WA state legislative staff holds sick-out after leaders fail to move unionization bill
A bill that would have authorized collective bargaining rights for legislative workers failed to pass an important cutoff at the legislature this week, prompting more than 100 Democratic staff members to stage a sick-out on Wednesday.
Legislators had until Tuesday to pass bills from their house of origin, but the legislation never made it past the Rules Committee in time for a floor vote.
Many former legislative staffers took to Twitter on Wednesday to offer support and solidarity for the legislative workers who participated in the protest, including Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho.
“As a former staffer this is long overdue,” Cho tweeted. “It is the right thing to do. Fight for your rights.”
Still, other former legislative staff members had their fair share of criticism for the Democratic leadership for their inability to move either version of the legislation, despite Democrats having the majority in both chambers of the Washington Legislature.
Nikkole Hughes, a former nonpartisan staff member for the House for the Office of Program Research, told McClatchy Wednesday that she believes legislators are just kicking the can down the road instead of tackling the issue now. Legislative staff are prohibited from publicly supporting the bill, but Hughes said the sick-out was a “very clear indication that staff are currently unsatisfied with the status quo.”
Hughes said during her time at the legislature that she was “gaslit” by a member, as well as subjected to belittling comments about her professionalism and intellect. Hours were grueling and not properly compensated, with mandatory unpaid overtime during the legislative session.
She said that other staffers would regularly openly sob.
While Hughes no longer works at the legislature as of last year, she said she testified in support of House Bill 1806 during the public hearing because she had seen the issues happening within the legislature during her seven years there.
In a press conference Wednesday, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, said she thinks the bill is “moving forward” and that any collective bargaining bill is going to be complex. She added that the bill still needs work in order for it to be ready for next year’s session.
She also noted that she welcomed the sick-out by legislative staffers because they are limited from communicating and advocating for their desires.
Jinkins said there were several issues that prevented the bill from moving forward this year such as who gets to bargain and what they are bargaining for.
Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane sponsored the House version of the bill that also had 39 other Democratic House members as co-sponsors. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate with 18 Democratic sponsors and co-sponsors, but that legislation never made it out of committee.
Riccelli as well as other members of the House expressed their support for legislative staff on Wednesday.
In a Tweet on Wednesday, Rep. Jesse Johnson, D-Federal Way, responded to criticism about Democrats who “pride themselves on supporting unions” but don’t allow staff to unionize.
“Yeah we didn’t get it done, no excuses,” said Johnson. “We must do better. Less Words, more action.”
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 9:41 AM with the headline "WA state legislative staff holds sick-out after leaders fail to move unionization bill."
