Resolutions adopted by MLKCLC in 2017

(See list at page bottom for past years)

Resolution to Stand with ILWU Airport Workers for a Just Contract at Sea-Tac

March 15, 2017

Whereas the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is a union within the Maritime Trades constituency of this Council; and

Whereas ILWU Local 9’s membership is made up of workers who perform aviation security and operations at Sea-Tac airport; and

Whereas ILWU Local 9 members have been fighting at the Port of Seattle for a fair contract, working under an extension of an expired agreement for more than two years; and

Whereas Port of Seattle management attempted to privatize and outsource new Local 9 security work to Delta Airlines; and

Whereas ILWU Local 9 fought the attempt and secured Port recognition of new hires as Local 9 members; and

Whereas Port of Seattle management has meanwhile tried to obstruct and avoid resolution of a new agreement which would retain new and existing employees who keep the airport safe and running smoothly through worker protections, fair wages and working conditions; and

Whereas the former Port of Seattle CEO recently resigned in part because of improper use of millions of taxpayer dollars, paid largely to Port managers; and

Whereas Port staff continue to claim in bargaining that basic wage parity and maintenance of affordable health benefits are not financially possible; and

Whereas Port staff even called armed police on members’ bargaining committee recently in response to heated conversation at the table, in an apparent attempt to intimidate members; and  

Whereas ILWU Local 9 members have made every effort to move forward for a swift and fair resolution of bargaining, through informal sidebar discussions, public mediation, and other available venues; now, therefore be it

Resolved, that by the adoption of this resolution, the Martin Luther King County Labor Council and its affiliates shall support ILWU Local 9 members to secure fair treatment of workers who keep our airport safe and running smoothly for the public.

Resolution in Opposition to the American Health Care Act

March 15, 2017

Whereas under the American Health Care Act (AHCA), 24 million Americans will lose healthcare insurance coverage; and

Whereas loss of insurance coverage means these 24 million patients will delay seeking care until conditions have worsened and become far more expensive, will turn to high-cost Emergency Rooms for care rather than getting care in a more economical clinic setting, and will need financial aid and “charity care” to support their treatment, all of which harm those patients and increase costs on the healthcare system; and

Whereas the increased cost of the 24 million uninsured will be passed on to everyone including employers who pay for health benefits for employees, making employer-sponsored coverage less affordable; and

Whereas the AHCA includes tax cuts of $207,000 for the top 0.1% of wage earners while the lowest 20% of wage earners would receive tax cuts of just $150, creating a huge redistribution of wealth from working people to the wealthy; and

Whereas it is harmful to our economy to tax healthcare benefits in our system that relies primarily on employer-based healthcare; and

Whereas we value caring for those in need and see attempts to slash, block grant, and eventually end Medicaid as we know it as an unconscionable attack on children, elders, people with disabilities, and those most in need of care; and

Whereas health care is a human right and our nation should strive to cover every individual with a health plan that focuses on patient care not profit rather than moving backward to deny care to more individuals; and

Whereas as a labor movement, we fight to protect working people’s access to healthcare and for a more just and humane society; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the MLKCLC strongly opposes the American Health Care Act and the Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without ensuring an acceptable replacement, and be it further

Resolved, we will educate and mobilize our membership to oppose this attempt to deny healthcare access and transfer wealth from working people to the wealthy; and be it further

Resolved, we call on Congress and the President to improve our nation’s health care system by ensuring quality, affordable health care for all; and be it further

Resolved, that the MLKCLC forwards this resolution to the Washington State Labor Council for adoption & for the State labor council to forward it to all affiliates of the WSLC & to the National AFL-CIO; and be it finally

Resolved, that the MLKCLC encourages affiliates to share this resolution with their membership, their local executive boards, and their international presidents, condemning the Republican AHCA & urge adoption.

Resolution to Plan and Support May 1^st Day of Resistance
March 15, 2017

Whereas the Martin Luther King County Labor Council (MLKCLC) has historically joined with allies in the immigrant rights movement to promote and participate on May 1^st as a national day of action;

Whereas this year, the election of Donald Trump has already catalyzed renewed attacks not only on unions and immigrant workers’ rights, but also on Muslims, transgender individuals, the disabled, as well as our health care system, freedom of religion, public education, science, and the environment; and

Whereas now more than ever it is critical that the labor movement and allies unify and mobilize in mass actions to resist these attacks; and

Whereas since January 2017 we’ve seen several massive nationwide protests and collective expressions that have mobilized hundreds of thousands of people to join together and oppose these attacks, such as the Womxn’s March, the mobilizations of thousands of Washington State workers to oppose right-to-work bill in the state Legislature, and the spontaneous occupations of airports by thousands across the country in response to Trump’s Muslim travel ban; and

Whereas MLKCLC affiliates totaling more than ten thousand members (UAW 4121, WFSE 304, SEA) have already passed resolutions in support of strike actions on May 1^st, and other affiliates are discussing plans for May 1^st to help create the strongest worker-led  protest in Seattle and King County; and

Whereas immigrant rights organizations nationwide are preparing for a May Day general strike; and

Whereas this is part of a growing national move to strike on May Day, as Philadelphia nurses, Chicago teachers, and janitors in California have all have voted to take steps toward striking on May 1st; now therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Martin Luther King County Labor Council commits to joining with allies on May 1^st to plan, organize union members, and help gather resources for a day of resistance, direct action, community empowerment and voter engagement, kicking off solidarity actions to mobilize for progressive change nationwide; and, be it further

Resolved, that the Martin Luther King County Labor Council urges its affiliates to consider all forms of action on May 1, 2017, whether striking, walking out, taking sick days, extended lunch hours, exercising rights of conscience, organizing demonstrations or teach-ins, or any other acts of collective expression that builds solidarity across communities; and, be it finally

Resolved, that the MLKCLC will help organize a mass rally on May 1, 2017 in solidarity with el Comite and the May 1 Organizing Committee and other social justice organizations to bring together all workers, whether on strike or not, to show the maximum worker-led opposition to the agenda of Donald Trump and his allies at every level of government.

Resolution in Support of the International Women's Day March Against Trump

March 1, 2017

Whereas thousands of workers in King County have been leading and participating in multiple direct actions in recent months, not only to signal opposition to the divisive, anti-worker agenda of Donald Trump but also to be actively engaged in policy changes that will create positive change for all; and  

Whereas on March 8th, 2017, International Women’s Day, there will be an International Women’s Day March Against Trump based on principles used to help organize other recent mass actions (such as the Womxn’s march) including:

Strengthening Workers Rights

Pushing for equal pay and eliminating the gender pay gap

Fighting for equal treatment and an end to sexual harassment and sexual violence

Fighting all forms of discrimination

Strengthening Immigrant Rights

Protecting Reproductive Rights

Pushing for Environmental Justice; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Martin Luther King County Labor Council endorses the International Women’s Day Action on Wednesday, March 8th at 6:00 p.m. in Westlake Park and will notify its affiliates and urge them to attend.

Resolution in Support of OPEIU Local 8 Negotiations with Welfare and Pension Administration Services

February 1, 2017

Whereas Welfare & Pension Administration Services, after months of bargaining with OPEIU Local 8, continues to stand by their proposals of extreme takeaways, eroding union rights, employee morale and financial security; and 

Whereas Welfare & Pension Administration Services' proposal includes the elimination of senority rights as those rights pertain to layoffs, promotions, transfers, shift changes and vacations; and 

Whereas Welfare & Pension Administration Services' contract proposal includes reduction in health benefits, significantly increasing out of pocket costs for Local 8 members, and increasing the eligibility requirements for part time employees to qualify for those benefits from 20 hours to 30 hours worked per week; and

Whereas Welfare & Pension Administration Services' proposal includes takeaways as follows:

~Sick leave benefits reduced from 12 to 7 days per year and no rollover of sick leave

~Vacation leave benefits for new hires after 1/1/17 reduced from up to 25 days to a maximum of 15 days; and 

Whereas Welfare & Pension Administration Services' proposal includes the elimination of union dues deductions; and

Whereas many affiliated MLKCLC unions' employees are provided benefits admninistered through Welfare & Pension Administration Services and any disruption of said benefits would be detrimental to the labor movement; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the MLKCLC communicate directly to Welfare &  Pension Administration Services expressing the Council's displeasure with the disrespectful way the company is negotiating with OPEIU 8; and be it finally

Resolved, that the MLKCLC encourage all affiliates to express their displeasure with Welfare & Pension Administration Services over the takeaways in their contract proposal to OPEIU Local 8.

Resolution Defending the Rights of Immigrant Workers Targeted by the Trump Administration

January 18, 2017

Whereas immigrant workers have always contributed tremendously to the economic, cultural, and political strength of our country, and are intertwined and indispensable to the industries – agricultural, service, academic, professional, science, manufacturing, medical, construction, technical and more – in which we contribute our labor and are organizing into unions; and

Whereas all workers are adversely affected when any worker is exploited; and

Whereas in recent years, the immigrant rights movement has made important strides in strengthening rights and protections, such as pushing President Obama to pass the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows young people who were brought to the United States before the age of 16 to stay in the country and work; and

Whereas in the most recent presidential election, Donald Trump and his backers promoted racism, sexism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, transphobia, homophobia, and anti-Semitism, and divided working people by playing to their fears and legitimate frustrations; and

Whereas among other statements Trump has threatened to deport millions of undocumented workers, end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, ban Muslim immigrants, end guest worker programs, and create a Muslim registry; and

Whereas after the election Trump and his supporters have continued to spout racism, nationalism, and bigotry, leading to an upsurge in hate crimes in our nation; and

Whereas in the same vein we also have seen Trump attack union leaders and other grassroots activists; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that we refuse to become divided, committing ourselves instead to building a wall of resistance to Trump’s racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, anti-semitism along with other attacks he’s promised against working people; and be it further

Resolved, that we affirm our support for comprehensive immigration reform, which includes a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S., and provides equal protection and increased enforcement of labor rights for all workers, including the right to organize; and be it further

Resolved, we will stand beside and take action with immigrant students and young workers under threat of losing the protective immigration status and work permits currently provided by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program; and be it further

Resolved, that we will reject and work to stop all attempts by the Trump Administration to create a Muslim registry or resume the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, that targeted immigrant men from majority Muslim countries; and be it further

Resolved, that we will reject any effort to limit or eliminate changes to visa and work authorization programs that enable international students and scholars to gain work opportunities in the U.S.; and be it finally

Resolved, that we will unite with other groups in our community to defend the rights of our immigrant brothers, sisters, and friends by supporting local solidarity actions, sanctuary movements, and local and state legislative efforts to defend the rights of immigrants.
 

Resolution In Support of AFSCME Local 2084 (CASA)
 

January 4, 2017

Whereas employees in the King County Superior Court, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program are represented by Washington State Council of County and City Employees, AFSCME, Council 2 and members of Local 2084;

Whereas CASA attorneys, CASA Supervisors and Guardians ad Litem advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children, our most vulnerable citizens of King County. The work group of 16 attorneys and social workers is almost all female.  In 2009, after careful consideration, these hard working, dedicated professionals exercised their legal right to unite and request recognition as a bargaining group;  

Whereas in 2015, the Court excluded CASA staff and other unionized employees from a class compensation study.  The Court Administration raised the salaries of most non-represented staff including managers, excluding union members, late in 2015.  Court management advised members of Local 2084 CASA that raises were prohibited by union contracts. However, nothing in the union contracts prohibit agreements to raise employee salaries and maintain fairness;  

Whereas the Court and the County did not work with the Union proactively to correct the inequity and, during bargaining, refused to stop penalizing union members and restore equity;

Whereas CASA Supervisors and the Family Court Services social workers have long received equal pay and benefits, having been seen and described by management as equivalent positions. Nevertheless, the Court gave raises only to non-represented staff, deliberately disadvantaging the CASA staff due only to their represented status;

Whereas inequities hurt everyone. Both the Superior Court and the County Executive should avoid the perception of penalizing employees for engaging in unionizing. A Court, in particular, should never retaliate against staff for exercising their legal rights. Neither should the Court and County exacerbate pay inequities between women and men, or value the employees serving the most vulnerable less than employees serving other populations. Instead, the County and Court should be leaders in the promotion of fairness and inclusion; now, therefore, be it

Resolved that the Martin Luther King County Labor Council calls upon the King County Executive, the King County Superior Court Chief Judge, and the Superior Court Chief Administrative Officer, to immediately rectify this situation and do what is just and fair for these employees, including compensating them for lost wages in 2016 and promising not to do the same thing again; and be it further

Resolved that we implore all other Labor Brothers and Sisters to be aware of this injustice and to help us herald a new wave of solidarity as may be needed if this employer fails to provide equity in this circumstance in the near future.