Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO Non-Profit Org. 321 16th Ave. South US Postage PAID Seattle, WA 98144 AFL-CIO Seattle, WA Permit No. 1850 2017 LEGISLATIVE REPORT 2017 LEGISLATIVE REPORT Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO The WSLC’s report and voting record from the 2017 session of the Washington State Legislature Crisis created, then averted a state government shutdown, Gov. With state shutdown Jay Inslee signed a budget that funded On Jan. 10, the contracts, made modest investments 2017 campaign looming, budget deal to pass paid in anti-poverty programs, injected sig- family leave reached in triple OT nificant funds into our behavioral health kicked off at the system, and added billions of dollars to By JOE KENDO State Capitol our public schools. Further, the Legis- with Molly Moon Prior to every legislative session, lature passed a historic paid family and Neitzel, owner we tell our members to gird themselves medical leave insurance law that will of Molly Moon’s because every win will be hard fought, guarantee paid time off for family care Homemade Ice every good policy will advance by inch- and bonding, and for personal disability. Cream (left), and es, and victories are as often notched by Democrats secured billions of dol- Makini Howell, what failed to happen as by what did. lars for these priorities, but did so with owner of Plum But even by those standards, the 2017 Republican taxes. Higher state property Bistro. On July session was truly one for the ages. taxes from communities in the central 5, legislators The labor community came to Olym- Puget Sound area will fund not just and advocates pia in January with a few simple goals: schools, but also a major business tax celebrated with advance policies to lift up working fam- cut for manufacturers. (At press time, Gov. Jay Inslee ilies, support our sisters and brothers in Governor Inslee thankfully vetoed that as he signed the K-12 as the Legislature sought to fulfill new tax break.) The budget once again bill into law. its McCleary obligation to amply and sweeps $200 million-plus from the Pub- stably fund our schools, and ensure that lic Works Assistance Account and relies the ratified state employee collective on a big transfer from the Budget Stabi- bargaining agreements were funded. All lization Account to bridge the gap. the while, we needed to band together Crisis budgeting, driven by brink- with our community partners to ensure manship up until the last possible hour, that the new revenue necessary was not does not lend itself to sound finances raised on the backs of working people. At the 11th hour—literally—before Continued on Page 2 This is no way to govern For the past five years tion people are hungry for.” the Washington State Legis- The Senate Majority lature has been locked in an Leader has proven over and ugly and unproductive game over again these past five of brinkmanship that has years that he has little idea A historic win for families cost our state in lost jobs, what cooperation means and Beginning in 2020, bor and business leaders wages, health outcomes, af- even less of an idea about MORE on Paid working families in Wash- MORE on Paid spearheaded by Rep. June fordable housing, fair elec- what people are hungry for. Family Leave tions, needed social servic- The majority of Wash- ington will have a new Robinson (D-Everett) and es, and civility. PRESIDENT’S ingtonians don’t want to see safety net to ensure that a See Lynne Dodson’s Sens. Joe Fain (R-Au- column — Page 6 In 2013, when Sens. COLUMN workers’ freedom to negoti- new baby, ailing parent, or burn) and Karen Keiser Rodney Tom and Tim Shel- ate a fair return for their cancer diagnosis doesn’t (D-Kent). Gov. Jay Inslee don, betrayed those who Jeff Johnson work taken away from them. result in financial calamity. To para- hailed its passage as “a great biparti- had voted for them as Dem- Nor do they want to see phrase Joe Biden, this is a big deal. san achievement.” ocrats by jumping ship to the Re- minimum wages or prevailing wages Late on June 30, the same night The Washington Work and Family publican caucus, partisan extremism lowered. They don’t believe that un- they were scrambling to avoid a gov- Coalition—convened by the Econom- has more often than not defined the employed people should be forced to ernment shutdown, the Legislature ic Opportunity Institute and including Republican-controlled Senate. do community service, and they don’t approved a historic, comprehensive the Washington State Labor Council, At the time, Sen. Mark Schoesler believe that local governments should paid family and medical leave pro- AFL-CIO and many of its affiliated (R-Ritzville) lauded this defection by gram. It was the result of months of unions—has been working towards saying, “This is the sort of coopera- Continued on Page 2 negotiations between legislators, la- this day for more than a decade. For 5th time, GOP kills Voting Rights Act State budget and revenue reform ............... 2 I Tax break accountability, Sound Transit 3, By ERIC GONZALEZ undemocratic voting systems and avoid costly litiga- clean energy, building trades ...................... 3 tion. It addresses polarized voting, a method of voter N For the fifth straight year, Republicans in the suppression that excludes the voices of the communi- “Good, Bad & Ugly” sponsorships .............. 4 Legislature shot down the Washington Voting Rights S ties of color and low-income families. Act (WVRA), a bipartisan compromise proposal that 2017 W.S.L.C. VOTING RECORDS ............. 5 At-large city-wide election systems are prone to I would provide local governments an opportunity I Paid family leave, health care ..................... 6 polarized voting patterns. The majority determines to create equitable, accountable election systems. It every member of the city council, school board, pub- D Farmworkers, minimum wage, Uber & Lyft passed the House 51-46 (see Vote #2), but was killed lic utilities district—positions that can dramatically exemptions, workers’ comp, Hanford ......... 7 without a vote in the GOP-controlled Senate. E impact a community’s social, health and economic “Right to Work,” bargaining rights .............. 8 HB 1800, sponsored by Rep. Mia Gregerson (D- SeaTac), would enable cities and counties to fix unfair, See Revenue on Page 8 and funded by the Koch brothers. The problem with brinkmanship politics is that This is no way This has got to stop. you are forced to sacrifice long-term investments for Over the coming weeks and months we will be crisis spending. Had we passed progressive revenue able to analyze more closely what actually lies in the reform in 2013, our state could have made the long- to govern operating budget and the impact term investments in higher education, mental health, that the property tax hike will infrastructure, climate adaptation, and long-term Continued from Page 1 have on low and moderate in- care that our residents really need. Instead, those de- come families living in wealth- cisions are left for another day. be prevented from setting workplace standards ier areas of the state. Having I am glad that the operating budget funds the above the state level. little to no time to actually read, state employee contracts bargained and ratified last Yet for the past five years, the Republican Senate think about and debate budgets fall. These workers have been asked to do so much has introduced legislation that would limit collective and tax bills is no way to do with so little, it is high time that we began recogniz- bargaining rights, lower wages, and preempt cities business. It simply adds to the ing their value. from setting benefit standards above state mini- PRESIDENT’S general cynicism the public has I also want to recognize and say thank you to the mums. They have also opposed the Washington Vot- COLUMN about politics. legislators and community and business negotiators ing Rights Act, significant reform to Legal Financial I want to thank Governor on the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. This is Obligations and Second Chance Legislation, all of Jeff Johnson Jay Inslee and House and Sen- a significant piece of social insurance legislation, a which would have provided voice and rights to indi- ate Democrats for putting forth truly portable benefit for workers and their families. viduals of color. a set of progressive tax reforms, e.g, capital gains It is almost 30 years since we passed the Sick Child Twice in three years, the Senate Republicans and reforming the B&O tax. But once again, the Re- Act prime sponsored by Rep. Sally Walker, and a de- have taken us to within hours of shutting down publicans have refused to deal with our upside down cade since Sen. Karen Keiser primed and passed the government to avoid agreeing to any significant pro- tax system and instead rely on fund transfers, draw- first Family Leave Insurance Act. Finally, we have a gressive revenue reform and in an attempt to extract ing down the rainy day fund, and a property tax hike program that will strengthen workers, families, busi- unpopular partisan policy changes written by ALEC and shift that needs more analysis. nesses and communities. Budget Continued from Page 1 and policy making. Sure enough, the longer we review this budget, the more warts become apparent. But given the deep partisanship that pervades our poli- tics and our divided state government— with Democrats controlling the House and Republicans the Senate—the risks posed to workers and unions were clear. Right-to-work legislation, minimum wage rollbacks, workers’ compensation Public employees and their supporters held dozens of rallies and events to urge legislators to pass a fair 2017-18 budget.