New information on mandated leave for all King County Employees

  Notice to all SEIU members

 KC Mandated leave TA Final 81027

Contract Victory Follows After Work-In Protest

The City of Edmonds ratifies contract.  Giving members 3.5% for 2008, 5.3% for 2009 and 100% of CPI-U for 2010 with a floor and ceiling of 2.5 & 5.5.  An additional Holiday in form of a floater holiday.  Language for Domestic partners for leaves and health benefits.

June 26--SEIU 925 members that work for The City of Edmonds boycotted the Mayor's Down by the Bay, employees recognition event to protest take-aways and inequities the City has prposed at the bargaining table - and instead went to work in purple SEIU 925 t-shirts.  Other union employees joined the boycott in solidarity. 

The majority of SEIU 925 members worked through the event wearing purple t-shirts and stickers to send a message to the City that we want equality and fairness, and we won't settle for less!  At the awards cermony, the Mayor noted that SEIU 925 members being honored were back at City Hall "working in purple t-shirts."

  More photos here.

I-1098 would bring in $11.6 billion over 5 years

The Seattle Times Blog

                                
by Andrew Garber

The income tax initiative, I-1098, would bring in more than twice as much money as proponents have said, according to a new analysis by the governor's budget office.

Proponents of the high-earner income tax had estimated it would bring in about $1 billion annually. But the governor's budget office projects the tax would generate about $11.6 billion between 2012 and 2016.

I-1098, backed by a coalition including labor, health-care and education groups, would create a 5 percent tax rate on annual income above $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for couples, and a 9 percent tax rate on income above $500,000 for individuals and on income above $1 million for couples. It also would cut the state property tax by 20 percent and increase the business-and-occupation tax credit for small businesses to $4,800 from $420 per year. Sponsors say the new tax revenue would help pay for education and health-care programs.

The budget office projects about $1.6 billion would be available for the next two-year budget if voters approve the measure, which could help the state solve a shortfall projected at around $3 billion.

After the first year, the tax is expected to generate more than $2 billion annually.