The individual local unions of the WSA , upon recommendation from their individual PAC's, have voted and approved the endorsement of many candidates this election cycle. Below is the list of PAC Chairs. You can call or click the link to reach the local union office:

UA Local 26- (360) 486-9300  Ray Connor

UA Local 32- (425) 277-6680  Leanne Guier

UA Local 44- (509) 624-5101  Mike Foley

UA Local 598- (509) 545-1446  Nick Bumpaous

UA Local 699- (206) 441-0737 Rueben Solis

What We Do Politically

The WSA supports candidates who are fair to labor no matter what their party affiliation might be. If you are active in a political party be sure to voice your opinion about issues that affect your local union. We need active organized labor members working within both major parties. We also need labor members to run for and be elected to political office. It all starts at the local level and we would be well represented if our members were on advisory boards, planning commissions, the school board, the fire district commission, the city council, the county council, etc.

Position Statements

The WSA and affiliated local unions must constantly monitor proposed legislation and lobby the Washington State Legislature about issues important to our members. Each year bills are introduced that could change our wages, benefits, and working conditions. Each year, bills are introduced to change worker compensation, unemployment insurance, prevailing wage laws, union security, collective bargaining, etc.

To read the position statements on the following issues, click here

1.)  Free Bargaining vs. Right to Work
2.)  Prevailing Wages and Davis/Bacon
3.)  Craft Licensing and Codes
4.)  State Approved Apprenticeship
5.)  Project Labor Agreements
6.)  Workers' Compensation
7.)  Bid Shopping

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2016 Legislative Session

The 2016 1st Special Session adjourned sine die on March 29, 2016.

The regular session ending date of March 10, 2016 came and went with the legislature still not in agreement on the state's two-year budget. On Friday, the first day of the special session, there was a fresh budget proposal and some partisan sparks. Senate Republicans went public with their latest budget offer and House Democrats quickly cried foul. House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan questioned why the offer wasn’t made privately before the clock ran out on the regular session. “It’s time that we ended this type of game playing and not relying on this D.C.-style politics,” Sullivan said. “It just really doesn’t belong here in Washington state.” Both sides are still hopeful a final budget compromise can be hammered out in a matter of days. - credit to the WSLC and The Stand for the update

The Washington State Labor Council held it's Legislative Conference on Thursday February 11, 2016 and Friday February 12, 2016. After the delegates visited their representatives on the hill they help a labor rally on the capitol steps. The UA was well represented with at least one delegate from each of the WSA locals.

call to action January 27, 2016 - Today the Washington State Association registered its opposition to HB 2508 during public hearing of this bill. Representative Sherry Appleton is the chair of the committee. If you live in Representative Appleton's 23rd Legislative District please call her office at 360-786-7934 and tell her you oppose HB 2508 because we don't need multiple plumbing code sets in our State. We need to maintain the consistency of having one code.     

2015 Legislative Session

April 15, 2015 SB 5139 passed the House 53 yeas, 45 nays, with NO amendments. Off to the Governor's desk.

call to action April 14, 2015 - Right now, per state law, there is one Plumbing Code in the State of Washington, The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC).Plumbers train to it. Plumbers are tested on it. Plumbers are Certified by Washington State L&I on it.

Unfortunately people whose primary purpose is selling code books would like to change that and its up to you to STOP them. For Plumbers and Contractors that means multiple sets of standards, multiple sets of rules and multiple sets of rule books they will have to own. Where will this stop?

Senate Bill 5139 will close the loophole in the law which is creating confusion amongst Contractors and Plumbers by allowing a second code to be implemented in Washington State.
Your State Representative needs to hear from you! Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and leave your State Representative a message asking them to PASS SB 5139 with NO Amendments.

Call/email your Representative now and tell them:

1. Pass Senate Bill 5139!
2. One set of rules for the Plumbing Industry in Washington is enough.
3. Close the loophole in the law allowing multiple codes to be implemented by passing SB 5139.
4. Say NO to the proposed Amendment to the Bill by Rep. Buys.

Senate Bill #5139, which will remove an exemption from the statewide building code standards and promote consistent statewide standards, was voted out of committee by the cut-off date of April 1, 2015, so now it is in the Rules Committee.   We are working with our labor friends on the committee to get it pulled to the floor for a vote. When this happens please be ready, willing, and able to make calls to the hotline asking your House Representatives to support SB5139.

Senate Bill #5139, the bill we filed with the help of Republican Senator Pam Roach, which will remove an exemption from the statewide building code standards, passed the Senate 49 - 0 on March 12, 2015. There will be a public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 8:00 am on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. The removal of this exemption will promote consistent statewide standards. 

The Washington State Labor Council held it's Legislative Conference on Thursday, February 19, 2015, and Friday, February 20, 2015. After the delegates visited their representatives on the hill they help a labor rally on the capitol steps.

The WSA PAC chairs met on February 19, 2015, to discuss the 2015 bills. We will be monitoring the bills and keep you informed of any actions we need to take.

Happy New Year from the WSA. The 2015 regular Legislative Session began January 12, 2015. There have been several bills introduced that will have an effect on the Pipe Trades directly. One bill, in particular Senate Bill #5139, was filed with the help of Republican Senator Pam Roach by the WSA. SB5139 would remove an exemption from the statewide building code standards. The removal of this exemption will promote consistent statewide standards.   

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2014 Legislative Session

Happy New Year and welcome to the WSA 2014 Legislative Session updates. The 2014 regular Legislative Session began January 13, 2014. The WSA PAC chairs met on the 13th to go over the 2014 calendar and discuss the WSA and the State Building Trades priorities. We will be monitoring the bills and keep you informed of any actions we need to take. 

The 2014 Regular Session adjourned Sine Die on March 13, 2014.

March 6, 2014 CALL TO ACTION

House Bill 2527 on CBA calculations for prevailing wage is now positioned for a vote by the Senate and we need everyone’s help to motivate our contractor community partners to push on Senator Holmquist Newbry to include their craft, if not yet covered.  We only have until TOMORROW at 5:00 PM to make this law happen! Janea Holmquist Newbry Phone: (360) 786-7624 Email:    [email protected]

March 4, 2014  CALL TO ACTION
CALL THE LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE, 1-800-562-6000, AND ASK YOUR LEGISLATORS TO VOTE 'YES' ON HB 1129 TO BUILD BADLY-NEEDED NEW FERRIES.  IF WE DON'T DO THIS NOW IT WILL COST SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS MORE.

February 7, 2014 WSLC Legislative Conference

                      The WSA had several delegates attend the WSLC Legislative Conference on February 7, 2014.                                       The Labor Council had lobby training and transportation to encourage delegates to visit their legislators.

January 25, 2014 CALL TO ACTION

The State Building Trades is calling on all available Members to Join Them in the House Labor Committee on Tuesday, January 28^th at 1:30  in support of a bill that would use collective bargaining agreements to determine prevailing wage rates (House Bill 2527). A Large Building Trades Presence is essential because the committee will also be hearing Three Extremely Harmful prevailing wage bills: House Bills 2209, 2210 and 2299. Prevailing Wage is once again on the chopping block and we need to send a clear message to conservative interests to Back Off and to answer their attack with a bill of our own. If any change is made to our state prevailing wage system it will be to improve outcomes for workers, period.
 

WHERE:        The John L. O’Brien Building, Capitol Campus
                        House Hearing Room D
WHEN:          Tuesday, January 28 at 1:30 PM
WHAT:          Membership Presence and to

Sign-in PRO on HB 2527      Sign-in CON on HB 2209, 2210 and 2299

January 23, 2014 We will be down in Olympia with our UA Sprinklerfitters testifying at the public hearing for HB2260 concerning dwelling unit fire protection sprinkler systems.    

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2013 Legislative Session      

update|April 19, 2013

A Building Trades show of support is needed tomorrow, April 19, at 1:30 PM in Olympia for a series of Transportation revenue proposals.  The House Transportation committee will be hearing four bills, including HB 1975 authorizing bonds for financing the Columbia River Crossing.  All four bills (1954, 1955, 1956, and 1975) represent essential financing packages necessary for transportation construction throughout Washington state and offer expansive construction job growth in our industry.

We need all available members to join the effort in Olympia and help send the message to lawmakers that transportation construction is of vital importance to our membership and the economic vitality of Washington state as a whole.

Please also contact your Representative today in support of Transportation revenue legislation.

update|January 24, 2013

The 2013 Legislative Session is underway in Olympia. Our first big call to action was on January 23rd. The Building    Trades had a strong presence of members showing up to testify and sign-in AGAINST the bad workers' comp bills that were being heard in the Senate's Commerce & Labor committee hearing. Stay tuned for more action alerts.

Legislation Supported by the WSA

All four bills (1954, 1955, 1956, and 1975)

Legislation Opposed by the WSA

SB 5112-Retrospective rating plan, SB 5124-Workers' comp benefits, SB 5126-Industrial insurance/recovery,            SB 5127-Struct. settlements/workers, SB 5128-Injured worker compensation

2012 Legislative Session

The regular 2012 legislative session ended on March 8, 2012 and the special session started March 12, 2012. It may have taken a lot of time but we did come out with a victory, the JOBS BOND legislation. It aims to put 18,000 people in the construction industry back to work. The bill is part of the bipartisan budget deal approved by the Legislature. It included SB 5127 (authorizing bonds), which passed the Senate 44-2 and the House 80-18, and SB 6074 (supplemental capital budget), which passed 44-1 and 85-13. Governor Gregoire signed the $1 billion JOBS BILL on April 23, 2012. To look up a bill or find your legislator click on the following link: www1.leg.wa.gov/legislature