If you want
to get this
newsletter
via email...
The Washington State
Labor Council's
pretty-much-weekly report on the 2005 session
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23 (PDF version)
Clock's ticking on the HCRAWASHINGTON, D.C.— House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) has introduced labor law reform legislation supported by the AFL-CIO that would allow card-check union elections and increase penalties for violations of employee rights.
"I don't necessarily support everything in this bill," said the Republican congressional leader, "but I wanted to sponsor it to encourage a dialogue on the issue. Plus, I have all of these labor lobbyists in my office and I've got to give them something."
It'll be a cold day in Cascadia, when that story runs in the Moses Lake Post (serving the capital of the 51st state).
It's hard to imagine the party that controls both houses of Congress and the White House bothering to throw legislative bones to organized labor. What's the point, they would ask, especially when the clock is ticking on an historic opportunity to enact their conservative agenda.
WSLC Legislative Conference
The Washington State Labor Council's Legislative Conference begins at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24 at the Red Lion Olympia Hotel. All union members are invited to attend and get updates from Olympia leaders, including Gov. Christine Gregoire, and labor lobbyists on the status of legislation affecting working families. The conference ends after lunch, and attendees are encouraged to spend the afternoon at the Capitol talking with legislators about working family issues.
The registration fee is $30 and includes materials, lunch and admission to the legislative reception Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday and starting at 7:30 a.m. Thursday. Arrive early; there will be lines.
Here in Washington state, the party that controls our state government has a similar opportunity. But some of its members still find time to support anti-worker bones of legislation.
Don't get us wrong. Democrats in Olympia are making great progress advancing long-sought legislation on apprenticeship, mental health parity, tax-break performance audits and other important issues. Organized labor is very appreciative of their leadership in these areas. But consider the following bills, all of which have Democrats as sponsors:
SB 5774 and HB 1795 are tip credit bills, sponsored by Democrats, that would allow employers to pay sub-minimum wages to tipped workers in certain circumstances. The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee will hear SB 5774 at 8 a.m. on Thursday.
HB 1553, which has six Democrats as co-sponsors, would restrict the Department of Labor and Industries from issuing work safety violations to many agricultural employers. Initial visits by inspectors would be considered only "educational." House Commerce and Labor will hear this bill Thursday at 1:30 p.m. (after the WSLC conference).
HB 1741, sponsored by a Democrat, would allow "compromise-and-release" workers' compensation settlements, which can induce injured workers who are in desperate situations (and many are) to sign away their right to payments and medical treatment in order to accept a deal that's not in their best interest over the long term. SB 5793, its companion bill, will be heard in Senate Labor and Commerce at 6 p.m. Thursday.
It may be that there is some horse-trading going on here. Republican legislators may be agreeing to compromise on other issues in exchange for the consideration of bills that normally wouldn't even merit a hearing from Democratic leaders. This is not uncommon. And it is certainly true that some Democrats don't always agree with organized labor. (Shocking, we know.) This is not unusual, and would not be so disconcerting if it were happening in the context of a bold progressive agenda to tackle critical issues and inspire the Democratic base. But that context does not yet exist, at least on the issue of health care.
Is there any question that escalating health care costs are the single biggest drag on our economy? Does anybody dispute this? It's the biggest hindrance to job growth, the biggest reason why we face a budget deficit, and the biggest reason more and more Washington families are struggling to meet basic needs today.
Thousands of people are losing their health coverage every day. Those of us who haven't lost it (yet) are paying far higher premiums for "uncompensated care" that uninsured people receive in hospital emergency rooms. This death spiral is bankrupting families, businesses and governments.
But the Republican Party that runs our federal government is ignoring the crisis while it boldly pursues the privatization of America™. This is a national shame, but it's also a great opportunity for Democrats. It's a chance to stand up and demonstrate real family values on the issue of health care reform and show the kind of leadership Democrats are capable of, given the chance.
Why then aren't all Democrats -- and far more Republicans, for that matter -- pressing for passage of the Health Care Responsibility Act? SB 5637 and HB 1702 would require employers of 50 or more in Washington state to take responsibility for providing basic, affordable health insurance to their employees. They would have a choice: they can purchase basic coverage on their own for employees or pay a fee to help expand public insurance programs for the uninsured.
Here is an issue clearly based on traditional Democratic values, and one that everyone of both parties campaigned to do something about. The HCRA represents an idea supported by fully 83 percent of likely voters (67 percent strongly) and many responsible business owners, if not their ideological lobbying groups.
Craig Cole, president of Brown & Cole Stores, a supermarket chain that employs nearly 2,000 in 31 Washington stores, testified in favor of the HCRA last week. His company pays health benefits for 95 percent of its employees. By letting other large companies off the hook and even subsidizing his competitors, Cole said, the state leaves businesses like his to "feel like chumps for covering their employees."
Wal-Mart and other international corporate interests flew in some lobbyists to oppose the HCRA. One of their think tank's economists testified the HCRA will cost a bajillion dollars and predicted one gajillion jobs would be lost.
Lawmakers can debate this issue until Spokane secedes from Cascadia, and nothing will change. Or they can do something about it.
That's why it's so important for legislators in Washington to stand up and support the HCRA. The entire nation needs to see that states will not simply watch the congressional fiddlers while Rome burns. Working families deserve better.
And Democrats can lead the way. It will be an opportunity lost if the best we can do is wring our collective hands (again) debating the issue (again), and doing little except bemoaning the fact that it's the federal government's problem. That may be true, but it doesn't pay the medical bills.
Many Democrats in the state legislature have already stepped forward and demonstrated that leadership by co-sponsoring and actively supporting the HCRA. But all Democrats should, and so should Republicans.
This measure deserves floor votes and passage in both houses of the legislature so everyone inside and outside this state sees what a bold but fair-minded, pro-family, pro-business health care agenda looks like.
Apprenticeship bill ready for signing
By all indications, the apprenticeship utilization bill will be the first piece of legislation signed into law by Governor Christine Gregoire. SB 5097, which would put into statute Gov. Locke's 2000 executive order requiring 15% utilization of state-certified apprentices at major public works projects, has passed the Senate 27-19 and the House 58-40. It is the first bill to pass both houses and be sent to the governor for signing.
Gregoire who has already indicated she supports the legislation and intends to sign it, will speak at the WSLC's Legislative Conference on Thursday and is likely to discuss the importance of promoting family-wage apprenticeship opportunities in Washington state.
Simple majority school levies passes House
The House voted 73-25 on Monday to amend the state constitution and allow school levies to pass by a simple majority rather than the 60% supermajority now required. The WSLC has supported this measure for years.
HJM 4205, sponsored by Rep. Shay Schual-Berke (D-Normandy Park), must likewise pass by a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Sen. Tracey Eide (D-Federal Way), who sponsored the Senate version, SJR 8202, is working hard for the support of seven Republicans she'll need for passage.
Some of next week's hearings
MONDAY, Feb. 28 -- At 10 a.m., Senate Labor and Commerce hears SB 5777 prohibiting offshoring of work under state contracts and SCR 8407 establishing a joint task force to study offshore outsourcing, and three workers' compensation-related bills: SB 5789, 5823 and 5825. At 1:30 p.m., House Commerce and Labor hears HB 1795, the tip credit bill.
TUESDAY, March 1 -- Senate Labor and Commerce hears SB 5826 regarding COLAs for workers' compensation claims and SB 5850 clarifying the definition of "sick leave" for purposes of the Family Care Act.
PREVIOUS EDITIONS of the 2005 WSLC Legislative Update:
Feb. 11 -- What are they so afraid of? (offshoring, tax breaks, health care & tip credit... oh, my)
Feb. 4 -- Health care: A shared responsibility (plus mental health parity, apprenticeship)
Jan. 28 -- Tax system "unconscionable" (plus tax accountability and disclosure; and more)
Jan. 21 -- Apprenticeship: It's a win-win (plus health care; "Dead Peasant" bill; and more)
Jan. 14 -- Wasteful Retro needs reform (plus state employee contract; more tax breaks)
Copyright © 2005 Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO