Northwest labor press., February 19, 2010, Page 2, Image 2

Feb. 19, 2010:NWLP
2/16/10
9:46 AM
Page 2
Unions tracking several jobs
bills in Washington Legislature
OLYMPIA —Washington State
Labor Council (WSLC), the AFL-
CIO umbrella organization, is ramp-
ing up its legislative efforts as the
2010 session of the Washington Leg-
islature winds down.
The session began Jan. 11 and
ends March 11.
Jobs, jobs, and jobs are labor’s top
three priorities, and front and center
is the Jobs Act of 2010 (HR 2561 and
SB 6547), which would ask voters to
approve $850 million in bonds to pay
for energy efficiency retrofits at
schools, colleges, and other public fa-
cilities. The proposal would create an
estimated 38,000 prevailing wage
jobs. It passed the House 57-41 on
Jan. 20.
Another public works jobs bill —
the Working for Clean Water bill (HB
3181 and SB 6851) — would pay for
storm water pollution cleanup in
every county by tripling the “haz-
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ardous substances” tax voters ap-
proved in 1988. The $1.50-a-barrel
tax on oil exported from Washington
refineries could raise $339 million
over five years and put thousands of
people back to work in construction.
Stopping further job losses in the
public sector is also a priority. Last
year, the Legislature made $9 billion
in budget cuts, but the continuing re-
cession has drilled another $2.6 bil-
lion hole in the state budget. WSLC is
working with the Washington Federa-
tion of State Employees, AFSCME,
to oppose proposals to close correc-
tions facilities and state health institu-
tions. And they’re opposing SB 6503,
which would close all state agencies
and furlough workers one day a
month; the bill passed the Senate Jan.
22 by 27-17.
WFSE Executive Director Greg
Devereux suggested that lawmakers
instead furlough some of the 154 tax
breaks the Legislature has approved
in the last decade.
WSLC is also supporting changes
to I-960, an initiative voters passed in
2007 that requires a two-thirds major-
ity in both legislative chambers for
any tax increase. Opponents say the
measure (which itself passed by just
51 percent) is undemocratic because
it prevents legislative majorities from
doing the jobs they were elected to
do. SB 6843 would suspend parts of
Initiative 960 through June 2011, and
permanently change other parts.
Meanwhile, something has to be
done for those who are jobless in a
down economy through no fault of
their own. WSLC is fighting to expand
eligibility for unemployment insur-
ance benefits and renew a temporary
unemployment benefit increase of $45
to $71 a week that expired Jan. 1.
WSLC successfully opposed ef-
forts by business lobby groups to fur-
ther reduce employer contributions to
the unemployment insurance trust
fund; the Legislature already reduced
rates last year, and two bills to reduce
them further died Feb. 5.
Finally, HB 2553/SB 6334 would
make unemployment insurance bene-
fits available to workers who quit jobs
for good cause, and SB 6526 would
make it available to laid-off workers
who are only seeking part-time work;
the latter would cost the state unem-
ployment insurance fund $36 million
a year, but would bring in $98 million
in federal funds.
Some other bills WSLC is sup-
porting:
• HB 1992 would require the pre-
vailing wage to be paid on public-pri-
vate partnership projects (construc-
tion projects that get tax incentives,
government loans or free land).
• HB 2986/SB 5757 would add
nonvoting labor members to public
transportation governing bodies.
• HB 751 would add labor repre-
sentation to community college
boards of trustees.
Student engineers get lesson in bricklaying
Structural engineering students from Portland State University get a real
world look at bricklaying from Matt Eleazer (right), president of Bricklayers
and Allied Craftworkers Local 1. For several years the Masonry Institute of
Oregon has invited engineering students to the Bricklayers Apprenticeship
Training Center in Northeast Portland to give them some practical experience
in the art of laying bricks. For instance, each student lifted and placed a 12-
inch and 8-inch block to illustrate the difference in weight and mobility of
each piece. On paper, it might be quicker to lay 12-inch block, but the wear
and tear on bricklayers can be extensive. “It’s food for thought when you go
to design a building,” Eleazer told the students. Joining Eleazer teaching the
class was Bricklayer apprenticeship coordinator Shawn Lenczowski.
...‘Vote your job’ rally
(From Page 1)
fore a set deadline.
Shiprack said SB 1020 would have
helped build and improve the state’s en-
ergy infrastructure by easing the permit
process on “lateral” construction proj-
ects such as roads, bridges, rail lines,
pipelines, and transmission lines.
“This bill actually makes it easier for
landowners,” Shiprack said. “Under
current law, (state, county etc.) has to
first condemn a property before a de-
veloper can start negotiating with a
landowner. SB 1020 would allow a de-
veloper to start talks with a landowner
prior to condemnation.”
Environmental groups opposed the
bill, as did the Yamhill County Demo-
cratic Central Committee, which passed
a resolution Jan. 21 asking lawmakers
to kill it.
Other jobs bills being tracked: SB
1050 is a Buy America law that would
require use ofAmerican-made construc-
tion materials on public works projects.
HB 3651 would require paying prevail-
ing wage rates on construction and in-
stallation of solar energy systems on
public-owned land. HB 3604 requires
public agencies to buy locally when pur-
chasing goods for public projects.
The special session is scheduled to
conclude by February 26.
We recognize the valuable
community work done by
these recipients of STC’s
Holiday donations:
•Northwest Workers Justice Project
•Street Roots
•Growing Gardens
•Campaign for Equal Justice
•Outside In
PAGE 2
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
FEBRUARY 19, 2010