The Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) is up in arms, campaigning against free trade agreements, including the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA, or “Fast Track”) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Here’s why the WSLC claims it is against TPA and TPP (via the Stand):
“Fast Track is the first step in passing the TPP, another flawed trade deal. Passage of Fast Track would restrict Congress to just a yes or no vote on the highly-flawed TPP. It would prevent members of Congress from offering any amendments to change provisions that hurt U.S. workers. The TPP is being negotiated behind closed doors between the United States and 11 pacific-rim countries…”
WSLC’s objections sound very familiar—as they should. They are the very objections voiced by those concerned with current labor laws in Washington State—labor laws that allow for union exemptions from the state Open Public Meetings Act and restrict the state Legislature to a yes or no vote on contracts negotiated by the governor and union executives behind closed doors. The WSLC vehemently opposed Senate Bill 5329, which sought to require state public employee collective bargaining sessions to be open meetings.
As Shift reported, SB 5329’s push for government transparency would have curbed the ability of governors (read: Jay Inslee) to reward their top campaign donors with generous contract concessions made during secret collective bargaining negotiations. Last year, Inslee conceded pay hikes to state employee unions worth nearly half a billion dollars. State lawmakers do not have a say in contract agreements. They cannot propose amendments once the governor has reached an agreement. Lawmakers are restricted to an up-or-down vote.
SB 5329 would have allowed Washington State to join several other states in allowing for transparency “when deciding the compensation of government employees and the amount of tax dollars required to fund the agreements.” The public, media and lawmakers would have been able to see what tradeoffs and promises are being proposed before the final agreements are reached.
Republican lawmakers promised to renew their push for the transparency law during the next legislative session. Meanwhile, the WSLC continues to demonstrate their truly astounding propensity toward hypocrisy.
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