Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2013)
Washington AFL-CIO convention: ‘Labor can’t do it alone’ Resolution calls for continuation of fight for funding to build new I-5 bridge with light rail VANCOUVER, Wash. — Labor can’t do it alone. That was the number one message of the July 25-27 convention of the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC), which stressed “build- ing bridges” to like-minded groups and individu- als, including nonunion workers and the immi- grant rights and environmental movements. “If we are to give real voice to working peo- ple, then we must build true bridges with our strategic community partners,” said WSLC pres- ident Jeff Johnson. WSLC, a state-level body of the AFL-CIO union federation, has local affiliated unions that represent around 400,000 union members in to- tal. The three-day convention, held at the Van- couver Hilton Hotel and Convention Center, drew 400 delegates and 100 alternates. One convention highlight was a set of hour- long “listening sessions” led by trained facilita- tors. The national AFL-CIO is conducting the sessions around the country in preparation for its quadrennial convention Sept. 8-11 in Los Ange- les. In essence, participants were asked for ideas about what the labor movement can do differ- ently — an acknowledgement that what organ- AUGUST 2, 2013 ized labor is doing now isn’t working. Union ranks are shrinking, and workers are falling be- hind. Several elected leaders addressed the conven- tion for public sessions or closed discussions, in- cluding Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, state Sen. Nathan Schlicher, and Congressman Denny Heck. Delegates also heard from the Vermont AFL-CIO about efforts to bring about universal health care in that state via a public single-payer health insurance system starting in 2017. And they heard from a national AFL-CIO trade pol- icy expert that union opposition is firming up to the soon-to-be-completed Trans-Pacific Partner- ship — a NAFTA-style trade agreement cover- ing a dozen Pacific Rim nations. Convention delegates also approved resolu- tions setting policy and direction for the coming year. That included a unanimous resolution call- ing for a continued fight for funding of a new I-5 bridge over the Columbia River that would in- clude light rail. Delegates also endorsed the na- tional AFL-CIO’s call for comprehensive immi- gration reform. 2013 wasn’t a good year for labor in Olympia The Washington State Labor Council distrib- uted its legislative report at its July 25-27 con- vention, and to summarize, 2013 wasn’t a good year for labor in Olympia. Democrats Rodney Tom of Medina and Tim Sheldon of Potlatch de- fected last December and handed Senate leader- ship over to Republicans. From that point on, Washingtonians got a bitterly partisan Legislature and a near-shutdown of state government. It took the regular session plus two special legislative sessions for lawmakers to agree on a budget, and major works of legislation — including a $10 bil- lion transportation funding bill — were left un- finished, with Senate Republicans refusing to vote on them. Under its Republican leadership, the Senate voted seven times to cut workers’ compensation benefits, but those bills went nowhere in the Dem- ocratic-led House. Neither did a Senate-passed bill to undermine Seattle’s paid sick leave ordi- nance by exempting employers not headquartered in Seattle. Other Senate-passed bills that died in the House would have created a “good faith” de- fense for employers that violate minimum wage and overtime laws; made it easier to fire teachers; created a punitive letter system for grading schools; eliminated health insurance benefits for part-time state employees and college faculty; re- placed state employee pensions with 401(k)-style defined contribution plans; expanded payday loans; weakened a state prevailing wage law; and repealed a paid family leave law that has yet to be implemented. Meanwhile, modest labor-backed bills passed by the House got nowhere in the Senate, includ- ing proposals to add a labor representative to community college boards, expand apprentice- ship and vocational rehab programs, and give in- terpreters the right to unionize. All those votes produced stark divides in leg- islative rankings. WSLC ranked Washington’s 49 state senators on 12 votes they took. Seventeen NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS senators, all of them Democrats, voted in accord with WSLC 100 percent of the time. But 22 sen- ators voted against the WSLC 100 percent of the time — 20 Republicans, plus turncoat Democrats Tom and Sheldon. WSLC then ranked Washington’s 98 state rep- resentatives on 10 House votes; 48, all of them Democrats, voted the WSLC recommendation 100 percent of the time. No state representatives voted against the WSLC recommendation 100 percent of the time, but 12 House Republicans came away with 10 percent rankings. Southwest Washington lawmakers voted along the lines of their party majorities. Republican Sens. Don Benton and Ann Rivers were ranked at 0 percent, while Democrat Annette Cleveland had 100 percent. In the House, Democrats Jim Moeller and Sharon Wylie had 100 percent, De- mocrat Monica Stonier had 80 percent, and Re- publicans Paul Harris, Liz Pike, and Brandon Vick had 20, 10, and 10 percent respectively. PAGE 7
