TACOMA, Wash. - Another Washington city is adding its name to a growing national list of those considering a paid sick day policy for all workers.

Organizers in Tacoma say they've been working on their prospective new ordinance behind the scenes since 2009 and now are ready to launch it. It would allow workers to accrue hours of paid sick leave that can be used to get well or care for a family member.

Sandy Restrepo, with the Healthy Tacoma coalition, said they've learned a lot from other cities, including Seattle, that already have such an ordinance.

"We saw Portland (Ore.) pass it. Philadelphia did their effort," she said. "And so, we thought it was our time - and it was time for a city like Tacoma - for workers to have the same rights as well."

In its current form, Restrepo said, the proposal takes pieces from ordinances in Portland, San Francisco and Seattle. It would allow workers to earn from five to nine days of paid sick leave in a year.

Tacoma City Councilman Anders Ibsen said he'll introduce the proposal this year. Three out of five workers already have paid sick days, he said, but the ones who don't are often in service industries such as restaurants, nursing homes and retail stores, where an illness could become a public health concern.

"These are people who are very much in contact with the public, who are usually working multiple jobs just to make ends meet," he said. "And it's that two out of five people who work really hard, who need that additional security - as well as the broader public and small-business owners who could benefit from just having a healthier workforce with less turnover."

Ibsen said one of the goals has been to keep small business owners in the loop. Based on their feedback, Tacoma's proposal will have different accrual rates for small companies than it does for larger ones. There will be opportunity for public comment and more fine-tuning in the coming months, Ibsen said.

The kickoff event is at 6:30 p.m. today at the Pierce County Central Labor Council office, 3049 S. 36th St., Tacoma.

More information is online at healthytacoma.net.


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Minnesota legislators adopted a lot of major policies in this year's session, including actions to support workers in many different fields. State employees are cheering the provisions.

A new statewide paid-leave program is among the highlights as Democrats pushed through a range of proposals with their majorities.

The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, which represents 15,000 state workers, was a key supporter of the paid-leave plan. Its president, Megan Dayton, said there were other victories, too. Collectively, she said, she feels they'll establish a new era for the state's workforce.

"It's a historic investment," she said. "It's also a breath of fresh air with programs and policies that, in my opinion, echo the spirit of FDR's New Deal."

According to MAPE, pension changes are a big win for its members, including a one-time 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for retirees. Advocates were also able to secure back pay for state workers in the event of a future government shutdown.

Republicans and some business groups have criticized some of the plans, namely the paid-leave program, set to begin in 2026. The National Federation of Independent Business in Minnesota described it as "complex employment regulations and severe penalties that will create more headaches for Main Street."

However, Dayton said whether it's paid leave or the other policies signed into law, Minnesota is in a better position to attract workers, including state government.

"Recruitment and retention is a really difficult piece of the workforce for everybody right now," she said, "and we think that many of the provisions made through this legislative session will contribute to making the state of Minnesota an employer of choice."

As for other workplace changes, the Legislature broadened protections for nursing mothers and pregnant employees. That includes allowing for a pregnant worker to take longer restroom, food and water breaks as an accommodation without being required to provide documentation.

Lawmakers guaranteed more than $760 million in their budget to boost wages and benefits for home care service providers.

That means Washington state caregivers will get wage increases of at least 10%. Veronica Tausili is a caregiver for her mother who traveled Olympia with her union - the Service Employees International Union 775 - to push for the wage increases.

She said experienced at-home caregivers will earn more than $25 an hour by the end of their contract and, importantly, caregiver wages will start at $21 an hour - helping recruit and retain them.

"We've lost so many caregivers because of the fact that they can't afford to stay in that position and not get paid," said Tausili. "So this is going to help us with the hiring process and getting people in because we're in dire need of caregivers right now."

The budget funding covers health-care coverage for caregivers' children as well. The Washington state budget also includes a rate increase for nursing homes of nearly $300 million over the next two years.

Tausili said this is critical for addressing understaffing in nursing homes.

Tausili quit her job to take care of her mom when she found out her mom had stage four cancer, which she survived - but Tausili continues to take care of her around the clock.

While some might see this kind of care as a burden, Tausili disagreed.

"This is my life as a caregiver and I love the fact that I can be there with her through everything," said Tausili. "I can say I was with her and I held her hand through everything."

Tausili praised state Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen - R- Puyallup - whom Tausili met with during the session, for her work on this issue. Gov. Jay Inslee signed the budget last week.




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More than one hundred workers at Coca-Cola plants in Logan and Charleston have returned to work after going on a days-long strike.

Ken Hall - the president of Teamsters Local 175 - said workers have a list of grievances against the company, including using supervisors doing union members' work and failing to pay employees for work performed.

Hall said the workers decided they didn't want to inconvenience the customers who rely on them, and remain optimistic - despite little movement from a company whose gross profit totaled nearly $600 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.

"They company just made another 23% profit in the first quarter," said Hall. "They're paying their CEO about $13 million as of last year, which is a significant increase for him. And yet they want to cut West Virginia workers out of their jobs and out of their pay."

In previously released statements, Coca-Cola Consolidated says it has provided the union a fair and competitive contract offer and remains committed to working with them on an equitable resolution.

Hall added that the local businesses that depend on receiving products from drivers are dismayed at the labor dispute.

"You see customers saying we don't want any deliveries that don't come from our drivers," said Hall. "They are fed up with the behavior protocol."

Coca-Cola also recently entered into an agreement with the gas station Sheetz to directly ship products from warehouses to Sheetz convenience stores.

Hall said the move bypasses the company's drivers, who were paid commissions for delivering those products.





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