Voters mostly opted out, but
were clear on economic issues
They didn’t see
compelling difference
between the parties
By JEFF JOHNSON
A lot of Republicans won on Nov.
4, here in Washington and around the
country. Contrary to the pronounce-
ments of political operatives, there was
not a repudiation of one party’s values
and the crowning of another’s. The
truth is the majority of those registered
to vote, chose not to.
I would suggest that they chose not
to vote because they didn’t see a com-
pelling enough difference between the
two parties or a compelling enough dif-
ference between competing visions.
The 2014 election cycle was not char-
acterized by a robust debate over dif-
ferent ideas and values. And as a result,
who got elected was determined more
by who didn’t vote than by which party
did the better job of getting their parti-
sans to vote.
Two things were striking about this
election — low voter turnout and the
passage of a number of economic fair-
ness measures introduced in blue, red,
and purple states.
While election results are
not yet final in Washington
state, far fewer than 50 per-
cent of registered voters ex-
ercised their democratic
right. Very telling was the
fact that only about 16 per-
cent of registered youth, 25
percent of registered people
of color, and 18 percent of
registered single women un-
der the age of 50 voted. The fact is the
overwhelming majority of this portion
of the rising American electorate chose
not to vote.
But it would be wrong to deduce
that it is just a turnout issue. People
don’t turn out to vote for reasons. They
don’t turn out because they don’t see
the issues important to their lives being
discussed in a cogent and robust way.
Interestingly enough, though, in states
where simple economic fairness meas-
ures were on the ballot, they passed
overwhelmingly.
Increasing the minimum wage was
on the ballot in Arkansas, Alaska, Illi-
nois, Nebraska, South Dakota, as well
as Oakland and San Francisco, Califor-
nia. Each minimum wage measure
passed overwhelmingly — the lowest
vote total was in South
Dakota where it passed
by 55 percent of the vote.
Paid sick leave passed
in Massachusetts; Oak-
land, California; and
Trenton and Montclair,
New Jersey. A pay equity
measure passed in Ore-
gon, and a measure to
lower mass incarceration
passed in California.
The city of Anchorage defeated a
so-called “right to work” measure, and
Missouri defeated an amendment to re-
strict collective bargaining rights for
teachers.
And transportation and mass transit
funding measures passed in Georgia,
Maryland, Rhode Island and Wiscon-
sin.
American voters understand meas-
ures and candidates that run on eco-
nomic fairness issues, and measures
that create needed infrastructure and
jobs. This is not rocket science. This is
about a fundamental sense of justice
and fair play that we share as a core
American value, as well as the fact that
the majority of Americans have not re-
covered from the “Great Recession.”
All of this brings us to Washington
and what happens during the 2015 leg-
islative session. The election battles
were hard fought and are now over.
Those candidates that won should be
congratulated, but also recognize they
have responsibility to listen to the pub-
lic, including the majority of registered
voters who chose not to vote.
During the 2015 legislative session,
legislators will have the opportunity to
hear and pass a set of measures — a
“Shared Prosperity Agenda” — that
would address economic fairness and
job creation — issues such as mini-
mum wage, paid safe and sick leave,
remedies against wage theft, pay fair-
ness and equity, etc. The public under-
stands these issues, not as partisan is-
sues but as measures that will improve
their lives and our economy. I hope that
red, blue and purple agree, just like the
people of South Dakota, Arkansas and
California agree.
(Editor’s Note: Jeff Johnson is pres-
ident of the Washington State Labor
Council, AFL-CIO.)
Voter turnout for
2014 midterms
worst in 72 years
Voter turnout in this year’s midterm
elections was terrible. How terrible?
Just 36.3 percent of eligible voters cast
votes — the worst turnout in 72 years,
the New York Times reports. Only the
1942 election (33.9 percent) had a
lower rate of voter turnout.
NOVEMBER 21, 2014
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
Multnomah County
workers ratify contract
with $15 minimum wage
Workers at Multnomah County voted resoundingly in favor of ratifying
a new three-year contract in ballots cast Nov. 13-14. About 2,900 workers
are covered by the agreement between the County and American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 88, which
was approved by 94 percent of those casting ballots.
The agreement mostly rolls forward the same terms as the previous con-
tract — with one big exception: A new County minimum wage of $15 an
hour will raise wages for about 160 employees who were making below
that amount. That minimum will be phased in, with a $13 minimum retroac-
tive to July 1, 2014; rising to $14 on July 1, 2015; and reaching $15 on July
1, 2016.
For the rest, wages will increase 2.7 percent across the board, retroactive
to July 1, 2014. Wages will also rise on July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016, based
on the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), with a minimum of 1
percent and a maximum of 4 percent. Local 88’s negotiating team, led by
Oregon AFSCME representative Bryan Lally, had proposed increases of
CPI plus 1 percent — to catch up for years in which members voluntarily
gave up any increase in order to help the County and prevent layoffs. But
County negotiators made it clear they would not agree to that.
Other key terms are identical to the previous contract: nine paid holi-
days a year; 2.4 to 5.4 weeks of paid vacation; paid sick leave; seniority
rights; a grievance procedure; pension benefits and retiree medical insur-
ance; and employer-provided medical, dental, vision, and drug coverage
for employees, spouses and children. Workers have two health insurance
options: a Kaiser plan, for which they pay 5 percent of the premium, and a
Moda Platinum plan, for which they pay 6.75 percent.
The contract runs through June 30, 2017, but starting January 1, 2016, ei-
ther side can choose to reopen bargaining on one issue: health coverage.
The County Board of Commissioners is expected to ratify the contract at
its next regular meeting, Dec. 4.
Worker activists plan ‘Black
Friday’ protests at Walmart
Walmart workers participated in
their boldest action to date Nov. 13 —
the first-ever sit-down strike at a Wal-
mart store. They were protesting for an
end to retaliation when they speak out
for $15 an hour, full-time hours and re-
spect at work.
The striking workers entered the
Crenshaw Walmart in Los Angeles
shortly before 10 a.m. and refused to
move, holding a sit-in near cash regis-
ters. The workers chanted, “Stand Up,
Live Better! Sit Down, Live Better!”
before placing tape over their mouths
signifying the company’s attempts to
silence workers who are calling for
better jobs. After several hours, they
left peacefully and headed to another
Los Angeles-area store, where they
held a rally. Then workers and their
supporters took over the intersection
near the Pico Rivera Walmart, refusing
to leave until they were arrested and re-
moved from the intersection. Twenty-
eight people were arrested, including
clergy, community members and strik-
ers.
The Walmart worker activists are
planning mass protests at stores na-
tionwide on “Black Friday,” the big
shopping day immediately after
Thanksgiving. In Portland, a protest is
scheduled Friday, Nov, 28, from 10
a.m. until noon at the Walmart store at
4200 SE 82nd Ave. For more informa-
tion, go on line to: https://actionnet-
work.org/ events/ oregon-walmart-
workers-stand-up.
Here’s a breakdown of nationwide
eligible voter turnout, based on prelim-
inary estimates of voting data from the
United States Elections Project:
highest voter turnout percentage-wise
in the country.
• Less than half of the eligible voters
in 43 states cast votes.
• The seven that saw more than half:
Oregon, Maine, Wisconsin, Alaska,
Colorado, Minnesota and Iowa.
• No state cracked 60 percent.
• Maine, at 59.3 percent, had the
• Indiana, at 28 percent, had the
lowest.
• In California, Texas and New York
— the three largest states in terms of
population — less than a third of eligi-
ble voters voted.
• New York, at 28.8 percent, had the
fourth lowest turnout rate in the U.S.
(From Yahoo News)
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