STATE GOVERNMENT
Senator delivers powerful defense of unions in floor speech
Requested by the Department of Social and Health Services and supported by SEIU Local 775 and Democrats — along with two Republican co-sponsors — SB 6199 would change the way tens of thousands of home health-care workers provide care. It would create a private entity that would be the legal employer of home-care workers in Washington, freeing up state case managers’ time to focus on monitoring the clients’ needs as opposed to administering employer functions like ensuring providers have met their training requirements.
But the right-wing Freedom Foundation and many Republicans think SB 6199 is merely an effort to force home-care workers to be union members and pay dues. Tempers flared during late-night debate on the bill last Thursday night and some Republicans harshly criticized unions and impugned the motives of the bill’s sponsors. Republicans made a procedural motion that delayed passage of the bill until Saturday, when it was approved on a 26-21 vote.
Before Saturday’s vote, Sen. Cleveland delivered this speech about why she found the debate on the bill so disrespectful and offensive. It is a must-see.
The video clip is also posted on Facebook here.