Labor Resurgence: Learning from the Recurring Conflict with Capital
Our annual conferences bring us all together to keep our members informed and award significant contributions to labor history in the PNW Join us for this year’s conference May 5-6, 2023! Labor Resurgence: Learning From the Recurring Conflict with Capital Featuring Keynote speaker: Moon-Ho Jung, Harry Bridges Endowed Chair in Labor Studies at UW Also including: Michael Honey, Dan Berger, Ragya Kaul, Sara Palmer, Aaron Goings, Jim Gregory, Michael Goldfield and more! Workshops on the history of labor on the waterfront, in timber and canneries, racial justice and the fight against restrictive covenants, migrant workers’ unions, Black liberation struggles and more Pacific Northwest working class history. More Information Click Here WPEA would like to approve 6 members and 2 E-board/WPEA Staff to attend this conference. Please send your name for approval by April 25th to aubrei@wpea.org and the attendees will be announced on April 27th. Hundreds of union members and supporters have learned how to run a successful campaign for public office via the WSLC’s candidate training program
OLYMPIA (April 12, 2023) — Unions strive not only to win strong contracts for their members, but also to elect pro-worker candidates who will support policies that strengthen our communities and benefit all working people. There’s no better place to find great candidates for public office than from labor’s own ranks. That’s why the Political Department of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO seeks to build worker power not only by supporting the election of pro-worker candidates, but also by recruiting and training our own members and supporters to run for office. On March 29-31, in partnership with its affiliated unions, the WSLC hosted its latest Path to Power political candidate training program in Olympia. This in-person training hosted by WSLC President April Sims and Secretary Treasurer Cherika Carter provided about 30 union members and local community activists with the tools and tips necessary to run a successful political campaign. Path to Power training — facilitated by union political directors, campaign gurus, and elected leaders — covers fundraising, crafting an effective message, creating a campaign plan, building a campaign team, effective targeting, how to talk to voters, and more. Because many labor supporters may not have an opportunity to join a union at their workplace, the Path To Power program provides space for both union members and union supporters to learn to run successful campaigns. The 2023 cohort of the WSLC Path to Power candidate training program. Because this year’s Path to Power training was held in Olympia, participants got to hear from some true labor champions in the Washington State Legislature. State Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), a former WSLC staffer and OPEIU member, and Rep. Liz Berry (D-Seattle), who was a Path to Power participant herself, shared their campaign experiences and advice. “The Washington State Labor Council and its affiliated unions continue to offer the Path to Power program because it works,” Sims said. “Since 2017, we have identified and trained hundreds of union members and community partners to run for public office through this program. Many of them have been elected and are making a difference in their communities.” SEIU Local 925 member Chelsea McElroy is a great example. McElroy returned to this year’s training to speak to participants about her successful 2021 campaign to become a member of the Tacoma Public School Board. One of the primary concerns she heard from the students was regarding the financial costs of campaigns. Asked for her advice about how much money a campaign requires, McElroy said, “Child care workers are broke, so I ran broke and I won broke, and I’m going to keep running and winning!” Craig Woodard, a retired member of the International Union of Operating Engineers who was among the 2023 Path to Power cohort, called the training a “first-rate experience.” “For me the highlight was when all of the participants gave their three-minute stump speeches and received feedback from fellow participants. It was a good way to practice public speaking and to hear others share their thoughts and ideas,” Woodard said. “All in all, it was a very comprehensive and useful program that laid out exactly what is involved with running for office. I also made some friends, and met people I want to be around!” The WSLC thanks the following additional facilitators and guests for their participation in the 2023 Path to Power training:
WSLC Wednesdays is a regular feature of The Stand where different departments of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO describe their recent activities and the services they are providing to WSLC-affiliated unions. Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=115893 Thurston-Lewis-Mason CLC plans May Day event in Olympia
All are invited to attend, organize, sponsor this celebration at Heritage Park OLYMPIA — The Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council and its new committee, the South Sound Labor School, invite all working people and families in Olympia and the surrounding area to join them for a May Day Celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Olympia’s Heritage Park, 5th Ave. SW, on International Workers Day, May 1, 2023. “With this event, TLM CLC joins millions around the world in celebrating International Workers’ Day and hopes to unite our diverse communities around the common struggles for dignity, democracy, and justice,” said Alice Rosewater with AFSCME 3758. “Almost everybody is expected to work for a living, but not all those people see themselves as part of the working class. TLM CLC hopes to help change that with our May Day celebration, to show what unites us and to promote our common bonds as we seek to build a better future.” All working people in our region are welcome to enjoy the event’s live music, food, and games. They’ll also have the chance to hear from notable figures in the South Sound’s Labor community, including ○ Bob Guenther (TLM CLC) ○ Mike Yestramski (WFSE/AFSCME Council 28) ○ Dylan Lux (Starbucks Workers United Tumwater) ○ Clint Bryson (IBEW 76) ○ Rachelle Martin (TLM CLC) ○ Kimberly Klontz (BLET 238) ○ Mark McLaughlin (UFCW 367) As the council prepares for the May Day Celebration, all are invite to participate in a number of ways: ● Attend the event as a participant! Come and eat, play some games and connect with us! ● Staff a booth to advertise your local union or program. Showcase the work you do or an initiative you are proud of and want to share. ● Send a speaker to address the crowd. We want to hear from you! We are building a program of speakers and music. If you or anyone in your group wants time at the microphone let us know! ● Sponsor the event as a Supporter ($250), Associate ($500), or Partner ($1,000). ● Join the planning committee. All committee members have access to all planning documents; including permits, budget, contracts. Get more information on the event at tlmlabor.org or contact TLM CLC Treasurer Rachelle Martin at 360-261-2090 or treasurer@tlmlabor.org. Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=115839 Actions opposing grocery merger this week across state, nation(April 5, 2023) — Grocery store workers from seven UFCW local unions – representing more than 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers in 11 states and the District of Columbia – are holding actions in front of stores now through April 13 to connect with customers about the impacts of the proposed megamerger. Since the companies announced the proposed merger in October, workers, unions, consumer groups and others have raised the alarm about the negative impact on workers, shoppers, and suppliers such as farmers and ranchers. In mid-March a national coalition of more than 100 organizations was announced with a new website: NoGroceryMerger.com. If the $24.6 billion megamerger is approved, it will drive out competition, increase food prices, create food deserts, and put up to 100,000 union jobs at risk. The growing opposition is asking the Federal Trade Commission to block the megamerger from moving forward and prevent its negative impact on both consumer and labor markets. The local unions participating in the actions include UFCW 3000 (WA & northern ID) and UFCW 367, South Puget Sound of Washington state, plus UFCW 400 (MD, DC, VA, WV, OH, KY, TN), UFCW 7 (CO & WY), UFCW 770 (Southern CA), UFCW 5 (Northern CA), and UFCW 324 (Orange County CA/Southern Los Angeles County). Actions are scheduled at the following dates, times, locations: Wednesday, April 5 — PORT ORCHARD 11 a.m., Safeway, 3355 Bethel RD SE Wednesday, April 5 — BELLEVUE Noon, QFC, 15600 NE 8th St Suite K-1 Thursday, April 6 — MARYSVILLE 3 p.m., Fred Meyer, 9925 State St. Thursday, April 6 — SPOKANE 4 p.m., Albertsons, 6520 North Nevada St. Thursday, April 6 — SEATTLE Noon, QFC, 9999 Holman Rd NW Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=115831 University Place Hotel and Conference Center in Portland, OR
June 25-28, 2023 SIUW is a comprehensive leadership institute consisting of skills building workshops, cultural activities, and education sessions designed to expand our understanding of solidarity and rebuild connections across our region. This event is for all cis and trans women, non-binary, queer, questioning, and those who are comfortable in a space that centers our experiences. WPEA would like to approve 4 members to attend this conference. Please send your name for approval by April 18th to aubrei@wpea.org and the attendees will be announced on April 24th. L&I proposes permanent rules to protect workers from heatThe following is from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I):
TUMWATER (March 27, 2023) — A new proposal last week to update Washington’s permanent heat rules would increase protections for agricultural, construction, and other workers exposed to dangerous outdoor temperatures on the job. L&I filed the proposed update to the permanent heat rule on Tuesday, officially kicking off the formal process for public input. Vea abajo para esta información en español. Washington’s existing rules already require employers to have an outdoor heat exposure safety program with training, make sure each worker has ready access to at least one quart of suitable drinking water per hour, and provide an appropriate response to workers who are experiencing heat-related illness symptoms. The proposed changes address the need for more preventative measures in the rules. Preventing workers from overheating reduces the risk of heat-related illness and also traumatic injuries like falling from ladders. Some of the updates to the proposed rule include:
Protecting outdoor workers from high temperatures Current permanent heat rules were put in place by L&I in 2008. Acknowledging the need for more preventative measures in high heat, temporary emergency heat rules were in place over the past two years while the permanent rule was being updated. The current permanent rule is in effect annually from May through the end of September. The proposed permanent rule would be in effect year-round. Public input opportunities Before the anticipated adoption in June, L&I will conduct five in-person public hearings in communities around the state and one virtual public hearing to take comments. Details on how to attend the hearings or submit comments by mail, fax, or email, can be found on L&I’s rulemaking activity page. Public comments will be accepted through May 11. L&I will review and consider comments submitted before making any needed adjustments and adopting the permanent rule. To help employers comply with these and other rules, L&I provides a host of free resources. Visit L&I’s Heat Smart web page to get more information on the current Outdoor Heat Exposure rules and the proposed rule updates. Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=115428 WSLC’s Sims: Howard Schultz is ‘an embarrassment’ to WA SEATTLE (March 29, 2023) — April Sims, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, released the following statement regarding former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s testimony today before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: Howard Schultz says that leading Starbucks has been his “life’s work.” But his legacy is permanently stained by his decision to break labor laws and deny his employees their basic legal rights. It’s not up to Howard Schultz, Laxman Narasimhan, or any other CEO to decide whether employees can join together in a union. It’s up to the workers. That’s the law, and Howard Schultz and Starbucks are not above it. In the past 16 months, thousands of Starbucks workers at hundreds of stores have chosen to form unions to improve their wages and working conditions. And more are doing so every day. Schultz and Starbucks have retaliated against organizing workers with illegal scorched-earth tactics: firing them for trumped-up reasons, denying them raises, cutting their hours, closing their stores, withholding credit card tipping, and refusing to negotiate a first contract. Court decisions have confirmed that Starbucks continues to commit these “egregious and widespread” labor law violations. And yet, in the face of all this, brave Starbucks workers are still standing up for their rights and demanding a union contract. While Starbucks is a multi-national corporation, it often celebrates its roots in Washington. Our state is one of the most unionized states in the country. We are proud of our progressive pro-worker values and our history of defying corporate control of the working class. Starbucks may call Seattle home, but Howard Schultz is an embarrassment to Washington state. The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is the state’s largest union organization, representing some 600 unions with 450,000 rank-and-file members. Learn more at www.wslc.org. Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=115539 For qualified applicants, the WPEA will award the remaining scholarships as they are received, up through April 15th. There are currently 2 remaining $1,000 scholarships. Applications must be emailed to Scholarships@wpea.org by Saturday, April 15, 2023. For more information and application please click here.
Be sure to mark your calendars for May Day this year! Your Thurston Lewis Mason Central Labor Council is excited to invite you and your Local to connect with your brothers, sisters and siblings this spring, summer and beyond!
Applications are now open for Union Summer 2023, paid internships promoting good jobs and social change
SEATTLE (March 15, 2023) — Each summer, the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO gives a diverse group of people a taste of what it’s like to promote good jobs and social change. Calling the experience “eye-opening” and “life-changing,” many participants have ended up launching careers in Washington’s union movement or with allied community organizations. Union Summer is the paid ($20/hour) summer internship program where participants spend an exciting seven weeks — this year, from June 20 to Aug. 5 — getting hands-on experience making a difference in our communities. The program is divided into three main sections: education, actions, and on-the-job training. Weekly schedules can include attending rallies and staffing strike lines, registering voters, making job-site visits with union members, political field work, and more. APPLY NOW! — Are you or anyone you know interested in working for social change? Applications are now open for Union Summer 2023! The deadline to apply is April 28. Participants will be working full-time with different campaigns based in and around Seattle, although the campaigns may take place throughout the region. Please download and post this flier about this year’s Union Summer opportunities. WSLC Secretary Treasurer Cherika Carter has supervised the Union Summer program for the past several years in her former position as the council’s Political and Strategic Campaigns Director, and says it’s been a particularly gratifying project. The 2022 Union Summer cohort with WSLC Secretary Treasurer Cherika Carter (far right). “It’s been amazing to facilitate the Union Summer program and watch these inspiring interns make a difference in our communities,” Carter said. “I’m particularly proud and gratified that many of them have gone on to work with the WSLC’s affiliated unions as organizers or in other staff positions. Union Summer has proven to be an investment in the future of Washington’s union movement.” Some have even come back to help run the Union Summer program for subsequent cohorts. “I was a Union Summer intern in 2018 and it was such a life-changing experience for me that I was beyond grateful for the opportunity to contribute as 2022’s Program Coordinator,” said Raquel Binford, who is now a Political Organizer for the Coalition for Change. “Having a program like Union Summer is truly special. For many folks like me, it sets the foundation for the important relationships we make with leaders in labor. It was exciting to see last summer’s interns experience the same.” Among the unions that sponsored and hosted Union Summer interns in 2022 were PROTEC17, Teamsters Joint Council 28, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28, Seattle Education Association, SEIU 775, and of course, the WSLC itself. Union Summer 2022 interns meet Sen. Patty Murray at a primary election GOTV event. Here’s what a typical Union Summer week could look like:
https://www.thestand.org/2023/03/life-changing-opportunities-to-make-a-difference/ If you have questions about the COVID Booster Incentive please be sure to check out our FAQ at www.wpea.org/COVIDBoosterFAQ. If you have other questions about the Covid booster incentive, problems applying for the Covid booster incentive with my employer, or problems receiving payment for the Covid booster incentive contact the WPEA Staff Representative assigned to your agency or college. Staff representative assignments can be found here.
Help for getting ‘sure and certain relief’WSLC’s Project HELP assists with navigating the workers’ compensation system
SEATTLE (Mar. 8, 2023) — Workers’ compensation is a critical safety net for Washington’s working families. The system was established “to provide sure and certain relief for workers, injured in their work, and their families and dependents,” and its benefits help thousands of Washington families avoid economic catastrophe when someone is injured or sickened at work. But navigating this system can be challenging. That’s why the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO makes sure that help is available. For more than 35 years, the WSLC’s Project HELP program has made a difference by educating injured workers and providing individual one-on-one workers’ compensation claims guidance. The program, which is jointly administered by the WSLC and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), takes a hands-on approach to helping and teaching people about the claims process. Project HELP Director Jessica Gallardo and Senior Claims Specialist Kathy Petruzzelli and Bilingual Claims Specialist Emmanuel Carrillo have empowered countless injured workers to become proactive in resolving their claims. For example, an injured worker recently called Project HELP to get information about his time-loss benefits. After reviewing his claim file, it was discovered that his wage order was missing information. It indicated he was single with zero dependents at the time of injury, but he was married with four children. He had received the wage order letter, but did not understand its purpose and ignored it. Project HELP staff advised him of his right to protest the wage order and the supporting documents he would need. Ultimately, his wage order was updated and his time-loss compensation went from 60 to 73 percent of wages at the time of injury. He also received an adjustment for previous lower time-loss payments. In addition to one-on-one claims guidance like this, Project HELP conducts educational workshops explaining how the system works for workers and employers, whether they participate in the State Fund or are self-insured. “One of our goals is to increase awareness of the claims process and advise workers of their rights and responsibilities,” Gallardo said. “In the past couple of months, we have participated in 19 trainings and outreach events with various partners including multiple apprenticeship programs, physical therapy clinics, local unions, and L&I.” These trainings provide information about the free services Project HELP has to offer, describes the steps for filing a claim for a work injury or illness, and explains wage replacement benefits, dispute rights, and much more. “No one plans on being hurt at work, but when events bring people to workers’ compensation claims, being armed with information will help you understand and navigate the system for a safe and timely return to work,” Gallardo said. If you or a loved one have been injured on the job or developed a medical condition from the performance of job duties, you need to be proactive about ensuring your “sure and certain relief” in the workers’ compensation system. Contact Project HELP at 1-800-255-9752 or via this email form. For more information about Project HELP’s services, download its English and Spanish brochure, or visit its website. WSLC Wednesdays is a feature of The Stand where different departments of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO describe their recent activities and the services they are providing to WSLC-affiliated unions. Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=114986 |
Resources
March 2024
Keywords
All
|
Location |
|
Contact Us |