STATE GOVERNMENT
WSLC sets legislative agenda to ‘improve jobs and lives’
State’s largest union organization announces its priorities for 2024 session
OLYMPIA (Jan. 8, 2024) — The pandemic altered Washington’s economy and exposed how tenuous economic security is for working families. Now workers are joining together in our state and across the nation to demand better wages and working conditions. But unnecessary obstacles exist for organizing unions, accessing safety nets for injured and unemployed workers, attaining safe and healthy working conditions, and getting benefits that strengthen our families.
“Washington’s union movement is united in seeking legislative changes that will improve the jobs and lives of Washington’s working families,” said April Sims, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “Since last session, we’ve been meeting with our affiliated unions to discuss their priority issues. Although this will be a short 60-day session, there’s a lot that our elected officials can accomplish to help workers who are facing economic uncertainty.”
The WSLC’s 2024 legislative priorities include (follow links to PDF fact sheets):
Employee Free Choice Act — Multiple states have created protections against “captive-audience meetings,” which corporations use as a union-busting tactic or to force their political and religious views upon employees. Washington should join them by passing HB 1940/SB 5778.
TAKE A STAND! — Please send a message to your Washington state legislators in support of these two bills: Unemployment Insurance for Strikers (SB 5777 / HB 1893) and the Employee Free Choice Act (SB 5778 / HB 1940).
Workers’ Compensation Fairness — Workers’ compensation administrators for all employers should be held to standards of “good faith and fair dealing.” But in Washington, only injured workers in the public sector have that protection. Passing HB 2168 / SB 5991 would end this two-tiered system. All workers, public and private, should be entitled to basic fairness if they are injured at work.
Sanitary Conditions in Construction — Construction workers who menstruate and/or express milk lack the necessary accommodations to protect their safety and health on job sites. Washington should pass HB 2266/SB 6107 to remove those barriers to employment, protect these workers, and promote equity in the industry.
Fertility Coverage — Access to fertility services should not be reserved only for the wealthy. Working people should be able to grow their families as well. HB 1151/SB 5204 requires regulated insurance plans in Washington to include fertility coverage so this treatment is more affordable for parents.
The WSLC will also prioritize multiple legislative efforts, including:
- Continuing to improve siting and permitting processes for energy facilities
- Funding high-quality child care
- Improving wages for education support professionals
- Pay equity for part-time and adjunct CTC faculty
- Ensure healthcare mergers don’t restrict access to care
- Clarify collective bargaining units and scope for legislative staffers
- Fully fund supports for public school students with disabilities
- And many other priorities outlined in the WSLC 2024 Legislative Agenda
In addition to this agenda, the WSLC will support other legislation championed by its affiliated unions and community allies on a range of issues to address economic opportunity and justice.
In the coming weeks, the WSLC will be posting more information on these legislative priorities. Look for more details in the State Government section of The Stand and at the Legislative Advocacy section of wslc.org.