Health care Jobs Labor Washington State Politics

Watch: Lawmakers rally in support of paid sick days

This week, lawmakers in the state House stood with Washington’s working families and passed the legislature’s first paid sick days bill. The bill’s prime sponsor, Representative Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma), along with her colleagues shared rousing testimony in support of paid sick and safe days. Check out video of their floor speeches below. Representative Laurie Jinkins […]

Corporations Corruption Economic Justice Jobs Microsoft Politics

High tech corporations export jobs and profits, import workers

http://dailycaller.com/2013/12/13/zuckerberg-to-use-facebook-to-boost-immigrant-worker-bill/ Progressives unknowingly allied themselves with rich corporations on immigration reform. High tech companies like Microsoft, google, Apple, and Amazon.com hire thousands of foreign engineers but generally refuse to pay taxes that would support educating local workers.

Jobs Labor Transportation Union Support Washington State Politics

Tax-break Boeing needs to get to work

So how about that $8.7 billion tax give-away Boeing just received to build the 777X? We have been here before. In 2003, the Legislature excused Boeing from $4 billion in taxes, in order to build the 787 in our state. What happened to that $4 billion? Over $1 billion was used to construct a copycat […]

Gay rights Jobs Labor

Putting an ENDA to workplace discrimination

You would think that any employee who performs well in the workplace would be rewarded with a raise or promotion. Such an exemplary employee would never have to labor under the shadow of termination. You would assume that’s just common sense and sound business practice, right? You might be wrong. Over half the states in […]

Jobs Labor Republicons Washington State Politics

Voters to Grand Obstruction Party: Where are the jobs?

Why the Grand Obstruction Party hopes obstructionism will lead to feudalism. (Thom Hartmann) August 6, 2013 Folks here in Washington State, across America, likely throughout the civilized world, and quite possibly in neighboring galaxies have a new name for Republicans: the G.O.P. Nope, not the Grand Old Party of upstanding statesmen from Lincoln to Eisenhower, […]

Economic Justice Economics Education Health care Jobs

Time to Fight for Working Women and the Middle Class

President Obama and Nancy Pelosi have shifted the economic debate in our nation’s capital back onto the right track with a renewed focus on working women and the middle class. The 30-year experiment with supply side economics – including deregulation, cutting taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations, and slashing public investments –  has been great […]

Economics Jobs

Shift Change: a film about employee owned cooperative businesses

This evening I attended a viewing of the film Shift Change.  “It tells the little known stories of employee owned businesses that compete successfully in today’s economy while providing secure, dignified jobs in democratic workplaces.” The filmmakers, Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young, were present to answer questions.  They live in the Renton area, I believe. […]

Homelessness Jobs Justice

Jobs Assistance Bill Passes! Next: Legalize Tent Encampments!

We banned the box! On June 10th, Seattle City Council voted unanimously to pass the Jobs Assistance Ordinance. With it’s passage, employers in Seattle can no longer ask about criminal history on a job application or reference criminal history in advertising. This law will give thousands of people with a criminal record a second chance […]