Public Workers and the Right to Strike

Tuesday, September 26 at 6:30 pm
The right to strike is one of labor’s most powerful tools in helping workers win better wages and conditions. How does this jive with former Attorney General Rob McKenna’s statement that public employee strikes are “illegal”? What does Washington State law say? What is the history of public employee strikes here and nationally?
Presenters:
Ben Berger is a senior associate at Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt LLP, a law firm well-known and respected for helping public and private-sector unions and workers in fully exercising their legal rights. During law school he interned with labor groups including Laborers (LIUNA) and the Migrant Farmworkers Project.
Steve Hoffman is a public employee at a community college and shop steward with Wash. Federation of State Employees (AFSCME) Local 304. He helped create a statewide strike committee for AFSCME Council 28 and serves on it now. He has walked many picket lines and written extensively on the power of strikes.
If you are a public employee who is in contract negotiations, or has engaged in strike or work-stoppage activity, bring your stories and questions.

Meeting location: 
Washington State Labor Council Offices
321 16th Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98144
(corner of 16th Ave S & Jackson St.)