Washington State

ACLU Statement On Bill To Expand Police Violence

February 10, 2022 ACLU Washington. Educate! Law, Police, Police violence, Washington State

Olympia, Washington - Today, the Washington State Senate passed Senate Bill 5919, a bill that expands law enforcement’s ability to use physical force. Enoka Herat, police practices and immigration counsel at the ACLU of Washington, had the following statement: “It’s disappointing to see the Senate rush through a bill that will harm communities, particularly the communities of color and people with disabilities this Legislature made a commitment to protect when it passed more than a dozen bills last year aimed at reform and accountability in policing. The effectiveness of those bills is indicated by data showing a 62% decrease in police killings since their enactment last year.

In The Latest Rights Of Nature Case, A Tribe Is Suing On Behalf Of Salmon

January 15, 2022 Katie Surma, Inside Climate News. Resist! Indigenous Rights, Rights of Nature, Salmon, Washington State

Salmon—the fish—are suing the City of Seattle in Sauk-Suiattle tribal court, seeking recognition of their legal rights to exist, flourish and regenerate. The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe filed the complaint earlier this month on behalf of the fish following the city’s construction and operation of off-reservation hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River. The tribe, also asserting claims based on rights the tribe holds, alleges that the city constructed the dams, beginning in the first half of the 20th century, without the tribe’s consultation or consent. The case is the latest in a series of rights of nature lawsuits emerging in U.S. communities and throughout the world. Rights of Nature laws have also been passed in some places.

After Strike, Carpenters Approve New Contract By Slim Margin

October 20, 2021 Luis Feliz Leon, Labor Notes. Resist! Carpenters, Strike, Washington State, Worker Rights and Jobs

Going into the vote on a controversial fifth tentative agreement, the mood among Washington carpenters who had organized for a “no” vote was uncertain. “It was so close last time, it’s hard to say what will happen,” said Tom Nolan hours before the vote tally was announced. “A toss-up,” said Nina Wurz. “It’s going to be a ‘no.’ But, unfortunately, I could be surprised. Being out of work has hurt a lot of people,” said Alejandro Lucero. If one thing is clear about the first Northwest Carpenters strike since 2007, it’s that nothing was clear from the moment it started. That includes the number of people on strike, since many job sites were excluded under Project Labor Agreements and other similar agreements. Estimates by the union ranged from thousands to hundreds back to thousands again.

Carpenters’ Union Halts Work On Amazon, Microsoft, Google And Facebook Expansions

September 21, 2021 Mike Lewis, GeekWire. Resist! Big Tech, Carpenters, Washington State, Worker Rights and Jobs

Construction work on several major tech company expansion projects, including those by Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Facebook, slowed to a crawl today as the region largest carpenters’ union halted work over a wage dispute. At 6 a.m. Thursday, 2,000 Northwest Carpenter Union members walked off the job and began picketing at four major job sites, including Microsoft expansions in Redmond and Sammamish; Google and Amazon projects in Bellevue Plaza, and Facebook’s Building X in Redmond. Evelyn Shapiro, the union’s executive secretary-treasurer, said the affected sites were not randomly chosen. In the push for better wages and benefits, the union looked at companies “that are making billions,” she said. Specifically, the union is striking against the contractor consortium, the Associated General Contractors, and not the tech companies themselves.

After Rejecting Fourth Union-Backed Contract, Carpenters Strike

September 17, 2021 Jerry White, WSWS. Resist! Carpenters, Strike, Washington State, Worker Rights and Jobs

An estimated 2,000 carpenters in Seattle and across the state of Washington began their first strike in nearly two decades Thursday after rejecting the fourth proposed contract agreed to by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC). Rank-and-file carpenters are seeking to expand their strike to other construction sites, where the union has signed no-strike pledges, and bring out the other 10,000 unionized carpenters who are currently being kept on the job. Over the weekend, carpenters voted by 56-44 percent to reject a four-year contract proposal that included below-inflation rate raises and a further erosion of pension benefits. Because of the skyrocketing cost of living in the Seattle area, construction workers are forced to live long distances from their worksites, sometimes spending three hours to travel back and forth and hundreds of dollars each week on gas and parking costs.

On The Verge Of A Strike, Washington Carpenters Fight Union Leaders

September 16, 2021 Luis Feliz Leon, Labor Notes. Resist! Carpenters, Unions, Washington State, Worker Rights and Jobs

After narrowly rejecting a contract offer, the union representing 11,600 working carpenters in Washington state is set to start a strike tomorrow. It’s the fourth offer that members have nixed. A scrappy band of rank and filers known as the Peter J. McGuire Group organized the no vote over inadequate raises—despite pressure from union leaders, who were promoting the deal. They are also seeking reimbursements for high parking costs, increased employer contributions to health care and pension funds, and stronger sexual harassment protections. Northwest Carpenters members voted down the latest tentative area master agreement with the Associated General Contractors (AGC) on September 11 by 56 percent (2,907 no, 2,282 yes).

Lying Cops Still On Duty Despite Brady List

June 11, 2021 Marlanna Bullock, Liberation News. Educate! Accountability, Police, Police abuse, Washington State

Almost 200 Washington state law enforcement officers have been placed on the Brady list, a list of officers who may not be considered trustworthy in a court of law. USA Today in an extensive investigation found that “thousands of people have faced criminal charges or have gone to prison based in part on testimony from law enforcement officers deemed to have credibility problems by their bosses or by prosecutors.” Although these officers have proven themselves unsafe for the public, law enforcement agencies continue to employ and rehire untrustworthy officers and take no real accountability for the abhorrent and violent behavior committed by officers. “The lists are not designed to track people who should not be officers. Rather they are a tool prosecutors use to identify those whose past conduct might raise questions about their fairness or truthfulness as a witness in a trial – and require disclosure to defendants.” - USA Today

‘Rural People Against Racism’ March In Washington

May 31, 2021 Andrew Freeman, Liberation News. Resist! Black Lives Matter (BLM), Racism, Rural, Washington State

On May 29, local activists in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, (population 11,739) and the greater Skagit County area held a march against racism marking the one year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Marchers gathered at Hammer Heritage Square in downtown Sedro-Woolley for sign-waving followed by a march of about 75 people through the business district starting at noon.

Washington Rejects Massive Methanol Refinery

January 23, 2021 Damon Motz-Storey, Power Past Fracked Gas. Educate! climate crisis, Fracked Gas, health, Washington State

Kalama, WA —The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) denied permits for the massive fracked gas-to-methanol refinery proposed in Kalama, WA. Ecology nixed the fossil fuel processing and export proposal after deciding it would have a significant negative impact on the climate, Washington’s shorelines, and the public interest. [read the full letter from WA Ecology and Director Watson] “Without the necessary state and federal permits, this climate-wrecking proposal is going nowhere,” said Brett VandenHeuvel, Executive Director with Columbia Riverkeeper. “Ecology’s decision is cause for celebration for people across the Northwest who value bold leadership to tackle the climate crisis.