Prepared by Brandon Anderson, SPEEA Legislative Director
SPEEA’s federal priorities are on the move, but we need your help!
SPEEA’s federal policy priorities continue to gain traction with Congressional lawmakers as they look to provide relief to communities in response to the pandemic-related economic fallout. But the fight for the passage of smart worker-friendly policy is not over yet. To avoid the U.S. Senate filibuster and move our priorities across the finish, your senators need to hear from you.
Call the Senate switchboard before it is too late. Ask your both your senators to pass the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and support relief for U.S. aerospace manufacturing workers.
Feel free to use the updates below to prepare for your call.
PRO Act: SPEEA, IFPTE and AFL-CIO affiliates continue to advocate for the immediate passage of the PRO Act. If passed, the PRO Act would overturn decades of anti-worker court rulings and would make the process of organizing a union and bargaining first contracts fairer for working people.
It would also increase accountability when employers violate labor law and void the backward labor law provision allowing so-called “Right-to-Work” laws. The House is likely to vote on the measure in March, but there is no indication the Senate will schedule a vote.
Aerospace Manufacturing Worker Relief: SPEEA and IFPTE successfully advocated for Congressional House members to include $3 billion to provide job protection and payroll support to aerospace manufacturing workers in the latest reconciliation proposal.
With SPEEA leading the efforts, the bill now includes strong worker protection language to ensure federal funds are used to rehire or keep workers employed in the industry. Employers will no longer be able to use the federal relief money for stock buybacks, dividend payments or executive pay – and all collective bargaining agreements must remain intact. The House of Representatives voted to pass the reconciliation bill. The bill is now under debate and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
SPEEA continues to work together with our international union, IFPTE, and national allies to advocate for federal public policies that:
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- Incentivize the “onshoring” of advanced manufacturing jobs.
Ensure H-1B policies protect American and foreign workers from employer misuse.
Invest strategically in aerospace research, development and infrastructure.
- Expand access to retirement security, including access to affordable health care.
- Address the nation’s overwhelming student-debt crisis.
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SPEEA is a strong voice for aerospace workers and their families at the state and federal level. Please help us continue to grow power for aerospace workers. Go to bit.ly/SPEEAPOWER to sign up for SPEEA’s legislative updates and action alerts. If you have more questions related to SPEEA’s Legislative & Public Affairs, email brandona@speea.org.
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Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington Legislature is holding meetings and events remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite this year’s unique session, it is critical SPEEA members and families continue to participate during the legislative session.
Participating remotely:
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- Engage – Join SPEEA in union member “calls to action,” hosted events, and remote campaigns.
- Learn – The whole legislative process, from start to finish, is explained here.
- Watch – Go to TVW.org for broadcasts of debates, votes, committee meetings, and other events in the House and Senate.
- Research – Look up legislation by lawmaker or topic, visit the bill information site.
- Testify – Holding a remote session does not mean SPEEA members do not have a voice. The legislature has a new system to submit remote testimony on any bill.
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Contact brandona@speea.org if you are interested in participating in written or public testimony on a bill before the legislature.
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