SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6615

BYSenator Lee

Establishing the labor-management cooperation program.

Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 27, 1988; February 1, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and refer to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Lee, Chairman; Anderson, Vice Chairman; Cantu, Conner, Deccio, McMullen, Saling, Smitherman, Warnke, West.

Senate Staff:Bill Lynch (786-7427)

                  February 1, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & LABOR, FEBRUARY 1, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Cooperation between labor and management is being viewed more and more as crucial to an area's economic development efforts.  The United States Department of Labor is making a concerted effort to foster better labor-management relations throughout the country.

Some states have formal labor-management cooperation mechanisms in place that have reported successes.

SUMMARY:

The labor-management cooperation program is established in the Department of Trade and Economic Development.  The program will work in conjunction with any business and job retention program established in the state.

The committee will provide funding to local area and industry-wide labor-management committees.  Funding will be provided on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis, but no committee may receive more than $10,000 in a biennium.  Grant request procedures are established.  Each local or industry-wide committee must have equal representation of labor and management and may include community or local government representatives.

The committee shall promote labor-management cooperation by providing technical assistance and information to firms, labor organizations and communities; support in-plant assistance programs designed to retain and create jobs in Washington firms; and provide labor and management opportunities to study issues of mutual concern and to communicate and work together to solve common problems.

The Labor-Management Cooperation Program Advisory Committee is established consisting of five business representatives, five labor representatives, and a member of the general public who serves as chair.  The directors of the Departments of Community Development, Employment Security, and Trade and Economic Development also serve as nonvoting members of the committee to help facilitate interagency cooperation.  The Governor shall appoint the members for three-year terms.  The Advisory Committee shall assist in the development of the initial plan, goals, and objectives of the program.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

Two of the five labor representatives on the advisory committee must represent public employees.

An appropriation of $100,000 for the biennium ending on June 30, 1989 is granted to the Department of Trade and Economic from the state general fund.

Appropriation:    $100,000 from the general fund to the Department of Trade and Economic Development.

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested January 26, 1988

Effective Date:July 1, 1988

Senate Committee - Testified: Bob Dilger, Building & Construction Trades Council; Cliff Finch, Association of Washington Business; Jeff Johnson, Washington State Labor Council