Latest news with #WashingtonStateLaborCouncil
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Bob Ferguson signs bill giving unemployment to striking WA workers
The Brief The governor has signed a new bill into law which creates a path to collecting benefits while on strike. Unemployment benefits wouldn't start as soon as a strike begins, however. The bill takes effect in 2026. SEATTLE - Striking workers will be able to collect unemployment benefits starting next year. This will make Washington the third state in the United States to pass such a bill, joining New York and New Jersey. Big picture view Governor Bob Ferguson signed a new bill into law, SB 5041, which will make workers eligible for unemployment insurance while on strike. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026 and has a 10-year sunset clause, meaning the stat e legislature will need to vote on whether to renew the bill or let it die in 2036. Benefits will not start until 15–21 days after the strike begins, which will depend on the day of week it starts. However, if a contract agreement is reached before this point, there will be no benefits paid out, according to Washington State Democrats. What they're saying "Striking is a last resort, and this bill will help level the playing field for workers trying to exercise their right to collectively bargain for fair wages and safe workplace conditions," Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane) said. "Workers joining together in union and collectively bargaining to improve working conditions is as American as apple pie," said April Sims, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. "But with stagnant wages and a rising cost of living, many workers don't have a safety net if they are pushed to strike. Full statement can be found on the Senate Democrats SB 5041 page. The other side The House Republicans' "Stop Bad Bills" page dissects the newly-passed bill, calling it a dangerous precedent for labor disputes. "SB 5041 would insert the state into private labor negotiations, tilting the balance in favor of unions and incentivizing longer, more frequent strikes," reads a portion of the webpage. The Source Information in this report came from Washington State Legislature, Washington State Democrats, and Washington State Republicans. Viral TikTok warns women of convicted rapist released in Seattle Over 100 Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores to close, including 8 in WA Seattle Seahawks 2025 schedule released, here are all 17 matchups Marymoor Park announces 2025 summer concert series lineup in Redmond, WA Viral TikTok captures truck break-in after Seattle Mariners game, despite police presence Bryan Kohberger back in court for pretrial hearing in Idaho students murder case 'Scared of accountability': Crowd calls out West Seattle leaders at public safety meeting FBI nabs Thurston County, WA fugitive hundreds of miles from crime scene To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington will pay unemployment benefits to striking workers
Labor advocates filled up the governor's conference room on Monday, May 19, 2025 and watched Gov. Bob Ferguson sign Senate Bill 5041, which extends unemployment insurance to striking workers. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard) Labor advocates scored a win on Monday after Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a new law to extend unemployment benefits to striking workers in Washington. The governor's conference room was packed with advocates and lawmakers who gathered to see Ferguson sign the law with his blue felt tip pen. 'Allowing striking workers to access unemployment insurance benefits creates a more level playing field for workers to have the resources they need to effectively bargain for better working conditions,' Ferguson said before putting his signature on Senate Bill 5041. The new law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026 and is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2035. Washington joins New York and New Jersey as the only states that provide such benefits to striking workers. The bill generated controversy during the legislative session, with Republicans and business groups opposing the idea, arguing that it will encourage more workers to go on strike and result in higher costs for businesses. Democrats and labor advocates say this law will disincentivize bad faith behavior by employers and encourage them to engage with their workers. 'No one wants to go out on strike,' said April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council. 'Going out on strike is the absolute last resort, and workers that strike do so because there is simply no other option.' The bill went through several rounds of negotiations over how long workers could collect unemployment insurance. Unemployment insurance is typically available for up to 26 weeks. When the bill first passed the Senate, the benefits would be extended for up to 12 weeks for strikers. But when it passed the House, the threshold was lowered to four weeks. Lawmakers ultimately settled on six weeks. Workers will be eligible for unemployment benefits starting 15 to 21 days after the strike begins, depending on the day the strike starts. If the contract is resolved before that time, benefits will not be issued. The benefits will also be extended to workers affected by an employer-initiated lockout, something labor advocates point to as a tactic businesses use to put pressure on workers during contract negotiations. The state's Employment Security Department will also be required to submit annual reports to the Legislature with data on the number of strikes in the state and the cost of benefits for striking workers for Washington's unemployment insurance trust fund, which is funded by a tax on employers.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State workers blast Ferguson's furlough plan, calling it a betrayal
Hundreds of people gathered at the Washington state Capitol on Monday to urge the Legislature to adopt progressive tax policies and not cut funds for public services and education in response to a projected budget deficit. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard) Attorney General Bob Ferguson pledged to labor leaders in July 2023 that if elected governor, he'd have their back as he set about to change the culture of state government. 'Each and every day, I will center your faces and your voices in every decision I make,' Ferguson told attendees at the Washington State Labor Council convention in SeaTac. But the Democratic governor didn't give public employee unions a heads up before he announced he wanted to furlough state government workers for one day a month and axe bonuses paid to teachers in order to help balance the budget. Front-line workers and educators feel betrayed and frustrated that the man they helped elect wants to reduce their income while declining to endorse new or higher taxes on the state's wealthiest individuals and largest corporations. 'They feel they were lied to. We have to stop being the ones having the budgets balanced on our backs,' said Mike Yestramski, president of the Washington Federation of State Employees, following a rally Monday at the Capitol held by those pushing the Legislature to tax the wealthy and big businesses to erase the multi-billion dollar deficit. Yestramski called Ferguson a 'pseudo Democrat' and added: 'Budgets are moral documents. This is his moral test.' Brendy Fountaine of Tukwila was working at the University of Washington and a member of United Auto Workers Local 4121 during part of last year's gubernatorial campaign. It never crossed her mind that one of Ferguson's first acts would be to pursue furloughs. 'I personally feel betrayed,' she said at the rally. 'I was spending hours of my time calling up people I didn't know to talk up Bob for governor.' Dana Prigmore of Everett Community College didn't attend the rally. She said she has appealed directly to her representatives in the 32nd Legislative District to reject the governor's furlough idea. 'We cannot bear the burden of budget shortfalls at the expense of our livelihoods,' she said. 'It just feels like once again, here we are, the lies that those in elected positions tell no matter which side of the aisle they stand.' Thus far, there's been bipartisan skepticism of the use of furloughs to overcome a shortfall of as much as $6 billion in the next two-year budget. Republican leaders would prefer Ferguson and the Legislature not fund collective bargaining agreements negotiated last year that lawmakers still need to green light. They argue that would save roughly $1.4 billion in general fund spending in the next budget. Casting the bargaining agreements aside is a non-starter for majority Democrats. So too, it seems, are furloughs. New or higher taxes are on the menu for Democrats in the House and Senate, lawmakers said at Monday's rally. 'I think you'll be quite pleased when we roll out the budget and revenue package,' state Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, told the cheering crowd. Democrats in both chambers are expected to release their budget proposals in about a week. House Democrats are looking at hiking taxes paid by mega businesses and financial institutions and expecting Ferguson to support them. State Rep. Shaun Scott, D-Seattle, said he was mad that in a state where Democrats control the legislative and executive branches, people still had to congregate and fight to protect the working people. People are rightfully angry at a federal government threatening to make draconian cuts in entitlements and undertaking mass layoffs, Scott said, adding that he was 'not seeing any policies that are any better coming out of the governor's office in this state.' He skewered the governor's proposals to furlough workers, hike tuition at state universities and spend $100 million more to hire cops. 'I think that's called Fergonomics,' he said. 'We think he can do better than he has been doing.' Ferguson embedded furloughs among the $4 billion in spending cuts he wants Democratic lawmakers to consider in their budget proposals. When Ferguson first outlined the reductions he said he would honor new collective bargaining agreements with the state's 'hardworking public servants' that contain cost-of-living increases of 3% on July 1 and 2% on July 1, 2026. In the same breath, he said most state employees should be furloughed one day a month during the next two-year budget cycle. The move would save $300 million. State troopers and staff working in prisons and state hospitals would be exempt. And like former Gov. Jay Inslee, he called for ending bonuses paid to teachers who earn certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Cutting the extra pay, which ranges from $6,324 to $11,324, would save $310 million over the next two budgets. State employees negotiated new collective bargaining agreements with Inslee's administration. Ferguson's proposal would effectively cost workers 5% in earnings, essentially wiping out the salary gains of the contract while the furloughs remain in effect, said Kurt Spiegel, executive director of the 50,000-member Washington Federation of State Employees. Spiegel said they're hoping the Legislature 'doesn't have an appetite for these furloughs. We've been down this road before. It didn't work. It didn't save the money they thought it would.' He was referring to actions taken in the Great Recession by lawmakers and then governor Christine Gregoire, a Democrat, to require employees to take up to 10 unpaid days off. Ferguson publicized his idea Feb. 27 but has left the next step up to legislative budget writers. 'Governor Ferguson's proposals are intended to help them in their work. It is ultimately up to the Legislature what is included in the final budget,' Brionna Aho, Ferguson's communications director, wrote in an email. Most collective bargaining agreements contain language allowing management to implement furloughs, which are referred to as temporary layoffs in the contracts. If the Legislature passes a separate bill or includes furlough savings in the budget, Aho said that management would formally notify the union and offer to bargain over the impacts.
