Investigations
A WA bill would extend unemployment pay to workers on strike
Advocates say fear of financial hardship undermines bargaining leverage. Opponents say the bill will increase business costs or prolong work stoppages.
Lizz Giordano
Multimedia journalist Lizz Giordano frequently reports on workplace safety, labor organizing and worker rights. Reach her at lizz.giordano@cascadepbs.org.
Latest work
Investigations
Legislators are shaping their staff’s collective bargaining rights
But workers it would affect can’t weigh in. Ethics rules prevent them from lobbying on bills — even ones that would define their ability to unionize.
Investigations
Over a third of WA’s job safety fines are reduced after appeals
One company negotiated a $1.3M reduction with the state’s safety agency after a worker’s hand was crushed, following multiple other violations.
Investigations
WA bridges still in poor condition, despite $630M in federal aid
The state transportation agency has allocated about 13% of early funding for repairs, but more is needed to address the backlog of projects.
News
WA fines Yakima grower $290k after two fatal tractor rollovers
Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries handed a Yakima orchard $290,000 in fines after two workers died in