Posts tagged Washington
Workers Challenge NLRB Policy Permitting Employers and Union Bosses to Coerce Dues Payments Even in Absence of Union Contract
September 16, 2026 // In Washington State, Brittani Butler and four other employees at Holaday-Parks, Inc. resigned from their membership in SMART Local 55 and revoked their check-off authorization after the previous union contract had expired. Despite the requests, Local 55 continued collecting dues from their paychecks and failed to respond to any requests from her or her coworkers. Butler intends to challenge the validity of Frito-Lay’s limitations on employees’ right to cut off dues payments when no union contract exists. In a similar case, Cypress Meadowlark, an employee at Wayne Sanderson Farms in Hammond, Louisiana, also resigned her membership in UFCW Local 455 and revoked her check-off authorization
Boeing offers 10% raise to WA workers to head off union strike
September 14, 2026 // Boeing has issued its final contract proposal to SPEEA, covering over 16,000 engineers and technical workers. The deal offers an immediate 10% wage hike upon approval, a 4% raise in 2027, and guaranteed 4% minimum annual increases through 2030. SPEEA leadership is advising members to vote "Yes," though the official schedule for the ratification vote is yet to be announced.
Report: The Battle for Worker Freedom: Grading State Public Sector Labor Laws
September 10, 2026 // Union executives are prioritizing recruitment. The fastest-growing category of public sector labor legislation expands collective bargaining into new workplaces. On the strength of these new laws, union executives are slowly replacing their membership losses since 2018. From 2018 to 2025, the country’s four largest government unions report a net decline in membership of 87,919, or 1.3 percent. However, they also report a collective gain of 232,502 members, or 3.5 percent since 2024. This report awards full letter-grade increases to Idaho (now A) and Louisiana (now B) due to their adoption of pro-worker labor reforms this past legislative session. However, the drops in grades—Nebraska (D), Nevada (D), and Rhode Island (F)—are the result of these states prioritizing union executives over workers and enacting laws helping unions recruit, politick, organize, and strike. Thirteen states now have an “A” or “A+” grade—up from twelve in the previous edition of this report—while six states earned an “F”—up from five over the same time period. Overall, the research finds 25 states fall below a “C.”
Labor Day: Americans Flee Forced-Unionism States and Move to Right-to-Work States
September 6, 2026 // Among the top ten growth states in the U-Haul index, nine have a Right-to-Work law that protects workers from being forced to pay dues to union bosses as a condition of employment. -Among the bottom ten states in the U-Haul index, NONE has a Right-to-Work law. All are forced unionism states. -Of the 25 top ranked cities in the U-Haul Growth Index, 24 are located in Right-to-Work states.
Washington State Registered Nurse Files Federal Civil Rights Charge Against Nurse’s Union for Illegal Religious Discrimination
September 6, 2026 // A Washington nurse has filed a federal Charge of Discrimination against the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), stating that union officials have engaged in religious discrimination by illegally denying her request for religious accommodation. The nurse, Rheanne Garrett, submitted her charges at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) with free legal representation by National Right to Work staff attorneys.
‘Keep Washington running’: Thousands of state workers walk out amid contract talks
September 1, 2026 // Thousands of Washington state employees walked off the job Monday at more than 100 sites across the state as contract negotiations continue. The Washington Federation of State Employees, the union representing the workers, organized the walkouts. At a Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) office in Bellevue, about 20 workers joined the demonstration. Larger rallies were also held at the University of Washington, Western State Hospital, the state departments of Health and Ecology, and other DCYF offices.
Uber drivers say Waymo robotaxis are driving down their pay
August 31, 2026 // The Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Union is claiming that drivers have reported lower pay, longer waits between rides, and fewer fares since Waymo began offering its service in the city last June, Axios reports. As such, the union is calling on city and state leaders to curb Waymo’s expansion — and to consider some measures to easen its disruptive effects on their livelihoods.
Washington Security Guard Files Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Against SPFPA Union for Illegal Religious Discrimination
August 31, 2026 // Complaint: Union officials repeatedly threatened worker with termination if he did not authorize union dues deductions in violation of his religious beliefs
WATCH: Seattle teachers could strike despite being among highest paid in US
August 27, 2026 // But district officials have publicly said that Seattle Schools are grappling with a looming $87 million budget deficit for the 2026–27 school year and a depleted $30 million rainy-day reserve, down from a recommended $135 million. Vicki Murray, senior education policy director at the free market nonprofit Washington Policy Center, said investing in great education means investing in teachers, but noted that Seattle teachers' salaries are among the highest paid in the country.
Newsom Celebrates a Higher Minimum Wage as California Jobs Struggle
August 27, 2026 // Escalating minimum wages can also push employers to scuttle plans to expand their businesses because they cannot afford inflated payrolls. In extreme cases, they shut down their companies. Who knows, some might even leave, relocating in states that aren’t hostile to businesses. And that, we remind the governor, is a “different path” indeed.