it's time to talk about 2019

The results are in and we know who's representing us in the WA Legislature next year. And now, it's time to start thinking about what we want our elected officials to get done in 2019.

You're a member, so we want to know what you think should be on our statewide workers' rights agenda next year!

Click below to tell us which issue is the biggest priority for you…

OUR TIME COUNTS (statewide secure scheduling + restoring overtime protections)

RIGHTS INTO REALITIES (tools to hold employers accountable + community-based enforcement)

REDUCING INCOME INEQUALITY (benefits for gig workers + reining in CEO pay + Working Families Tax Credit)

We're fighting for some pretty cutting-edge changes to the way we think about workers' rights, so it's vital that we get input from workers all across the state. Click here to let us know what you think!

"don't be too hard on Amazon"

Amazon's newest cost-cutting measure seems to be replacing PR hacks with a hand-selected crew of warehouse workers who are taking to Twitter to defend their hero, "Mr. Bezos":

If the whole thing seems a little creepy, don't worry — it's all about efficiency. Social media crisis management is the perfect side gig for an Amazon worker: their bosses can make them Tweet from the nearest restroom and/or water bottle without wasting time on a bathroom break! (Just kidding. Probably.)

You might be thinking, hey, at least they're taking in some extra money to supplement the wages they're making at warehouses in places like Kent, WA (where Michelle and Phil work, according to their Twitter bios). Bezos must be shelling out some of the $143 billion he's worth for warehouse workers to spend hours shilling for him on Twitter — right? According to the "ambassadors," the answer is no:

Amazon's PR staff almost certainly gets paid in the six-figure range — so why are they making warehouse workers defend the richest human in the world for free?

Click here to Tweet at Bezos & his ambassa-bots: "Hey @JeffBezos, if you're going to ask your lowest-wage Amazon workers to spend hours defending you on Twitter, the least you could do is pay them for it."

Mr. Bezos probably has a few dollars to spare. He can afford it.

join the party

As workers, we all need schedules that are flexible and predictable enough for us to live our lives. That could mean the freedom to go to school or spend time with our families. It could mean the stability of getting enough hours to pay the rent. It could mean being able to plan ahead so we can make time for the things that matter to us outside of work — whether it's volunteering, making art, or just celebrating special occasions like a birthday or an anniversary.

And if you're going to plan some time to celebrate an anniversary, today isn't a bad day to do it, because it's a big one. A year ago today, Seattle's secure scheduling law went into effect — and tens of thousands of food, coffee, and retail workers started seeing some major changes in their schedules at work and their lives.

I can make some time to celebrate...

Click here to celebrate with us!

So celebrate with us by reading what the workers who won secure scheduling have to say about what the last year has been like for them…

If you think more secure schedules are a cause for celebration, click here to join the party!

Let us know if you're a worker who has seen improvements in scheduling at work since last July — or if there are changes you want to see.

It's clear that when workers come together and fight for change, we can do big things. What can we do by this time next year?

Happy anniversary!

without my boss being able to change it in the snap of the fingers

This morning, Merlee, a parent and Jimmy John's worker in Seattle, came to City Council to testify about how the city's secure scheduling law has affected her life. Here's what she had to say:

"I owe it to my family to provide for them but also to be present and know when I get to invest time. Secure scheduling means I can be home with my kid when I need to — without my boss being able to change it in the snap of the fingers. I know I get to spend that time with my kid when I need to. I get that time for my family.

When I know my schedule I am able to build a life of quality. When I compare jobs and benefits, my secure scheduling & my two weeks' notice are at the top of my list."

Starbucks barista Darrion Sjoquist talks to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz

Darrion, a Working Washington member who works at Starbucks, asked Howard Schultz about secure scheduling at his Starbucks shareholders’ meeting today. This honest exchange highlighted the needs of workers in a genuine way. Check out the video below:

Full Transcript:

Darrion: My name is Darrion. I’ve been a partner for a year and 8 months.  I wanted to ask you a question about talks in city council―king county―about scheduling issues partners are having.

I see now after coming here and being underdressed you have so much to think about; global markets, expanding, and innovating.  I can understand how an issue like this could fall by the wayside.

But I’m here to ask you first if it’s something you are considering: is it something you’re seeing….something you’re looking at. And secondly, if it’s something that partners like me who see the effects―the direct effects―of scheduling could talk to you about it.

Because you said yourself the barrier for being a helpful company is profit, and I honestly do believe an investment in scheduling and consideration would result in profit, and would result in customer satisfaction and ultimately make Starbucks and the communities they serve a better place. So is it something you’re considering.

Schultz: Not only is it something we’re considering, but I think it’s at the top of our list. To try and create some balance between the pressure that exists on some people who are having a difficult time with their schedule and our ability to schedule thousands of people.

And I think what we now know is we need a specific technology tool and technology resources to do this well. And so, first off, of all the things we have collectively to deal with there’s nothing more important at any time than the partner experience.  Having said that, there’s lots of issues we’re dealing with with 300,000 people all over the world, [but] it’s not an excuse.

I think some of the issues are some people want part time hours because they have other things that they’re doing besides Starbucks; either a second job or going to school or whatever they’re doing and starbucks fills that need.

Then we have other people who only want full time hours and we’re trying to satisfy them.  The primary issue, though, is making sure that we provide you with a schedule in advance so you don’t have a short term response and you can’t make work.

We understand the issues, we think they’re critical, and can promise you on behalf of all of us at Starbucks we are digging in on this and trying to solve it. We’ve made strides, and I think in the near term there will be a technology tool we will have, and the store manager will have, that will give us more visibility on the issue in advance and will have the problem solved

But the short answer is, and I think this is important, of all the things you see here nothing is more important to anyone in the company than the experience our partners are having. Full stop.

Darrion: I really do appreciate that and I honestly believe you. I’ve spoken to software specialists, I’ve spoken to local legislators, and I’ve seen how it affects people throughout this sector and the one voice i really feel is missing is the partners themselves; the employees. I think they have a lot of useful things to say and if you let them, they’ll talk a lot

Schultz: Okay. Thank you very much for that.