In their weekly update, the Washington State Labor Council makes a lengthy and earnest plea to have the worker privacy bill considered this session. Readers may recall the proposal was killed after Gov. Chris Gregoire and Legislative leaders referred an internal labor email to the state patrol, which quickly concluded nothing criminal had happened.
The labor council is asking for someone to take responsibility for all of this. From the WSLC web site:
When a powerful legislative leader unilaterally quashes a bill, that leader is expected to explain his or her actions. Part of being a leader is having the courage of your convictions to defend your actions.
You might kill a bill because you personally oppose it. Then it’s your responsibility to stand up and explain why you blocked a vote. If there are consequences, accept them.
You might also kill a bill for political reasons, thinking you are doing your “members” a favor by helping them avoid taking a tough vote that involves powerful constituencies who disagree. Then it’s your responsibility to stand up and explain why you, as the leader, chose sides. Why did you side with those who wanted to block a vote, over those who wanted to allow a vote?
In the case of the Worker Privacy Act, we’re still waiting for somebody to stand up, accept responsibility and explain his or her actions.
Meanwhile, Josh over at Publicola suggests that there is some amount of unhappiness in the House caucus, partially over this issue. I can’t honestly assess the happiness of the House, living down here in my Clark County hermitage, but there seem to be some legitimate criticisms. To be fair to leadership, the risk of a wingnut-type circle jerk in reverse is something that must be guarded against.
It’s not necessary nor desirable that every progressive bill come to the floor. I don’t know jack about the details of legislative procedure, but common sense tells everyone that out of hundreds or thousands of bills only a few will make it.
And that’s why people organize to advocate for legislation. Business does it, labor does it, and left-handed fans of Rosemary chicken do it. And that’s fine, that’s the way the system works.
But it’s also worth recognizing that most regular people have no advocate sending flowers to the floor, and it’s incumbent on everyone in the much-maligned “system” to take into account these folks. Easier said than done, of course, but killing bills that have wide-spread popular support without a vote is not very democratic. Especially when you call the cops.
Employees are paid to work, not sit and listen to employer diatribes about how God hates labor unions and you’ll go to Hell if you join one. A job ceases to be employment and becomes slavery when workers have to put up with this kind of shit. Not only should the Legislature pass this bill, it should also make workplace proselytizing by employers a civil offense with a $10,000 fine for each separate occurrence.
“But it’s also worth recognizing that most regular people have no advocate sending flowers to the floor, and it’s incumbent on everyone in the much-maligned “system” to take into account these folks.”
Why is it that so few recognize that “most regular folk” do have advocates, themselves or the organizations they belong to, such as a labor union, a PTA, an issue driven group such as the American Cancer Society or the NRA? There is nothing that prohibits any single citizen from picking up a phone, sending an e-mail or a letter, meeting up with the legislator at a town hall meeting, in their district offices or coming on down to Olympia. Our government is not some sacred place or group of people beyond entry or interaction. It’s when people believe that they are, that’s when government no longer belongs to us.
There was and is nothing in this proposed legislation tht prohibits employers from having all the meetings they want around labor unions, organizing, religion, politics, charitable giving; they could have these meetings 24×7, 365 days a year, what this proposed bill does, it allows employees to say “No”, I don’t want to attend this meeting, I’ll just stay at my workstation, continue to build airplanes, sell goods, answer the phones.
No one loses, everyone gains.
As a rule, the Boeing Company doesn’t hold meetings where they bash the union, force their politics or religion upon their employees and their charitable giving campaigns are strictly voluntary. So where was the fear coming from? Maybe from all of those sub-contractors that they off-loaded IAM and SPEEA jobs to. Maybe from other corporations on who’s boards their CEO sits on. There was nothing harmful to employers who currently do the right thing in this legislation. As I was told by my Senator, phone calls and letters were coming into members of the legislature from businesses and organizations who do business outside of Washington State. They’re afraid that if we get it here, then they’ll have it where they are. Boeing should take a chill pill, no harm, no foul, no penalties. Instead of capitulating to your friends in low places (corporate board rooms) why don’t you educate them on the perks of doing the right thing?
While this state struggles to find ways to pay for education and you continue to complain about the lack of educated employees, even for those entry level jobs, Boeing and other businesses ask for tax cuts, cuts that undermine the funding of basic education in this state as well as the funding needed for higher ed of all kinds in this state.
This action by the Governor, Speaker Chopp and Sen. Brown is a travesty to the democratic process. It shows a lack of intelligence, courage and compassion for the people who elected them and gave them the job of representing them, the voters.
So, yes I belong to many organizations, many who go to Olympia to carry my message, to convey my concerns and issues, to ask my questions and to get me answers. We all can’t be in Olympia or in DC, that’s why we send people there to represent our interests, especially when folks (corportations, business groups) who have more time and money can be there at their discretion. Most ‘regular’ people don’t have the luxury of that time and money, so we pool our limited resources and send our ‘lobbyist, our representative’ there. If there’s a ‘big labor’, it’s because of their numbers, there is strength in unity. People power. It’s those people who will be working for candidates in the next election, and just like any employer, they will evaluate the job done by those in office, whether or not they lived up to their promises, worked hard, communicated the issues, took the votes before they decide who they’ll devote their time and dimes to in the next election cycle. Last time I looked, Starbucks, Boeing and the such don’t have voter registrations on file with the Secretary of State. They can’t vote. Sorta like American Idol or Survivor, who’s going home?