H-652                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1462

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Jacobsen, Cole, Prince, Jesernig and P. King

Read first time 1/25/89 and referred to Committee on Higher Education.

AN ACT Relating to a center for participatory management at the University of Washington; adding new sections to chapter 28B.20 RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that new participatory ways of organizing work can enhance employee job satisfaction, improve labor-management cooperation, enhance product quality, and increase productivity.  When workers feel that they have input in determining the way their jobs are performed and know that they can profit from gains in performance and productivity, benefits accrue to both employers and employees.  The legislature finds that participatory management techniques promote a new spirit of cooperation in the workplace and add to the economic development of the state economy.  The establishment of a university center for participatory management can advance the spread of participatory management and can contribute to the goals of labor-management cooperation and economic growth.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) A center for participatory management is created in the school of business administration at the University of Washington.  The center shall operate under the authority of the board of regents of the University of Washington.

          (2) The center for participatory management shall be designed to advance the study and practice of participatory management, including ongoing efforts within the state, with the goal of improving labor-management relations, enhancing employee satisfaction with work, improving product quality, and increasing productivity without reducing jobs.  The center shall study participatory management techniques such as labor-management committees, job enlargement and enrichment, autonomous work teams, profit sharing, worker representation on boards of directors, and "Scanlon Plans."

          (3) The center for participatory management shall:

          (a) Conduct original research on participatory management, which shall be of practical use to management or labor in this state.

          (b) Collect information on participatory management research and practices.

          (c) Disseminate information on participatory management to management, labor, and economic development officials through conferences, seminars, newsletters, and other means.

          (d) Provide technical assistance for the establishment of participatory management practices in firms in this state.

          (4) The center shall be administered by a director appointed by the dean of the school of business administration.  The director shall be a member of the faculty of that school.

          (5) The center shall solicit financial contributions from management, labor, federal agencies, and other sources.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:

          At least three times per year the governor shall convene a meeting of an equal number of representatives of management and labor to review, report, and advise on the activities of the center.  Attention should be given to the center's performance in carrying out the intent of sections 1 and 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The sum of two hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the University of Washington for the purposes of this act.