Hundreds rally in Seattle to support striking Carpenters

UPDATE (Sept. 28, 2021) — Hundreds of workers participated in a Solidarity Rally at Seattle’s Lake Union Fountain Park on Monday to show their support for Puget Sound-area Carpenters who have been on strike against the Associated General Contractors since Sept. 16. Several elected officials were also on hand, including King County Executive Dow Constantine, County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis and Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho.

All solidarity with @nwcarpenters on strike!! Washington’s labor movement is with you every step of the way. #UnionStrong #1u @aprilr_sims pic.twitter.com/1og2lloSZX

— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) September 28, 2021

See more photos and videos: @NWCarpenters on Twitter.

SEATTLE (Sept. 27, 2021) — The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters — an independent union that is not affiliated with the AFL-CIO or the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) — has been on strike since Sept. 16 against Puget Sound-area employers. Its members have rejected multiple contract proposals from the Associated General Contractors, citing insufficient wage increases and other concerns.

TAKE A STAND — The WSLC is calling on all union members and community supporters to join a Solidarity Rally at 4 p.m. TODAY (Monday, Sept. 27) to support the striking Carpenters at Lake Union Fountain Park (851 Terry Ave. N.) in Seattle. The event is being supported and organized by the Northwest Carpenters Union, MLK Labor, Seattle Building Trades, UAW 4121, Ironworkers Local 86, Seattle Education Association, LIUNA Local 242 and UFCW 21.

The strike has halted Carpenters’ work at hundreds of projects across the region, but not where Project Labor Agreements are in place, such as Climate Pledge Arena and Sound Transit light rail construction. Under PLAs, contractors guarantee that all work will pay prevailing wages and union-scale benefits in exchange for the trades unions agreeing to resolve labor disputes without work stoppages.

Since Sept. 16, the Northwest Carpenters Union has sanctioned roving strike picket lines at multiple projects in the region, but not at PLA job sites where Carpenters continue to work. However, a group of rank-and-file members plus Seattle socialist councilmember Kshama Sawant and her followers have been trying to broaden the strike by establishing unsanctioned “wildcat” pickets and shutting down additional job sites. Because the union says it now faces legal consequences from employers for these unsanctioned actions, so Northwest Carpenters Union announced that, although the strike continues, the union had temporarily suspended all picketing effective Sept. 24.

Look for updates at www.nwcarpenters.org.