB Start students. have essentially stagnated for teachers tuition costs have risen in our two-year 1237, lawmakers heard from faculty Our state’s higher education system in our community and technical college and four-year colleges, community and who care deeply about their students was made stronger this session, open- system. technical college faculty and staff have and their schools, who are leaving the ing up opportunities to students to pur- Our two-year college system is watched any extra funds colleges have profession they love because they can’t sue college. Chief among these was the chronically underfunded. These are the managed to save get siphoned into the afford to teach. passage of HB 1488, ensuring Dream- colleges that students from working- creation of more administrative posi- HB 1237, sponsored by Rep. Mike ers have access to state financial aid, class backgrounds can afford to attend, tions, and higher salaries for those in Sells (D-Everett), doesn’t automati- regardless of the barriers the federal that provide related instructional con- the top positions. cally give two-year college faculty the government may impose (see Page 7). tent for many apprenticeship programs, This year, after more than a decade raises they deserve. But it gives them Last session’s failure to pass a that were established to respond quick- of attempts to open up the possibil- the right to fairly negotiate their sala- capital budget impacted our two-year ly to provide technical and professional ity of bargaining for salary increases ries. At last. Some progress on health care Some progress was made on important health care issues in 2018. n HB 1523, sponsored by Rep. (D-Everett), requires health plans to cover the same preventive services currently required under federal law. This locks in place patient protections under the Affordable Care Act, which continues to be under threat of repeal by President Trump and Congressional Republicans. It passed the House 56-38 and the Senate 27-22 and was signed by Gov. Jay Inslee. n SB 6219, by Sen. Steve Hobbs (D-Lake Stevens), requires all health plans that cover maternity care to also cover contraceptive care. This will ensure that women from every income bracket have access to such Members of Interpreters United Local 1671 (WFSE) supported SB 6245 at their lobby day on Jan. 26. care. It passed the House 50-48 (Vote #14) and the Senate 27-22 (Vote #15) and was signed into law. The bad news is that little progress was made in the Public employees achieve ambitious agenda ultimate goal: universal health care for all. The WSLC By JOE KENDO to comply with the McCleary decision, legislators in- will continue to work toward this goal. cluded the necessary funds in their 2018 supplemental The 2018 legislative session provided an opportu- budget to get educator compensation back on track. nity for public sector workers to move legislation that Training requirements for Paraeducators (6388 – Mul- Agreement reached to revise has long stagnated due to intransigence from Senate let) were clarified, and state unemployment insurance Republicans. With a pro-worker majority, including for educators was brought in to conformity with new police use-of-force standards, new committee chairs, now leading the Senate, legisla- Federal rules (HB 2703 – Sells) to better protect school but judge orders I-940 to ballot tion supporting public workers and their unions finally employees when future work is not guaranteed. made it to the governor’s desk. Finally, and significantly, after many years of hard Last year, the Washington State Labor Council In preparation for a U.S. Supreme Court decision work and organizing, workers who provide nursing endorsed an Initiative to the Legislature (I-940) to re- in the Janus v. AFSCME public sector “right-to-work” care to patients in state mental health hospitals and form existing police use-of-force standards that make case, state employees, nurses, fire fighters, city and prisons will finally be allowed membership in the Pub- it nearly impossible to prosecute officers who unjustly county workers, police officers, spoken language in- lic Safety Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) use deadly force. After collecting the necessary signa- terpreters, port employees, and teachers linked arms to with the passage of HB 1558 (Kilduff). Previously tures, the issue was put before the 2018 Legislature. harden their bargaining rights against this attack. Leg- available only to non-commissioned law enforcement Ultimately, an agreement was reached between islation passed due to the hard work of these groups employees, like correctional officers, now workers I-940 supporters and police groups that was approved will help keep unions strong in a post-Janus environ- with similarly physically jobs will be able to retire a by legislators. Current law protects officers as long as ment (HB 2751 sponsored by Rep. ), little early without penalty. they act in good faith and “without malice,” which is guarantee new employees access to union orientations Demonstrating the power of standing together, nearly impossible to prove. The new standard replaces so that they understand their rights (SB 6229 by Sen. across the state, across unions, and across job sites, the malice test with a new “good faith” standard that ), and will expand access to collec- public workers achieved significant wins this session. asks whether a “similarly situated reasonable officer” tive bargaining rights to part-time workers (HB 2669 All of these bills will go a long way toward improv- would have determined deadly force was necessary. by Sen. Beth Doglio), certain port employees (SB ing the lives of public workers, while also building At press time, a Thurston County judge ruled that 6230 by Sen. Steve Conway), and spoken language strength for future efforts, like protecting public work- legislators violated the state constitution by approving interpreters (SB 6245 by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña). ers from invasions of privacy through frivolous public and immediately amending I-940 with the agreed-to Further, as a follow-up to the important P disclosure requests, and limiting wasteful outsourcing language. The judge ordered the original language of A work accomplished during the 2017 session of public work. I-940 must be put before voters in November. G 6E WSLC 2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT DREAM Act 2.0 maintains access to higher education

By GRACIELA NUNEZ PARGAS achievement in the College Bound schol- arship program. In another win for the progressive To qualify, a student must be in 7th labor movement, undocumented youth or 8th grade and meet the income re- are now eligible for the College Bound quirements for enrollment in the free scholarships regardless of immigration or reduced school meals program. The status. HB 1488, prime sponsored by student must sign the “College Bound Rep. (D-Bainbridge Is.), Pledge” committing to maintain a 2.0 known as the “DREAM Act 2.0,” chang- GPA, have no felony convictions, and at- es the residency requirement for students tend a state higher education institution to be eligible for in-state college tuition within a year of graduating high school. grants. It became law after three years of The College Bound program helps un- student advocacy, community engage- derprivileged students receive academic ment, and coalition building. Labor part- resources and financial support as they nered with all stakeholders to advance pursue a degree. the bill in a strong bipartisan fashion (From left) Maribel Montes de Oca, Graciela Nunez Pargas, Salvador Salazar and From the time a student is in middle Paul Quinonez at a Jan. 24 press event for DREAM Act 2.0. (House Vote #18 and Senate Vote #12). school until their college graduation, the The DREAM Act 2.0 passed during College Bound program believes every erty burdening their families. A student’s affordability, bargaining rights, work- a critical moment in our nation’s history student can succeed without having their immigration status should not doom their place safety, and other issues that help with the uprising of youth-led activism financial background dictate an uncer- prospects of joining an educated and pro- working-class families. As we strive to- and an increased visibility of intersec- tain future. Similarly, immigrant families fessional workforce. wards healthier and safer communities, tional movements. Our state leaders prioritize education because it offers a The labor community understands we have to continue working against stood in support of immigrant students pathway for their children to attain up- the plight of disenfranchised groups the spread of fear and discrimination. by strengthening scholarship programs ward social mobility. Going to college is because our histories intersect with a The DREAM Act 2.0 moves us closer to that reflect our diverse schools. Together, one strategy for first-generation students shared struggle for justice. We fight for more equitable practices by promoting we leveled the playing field for student as they attempt to break the cycle of pov- gender pay equity, health care access and educational opportunities for all. On race, the WVRA and dog-whistle politics By ERIC GONZÁLEZ ALFARO electing a person of color to represent communities of constituents are to blame for their exclusion from the color. It is about electing a candidate that understands legislative process. Offensive rhetoric like this routine- We can no longer endure the concept of race-neu- the breadth of challenges impacting communities that ly occurs in Olympia, yet many don’t notice it, except tral, color blind, or what should be more accurately de- have long been ignored, marginalized, or silenced in for those of us who’ve experienced and had to navigate scribed as race ignorant. Our cultural and ethnic iden- the process – systemically. micro-aggressions, institutionalized racism, gate-keep- tities deserve to be acknowledged and are relevant in Workers in the fast food industry, janitors, sanita- ing and silent compliance. We hear and see it daily. shaping public policy. tion workers, hospice and construction workers, teach- Others are more direct in their dismissiveness and While the House debated the Washington Voting ers and farm workers – they are the backbone of small will go to extraordinary leaps of logic to justify an in- Rights Act, a handful of Republicans delivered floor communities, yet they are not a monolith. equitable voting system: speeches that were openly demeaning and riddled with “This bill is an insult to people of color and minori- “What if there’s not anyone that looks like me run- dog-whistle commentary on race and identity. ties. This bill says to you, if you are a minority per- ning for this office? To me it has nothing to do with what son, we don’t think you are smart enough, attractive “We need to protect the small towns... We need to they look like. I don’t care about the color of someone’s enough as a candidate, and good enough to get elect- protect those small players, where people are involved skin... There are people across this aisle who have a ed in our traditional election system.”—Rep. Liz Pike for the best reasons to try make their communities bet- different color skin than I do, and I love them dearly ter places to live, work and raise families... We for- and I enjoy working with them... What it has to do Earlier in session, a lobbyist I respect approached get that the small towns in Washington are in many with is what are their policies, their values, their belief me and facetiously remarked, “This must be a hear- ways the backbone and the culture of the things that systems – that’s what I vote for; not the color of their ing on one of your bills.” The room was packed with make this state such a great place to live.” — Rep. skin.” – Rep. Spanish speaking language interpreters, many of them Jim Walsh Meanwhile, Klippert prime sponsored the “English Latino. They were not people I organized and, in fact, Walsh misses the point of the Washington Voting Language Empowerment Act,” which states: “Com- were on the opposite side of my issue. Rights Act. His remarks shed a light on “the little guy” mand of the English language is necessary to partici- I cannot tell you how often issues we advocate for, he’s speaking for: the status quo that refuses to see that pate in and take full advantage of the opportunities that are around racial equity or immigrant justice, are the world around him is much larger and rapidly chang- afforded by American life. Absent a rudimentary com- better received, seen as altruistic, when they come from ing. It is precisely this inequitable myopic vision that mand of the English language, citizens are unable to white men or white women but seen as self-serving leads to lawsuits and needless costs. make their voices heard by the legislative process, when these appeals come from people that have come The WVRA allows local governments to restruc- effectively exercise their right to vote, or fully under- from these communities. ture their voting systems to better reflect the diversity of stand the rights afforded them by the and When we seek to grow our diversity and equity, es- the community, but most importantly, it resolves issues Washington Constitutions.” pecially in positions of influence, we shouldn’t put re- around polarized voting where marginalized communi- I beg to differ. Meeting the definition of American, strictions on when it’s convenient to be our full selves. ties will finally have a voice in their democracy, with- if there is just one, must not be premised on command If we do, we have to ask—for whom is it a problem and out first going to court. The WVRA is also not about of the English language, nor should we pretend that why?

a year to political campaigns to register with the state’s Public Disclosure Com- Voting rights mission and report their contributions. Continued from Page 1 This will shine a light on “dark money” funneled through political committees Fair representation was an issue in and create better informed voters. Yakima, where nearly 40 percent of the The three remaining bills make it population is Latino, yet no Latinos had easier to register to vote by allowing peo- ever been elected to the city council. The ple to register up to and on Election Day, U.S. District Court found in 2014 that letting 16- and 17-year-olds pre-register Yakima’s at-large voting system dis- to vote, and creating automatic voter reg- enfranchised Latino voters and diluted istration for citizens obtaining enhanced their voting power. After this costly law- driver’s licenses or identification cards suit, Yakima moved to a district-based through the Department of Licensing. election in 2015, and three Latinas were While Republicans across the U.S. promptly elected. The WVRA allows are focused on making it harder to vote other communities to take similar actions (discriminatory Voter ID laws and re- without waiting to get sued. stricted voting hours) and disenfranchis- Another bill in the Access to Democ- ing voters (gerrymandering, rigged vot- racy package was the DISCLOSE Act, ing systems), Washington state is leading sponsored by Sen. (D-Spo- the charge in the opposite direc- PAGE Surrounded by supporters of the Washington Voting Rights Act, Gov. Jay Inslee kane). SB 5991 requires nonprofit orga- tion: promoting voting. signs SB 6002 into law on March 19. nizations that donate more than $10,000 WSLC 2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT 7 Budget boosts teacher pay Another punt Supplemental budgets usually just ate that critically important effort. DSHS, veterans and correctional institu- on our upside- tweak the biennial budget approved the “Thanks to the hard work and persis- tions. This was a priority for the Team- previous year. But in 2018, thanks to tence of WEA members, we’ve won bil- sters, WFSE/AFSCME Council 28, and down tax code savings/efficiencies and a strong econo- lions of dollars in new funding for educa- SEIU HealthCare 1199NW; my that is generating desperately needed tion—mainly for competitive salaries so n Funds an external audit of staffing By JOE KENDO state revenue, SB 6032 was able to invest we can continue attracting and keeping levels at corrections facilities. Another Washington is a great place to a substantial $941 million in schools, caring, qualified and committed educa- priority for the Teamsters union, this is live, with strong communities, beau- public safety, mental health, natural re- tors for our students,” said Kim Mead, the first step in addressing clear under- tiful natural resources for recreation sources and to help vulnerable people. president of the Washington Education staffing issues at state prisons; and healthy living, and a robust econ- It also maintained a $2.4 billion reserve, Association. “Now is our opportunity to n Includes $28.2 million to fight and omy with good wages. However, the the largest in state history, as a hedge join together and negotiate substantial prevent wildfires; and people of our state also suffer under against an economic downturn. pay raises for all of our members.” n Brings funding for the Labor Educa- the most regressive, backwards, and The biggest boost was $776 million The 2018 supplemental budget also: tion and Research Center at South Seattle upside-down tax code in the nation. dedicated to improving teacher salaries, n Boosts investments in public health College up to $500,000. While certain legislators worked to which builds upon the progress made care and mental health by more than The budget also cuts property taxes inject a little more justice into the sys- last year to address the McCleary deci- $200 million; by $390 million over the next two years tem this year, the Legislature largely sion. Improving K-12 teacher pay was a n Funds the expansion of the Public to mitigate the property tax increase pro- failed to address this threat to equal- specific directive of that state Supreme Safety Employees’ Retirement System posed by Republicans in 2017 and in- ity, equity, and economic justice. Court order, and this money will acceler- to include workers in high-risk jobs at cluded in the biennial budget. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy reports that people earning less than $21,000 per year pay nearly 17 percent of their income on state and local taxes in our state. Meanwhile, top earners making more than $500,000 a year pay an abysmal- ly low 2.4 percent. This is because we rely on a sales tax that hits working families hardest to pay for vital pub- lic services—services that were deep- ly cut during the Great Recession. Coupled with hundreds of special tax breaks for corporations, working families are paying more and getting less out of their government. Several bills were introduced to help improve this state of affairs, but precious little was accomplished. SB 5513, sponsored by Sen. Da- vid Frockt (D-Seattle), aimed to im- prove transparency regarding special tax breaks by increasing the frequen- cy of Department of Revenue report- ing, and requiring the Economic Re- view and Forecast Council to include Hundreds showed up in Yakima for a celebration at the UFCW Local 1439 union hall on March 31 to watch Gov. Jay the fiscal impact of special tax breaks Inslee sign HB 1939, sponsored by Rep. (D-Tukwila), designate that day as an official Washington state in its November economic outlook. holiday recognizing Cesar Chavez, the legendary farm worker advocate, UFW co-founder and social justice defender. But even this modest measure failed to make it to the governor’s desk. And while the discussion ad- vanced on creating new sources of More good laws, future laws progressive revenue—like Rep. Kris- tine Lytton’s (D-Anacortes) HB 2967 Any other year, the following bills would merit detailed those providing the best care are healthy, rested, and less closing the loophole on profits from stories explaining why they are so important. But 2018 was prone to mistake-causing fatigue. Having passed the House capital gains—legislators pushed to an extraordinarily busy session for working families, so last year, it was quickly approved again 56-42 on Jan. 11 use those funds to offset other sourc- here’s a quick round-up of some key bills: (Vote#1), but got bogged down in the Senate amid opposi- es of revenue, providing some equity, tion by hospitals and their lobbying groups, and never got a but failing to recognize and address PASSED! floor vote. our structural revenue deficit. Even in Seattle, which has added n TAXPAYER ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HB 1851, n WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SOCIAL SECURITY more than 200,000 jobs in the last de- Rep. Laurie Dolan, D-Olympia) — This would introduce OFFSETS (HB 1336, Rep. Steve Kirby, D-Tacoma) — As cade, the fundamental injustice of our some common-sense standards to increase transparency retired workers return to the workforce part time to make tax code has strained the city’s abil- and accountability when a state agency considers outsourc- ends meet, work injury rates among older workers have ity to meet the needs of its residents. ing public work. It passed the House 52-45 (Vote #6), and increased. HB 1336 would end the practice of offsetting Adjusted for inflation, Seattle spends passed the Senate State Government committee but never time-loss wage replacement for injured workers who also about $110 less per resident than it got a floor vote. collect Social Security benefits, as these workers already did in 2008. The city has few options face financial challenges. It passed the House 65-33 (Vote n RESTRICTING NON-COMPETES (HB 2903, Rep. to fund programs in an equitable way, #2) and the Senate 48-0 (Vote #13) and was signed by Gov. Derek Stanford, D-Everett) -- Legislation to regulate and and as local governments are shoul- Jay Inslee. restrict noncompetition agreements, which are binding le- dered with increasing responsibil- n UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE STATUTE OF LIMITA- gal documents are used to restrict workers’ ability to change ity to meet the social and economic TIONS (SB 6231, Sen. , D-Bellevue) — This jobs, while protecting legitimate intellectual property con- needs of the people, they often must labor-backed bill clarifies that the statute of limitations for cerns of businesses. It passed the House Labor & Workforce turn to regressive revenue options. an unfair labor practice complaint filed in a Superior Court Standards Committee, but never got a floor vote. The responsibility to fix this problem lays with the Legislature. is six months. In 2017, the state Supreme Court ruled that n RAILROAD STAFFING (HB 1669) -- To prevent dev- Cleaning up our tax code should start the time limit only applied to PERC complaints, but not for astating fatigue-caused train derailment accidents, railroad with closing wasteful tax breaks that ULPs before the Superior Court. This fixes that. It passed companies should have to meet minimum staffing levels, fail to support good jobs. We also the Senate 27-20 (Vote #2) and the House 50-48 (Vote #16) especially for trains containing hazardous materials. Passed must ensure that our wealthiest pay and was signed into law. House Labor & Workforce Standards, but no floor vote. their fair share. A modest tax on capi- See you in 2019... n CAMPUS POLICE ARBITRATION (HB 1559, Rep. tal gains—profits made from the sale Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland) — This provides binding in- of stocks and bonds—with common- n HOSPITAL WORKER BREAKS AND OVERTIME terest arbitration for duly sworn police officers employed as sense exemptions to protect retirees (HB 1715, Rep. , D-Spokane) — Health- members of a police force established by state and regional and certain small businesses, would care facilities should ensure that nurses and healthcare tech- universities. Passed the House 82-13; passed both Senate raise hundreds of millions of dollars nical workers are guaranteed access to the breaks and Labor & Commerce and Ways & Means; but no floor vote to support vital state services, while P overtime they have earned. This bill would ensure not further burdening working fami- A G lies, retirees and low-wage earners. E 8 WSLC 2018 LEGISLATIVE REPORT opeiu8/afl-cio