Investigations
WA agency fails to reinspect a third of ‘severe violator’ employers
A Labor and Industries program aims to monitor companies that are “resistant or indifferent” to safety rules, but follow-up inspections are lagging.
Lizz Giordano
Lizz Giordano is Cascade PBS's investigative labor reporter focusing on workplace safety, labor organizing and worker rights. lizzgiordano@cascadepbs.org
Latest work
Investigations
Filipino fishermen left in WA marina allege abandonment, lost pay
Fishing companies say long waits between seasons can be common, but labor experts say offshore foreign workers are “uniquely unprotected” under U.S. policies.
Washington Legislature
WA lawmakers approve union bargaining rules for legislative staff
Lawmakers came to a late-session agreement on Senate Bill 6194 to outline collective bargaining rights for legislative staffers just before
Washington Legislature
WA bill to offer unemployment pay to striking workers falls short
A bill to extend unemployment benefits to striking workers failed to pass the Washington Legislature before a key deadline last
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.