Part two of The Impact’s business and labor series offers a look at recent workplace policy changes and the labor issues to watch in 2025. It features separate 1:1 interviews with Washington State Labor Council President April Sims and Working Washington Exec. Director Danielle Alvarado.
Sims on budget deficit and legislative response:
7:49-8:17 “2009, 2008-09 was the last time I think we faced a budget deficit like this. I think we learned a couple of things in 2024. Voters overwhelmingly rejected initiatives that would have cut funding to critical services like transportation and education.
So I think we have to think really thoughtfully about how we’re going to balance the budget, given what we’ve heard from voters in this last election cycle. I think we’re going to have to look at ways to raise new revenue if we’re going to meet the basic needs of Washingtonians in our state.”
Sims on policy goals for 2025 Legislative Session
10:30 – 10:51 “We will be looking at the minimum wage and potentially paid vacation. You know, we think it’s time that the legislature take a critical look at this. We raise the statewide minimum wage and passed paid safe and sick leave in 2016, after a nearly 20 year freeze on any sort of legislation that addressed that issue. And we think it’s time to take a closer look at that again this year.”
Sims on unemployment for striking workers
3:12-3:54 “We world on this, was a key priority for us in 2024. We’re back at it again in 2025. I mean, the most recent study shows that thirty percent of Americans in our country have less than four hundred dollars in their savings accounts. And many employers, weaponized that economic insecurity, and forced workers to make concessions at the bargaining table, and use strikes as a way to leverage their power in an inappropriate way. So allowing workers to access unemployment benefits when they do make the difficult decision to go on strike means that workers can exercise their basic voice or their basic rights at the bargaining table and at the same time meet their basic needs at home.”
Alvarado on policy goals for 2025 Legislative Session
17:03-17:28 “This year, one of our main priorities, is a bill that we’re working on with Senator Saldana to create a bill of rights for domestic workers. Domestic workers as an industry are excluded from national labor laws. And so we think it’s really important in the state of Washington that we make sure that the nannies and the house cleaners and the gardeners have access to the same basic workplace protections that we almost take for granted for other industries. So the right to a minimum wage, to have access to sick time, to have access to workers comp.”
Alvarado on minimum wage and automation debate 21:49 – 22:30 “The parts of the economy that we work in, we haven’t seen a transition to automation.And I think what I would say is that companies can’t grow without a workforce. And our economy can’t grow without workers employed and high quality jobs. It just is not in the interest of the business to have it, a huge part of our workforce, not able to access work.”