Workers who are on strike or locked out of their workplace by their employer due to a labor dispute would gain access to unemployment insurance benefits under a bill the Washington state House approved in the early morning hours Tuesday, after working through the night.
“It’s time to level the playing field for our workers,” said Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, lead sponsor of the bill, which passed on a 53-44 vote.
Five Democrats sided with Republicans against it. Democrats voting “no” included Reps. Mike Chapman, Debra Entenman, Larry Springer, My-Linh Thai and Amy Walen.
The bill next goes to the Senate, where companion legislation is pending.
Under the legislation, striking workers would become eligible for unemployment insurance on the second Sunday following the first day of a strike and could then begin to receive benefit payments after an additional one-week waiting period. The bill would also remove a section of state law that disqualifies employees from unemployment insurance during employer-initiated labor lockouts.
Labor unions across the state strongly back the bill. They say it will help striking workers with expenses like rent and food while they fight for better pay and workplace protections.
Republicans and industry groups argue the bill would strain the unemployment insurance system and put a burden on employers, who fund unemployment insurance through tax payments.
“I think all of the businesses in my district understand the right of workers to strike. But what I’ve been hearing from small businesses in particular is they’re deeply concerned about what this will do to their unemployment premium on their unemployment insurance,” said Rep. Greg Cheney, R-Battle Ground.
The Washington Employment Security Department estimates the bill would lead to a less than 1% increase in unemployment insurance claims when a qualifying strike occurs.
Washington, unlike about 20 other states, did not borrow money from the federal government to keep its unemployment insurance system afloat as joblessness surged during the pandemic, pointed out Joe Kendo, a lobbyist for the Washington State Labor Council.
“There’s no reason to think a less than 1% increase in monthly benefits during a month where there’s a qualifying strike stands to threaten the health of the trust fund,” Kendo said.
Lawmakers amended the bill on the floor, adding language to shift benefit costs onto employers involved in labor disputes covered by the legislation, rather than spreading the expense across the unemployment insurance system.
Other amendments included adding a four-week limit on benefits for striking workers — strikes over two weeks are rare, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data — and specifying that benefits may not be paid during strikes prohibited by federal or state law or a court order.
Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, chief sponsor of a Senate version of the bill, said she expects the legislation to make it to the Senate floor. Keiser, who chairs the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, where the House bill would be heard before advancing, said she would need to take a closer look at the amendments adopted on Tuesday.
“I’m comfortable with hearing the bill in committee and getting it out as soon as possible,” Keiser said.
Keiser said she has not spoken with Gov. Jay Inslee’s office about the bill. But a spokesperson for Inslee’s office, Mike Faulk, said the governor supports the legislation.
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