OLYMPIA (June 18, 2013) — Jeff Johnson, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, sent an earnest, heartfelt letter to state leaders over the weekend urging that they set aside the workers’ compensation policy bill that some say is the “biggest stumbling block” to passing the budgets that would end the threat of a [...]
OLYMPIA (June 14, 2013) — The Republican Majority Coalition in the State Senate continues to insist that unrelated policy legislation be a part of budget negotiations to avoid a state government shutdown. SB 5127 — the Senate’s workers’ compensation “reform” bill that is strongly opposed by labor, community groups and other advocates for injured workers [...]
OLYMPIA (June 13, 2013) — The following open letter to the State Legislature opposing SB 5127, the Republican-controlled Senate bill that would expand lump-sum settlements in Washington’s workers’ compensation system, was co-signed by dozens of labor organizations, community groups and individual advocates for injured workers and their families. (See the list of signers at the [...]
OLYMPIA (June 11, 2013) — Governor Jay Inslee notified state legislators today that he was immediately calling a third session of the Legislature — which will begin Wednesday — to pass the state’s budget and fund education. More importantly, he called out the Republican-controlled Senate for refusing to compromise in budget negotiations while continuing to [...]
OLYMPIA (June 11, 2013) — On the cusp of a second “special” legislative session, the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is urging all union members and community supporters to contact their state legislators immediately — even if you already have in recent days — to send a new message urging them to reject all policy [...]
By DAVID GROVES The Stand OLYMPIA (June 10, 2013) — Over the weekend, Republicans in the State Senate made clear that they are willing to force a second special session and they are not willing to compromise on the state budget, unless the House approves “reforms” that include expanding the lump-sum buyouts in workers’ compensation. [...]
OLYMPIA (June 6, 2013) — A day after Gov. Jay Inslee called for legislative action on the budget to end the special session, House Democratic leaders responded Wednesday by presenting a new operating budget that represents a significant compromise intended to resolve the stalemate at the Capitol. But the leaders of the Republican-controlled Senate continue [...]
OLYMPIA (June 4, 2013) — Jeff Johnson, President of the Washington State Labor Council, sent the following communication to all members of the State Legislature and to Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday. (Note at the end that many individual labor unions are signatory to the letter.) An Open Letter to the Washington State Legislature Re: [...]
By DAVID GROVES The Stand OLYMPIA (May 31, 2013) — The government faces an imminent deadline to approve legislation that isn’t particularly controversial, but one political party has seized that deadline as leverage to try to force a controversial change in public policy that otherwise wouldn’t stand a chance of passage. It’s a political Game [...]
The following is cross-posted from AFL-CIO Now: The collapse of the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River in Washington State on May 23 “is a sober reminder” to state lawmakers of the need for a transportation revenue package, says Washington State Labor Council President Jeff Johnson. The bridge, about 60 miles north of Seattle, [...]
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