Tuesday begins day four of the carpenters’ strike across the Seattle area as the Northwest Carpenters Union says workers are demanding better pay to keep up with the cost of living.þþThe union rejected the latest offer, which was a 20% wage increase over the next four years. Negotiations are now stalled, but both sides say they’re willing to go back to the table.þþWhile the workers are on strike, big construction projects are on hold, and that includes the expansion of Microsoft campuses in Redmond and Sammamish. The Climate Change Arena, Port of Seattle, and Sound Transit sites are not impacted by the strike.þþThose union workers at the exempt sites must provide at least two hours of their pay to a strike fund that helps striking union members.þþ“Being a union carpenter means the freedom to vote democratically to determine your own wages, benefits and future,” said Evelyn Shapiro, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of Northwest Carpenters Union (principal officer). “Our members have been divided over this historic agreement and we do not take going on strike lightly. We must come together and build an agreement that will unite our membership.”þþThere are picket locations Tuesday in Bellevue, Kirkland, Mountlake Terrace, Seattle, and Tacoma.þþOn Sept. 11, 56% of the union membership rejected the agreement and voted to go on strike. The contract extension expired at Sept. 15 at midnight. Picketing began on Sept. 16. The Northwest Carpenters Union represents 28,000 workers across six states — Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Source: mynorthwest.com
