Posts tagged Washington
Spokane County library district unionizes, citing scheduling concerns
September 9, 2025 // Spokane County Library District is one of the last nonunionized public library districts in the state, according to Council 2 Director Michael Rainey. Unions are typically certified 60-90 days after filing for union recognition. Once the union is certified, the library district will meet with union members to start negotiations for the employees' first contract, which will likely include issues like scheduling concerns and compensation.
Commentary: Unions Are Shrinking Nationwide—But Not in California
September 3, 2025 // California, though, is noteworthy for its steady union presence. It hasn’t fluctuated much since 2005, despite the national decline. Further, the federal data set used to produce the union figures does not include home health care and child care workers who are classified as self-employed. In California, that takes in some 700,000 workers, even though their hourly wages are negotiated with individual counties through unions.
Labor unions are much stronger in Oregon than nationally
September 2, 2025 // Nearly 300,000 Oregon workers belong to a union, according to federal data, about 1 in 6 workers statewide. Union membership rates have fluctuated since the 1980s but have gradually increased over the past two decades.
Unions, contractors clash over proposal to require labor equity in Spokane projects
August 24, 2025 // Priority hires must either be a graduate from a state-certified pre-apprenticeship program; a veteran, person of color, woman, those formerly convicted of a crime, formerly homeless or a tribal member; or living in an area of the city with higher rates of poverty and lower rates of higher education and employment. “We do not believe the government should mandate or compel any firm to change its labor policies in order to perform these projects,” said Cheryl Stewart, executive director for the Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors, during a Monday reading of the proposal. “This law is not inclusive, it’s exclusive: over 85% of Washington’s workforce is non-union, and 98% of women- and minority-owned firms are non-union, and these contractors and their employees would be shut out or forced to change their labor policies.”
Argonne Road construction faces possible delays amid union strike
August 18, 2025 // Rush hour headaches exacerbated by construction on Argonne Road through Millwood could continue for longer than originally planned thanks to a union labor dispute. Workers on the project aren't striking, but the project is dependent on concrete deliveries that could be held up by striking members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302.
Strike halts work on North Spokane Corridor, other projects
August 14, 2025 // WSDOT says it's aware of the strike and confirms work has been suspended on the North Spokane Corridor Spokane River Crossing, paving projects near Pullman on US 195, and in Chewelah on US 395. The northbound lanes of the Greene Street Bridge and one southbound lane are closed indefinitely due to an ongoing strike, according to the WSDOT. WSDOT said there are holes in the bridge and there's no way to reopen it while the strike continues. The agency said it does not know how long the strike will affect the closure.
Thousands of Boeing workers who build fighter jets and weapons go on strike
August 4, 2025 // The vote followed a weeklong cooling-off period after the machinists rejected an earlier proposed contract, which included a 20% wage increase over four years and $5,000 ratification bonuses. Boeing warned over the weekend that it anticipated the strike after workers rejected its latest offer, which did not further boost the proposed wage hike. However, the proposal removed a scheduling provision that would have affected workers' ability to earn overtime pay. “We’re disappointed our employees rejected an offer that featured 40% average wage growth and resolved their primary issue on alternative work schedules,”
Another 200 Legacy Nurses Join Oregon Nurses Association (AFT affiliate)
July 20, 2025 // The new members work in Legacy’s “resource pool,” meaning they rotate among hospitals, filling in as needed in various departments. They filed union authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board in May and voted 109-16 to join the ONA on July 8, according to the NLRB. Including the new members, more than 3,200 Legacy nurses are now part of the ONA. The surge marks a turnaround for organized labor at Legacy, where unions have had far less clout than at Oregon Health & Science University. The union has been adding members at Legacy since August 2023, when OHSU announced its intent to buy Legacy, a deal that was supported by union leaders before it collapsed in May. The vote by resource pool nurses shows that union membership is still enticing as Legacy goes it alone.
Workers striking by choice could lose unemployment benefits in blue states under GOP proposal
July 20, 2025 // Legislation targets policies in Oregon, Washington, New York and New Jersey that provide financial support during strikes The legislation is co-sponsored by Reps. Aaron Bean, R-Fla.; Mike Kelly, R-Pa.; Blake Moore, R-Utah; Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas; Greg Murphy, R-N.C.; David Rouzer, R-N.C.; Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y.; and Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas. The governors of both Oregon and Washington signed laws earlier this year allowing for striking workers to receive unemployment benefits.
Gig Drivers Unionize Without Employee Status Under State Plans
July 17, 2025 // Unlike in California, Lyft and Uber remained publicly neutral on the Massachusetts ballot measure and Uber recently vowed to do the same in Illinois. For the companies, the bargaining schemes have the benefit of keeping drivers classified as independent contractors. “As we’ve said for years, we’re willing to work with state legislators on benefit and protection legislation that prioritizes preserving drivers’ independence and flexibility,” said Uber spokesperson Josh Gold.