International Women’s Day
On Monday, the Full Council, in collaboration with the Seattle Women’s Commission, Proclaimed March 8, 2017, International Women’s Day. This is an opportunity to look back on progress made, celebrate Women’s acts of courage, and call for women to continue to do extraordinary acts to improve the lives of women in all countries and communities. The change we seek will require people who identify as both men and women to link arms and reject violence in all its forms.
Not only is March 8 International Women’s Day, but March is National Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is to “Honor women who have successfully challenged the role of women in both business and the paid labor force.” As we know, women have always worked, yet throughout history the work of women has been undervalued and women are still underpaid. According to the Center for American Progress, in 2016 and noted in the graph below, “in the United States, the average woman is paid 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, for African American women 63 cents; Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 60 cents, American Indian 58 cents; and Hispanic women only 54 cents for every dollar made by a white man.”
In addition, the United States is the only developed country without a paid family and medical leave policy. This is one of the largest contributions to the current gender wage gap. I look forward to improve policies that will improve the lives of women.
Secure Scheduling Draft Rules
As you may recall, Secure Scheduling is a law the Council passed last year in order to address problematic scheduling practices.
Since the passage of the ordinance, the Office of Labor Standards has convened eight stakeholder meetings in order to develop administrative rules that will guide implementation and enforcement of the law. The draft rules will be presented to my committee on Tuesday the 14th. The rules will be released on Monday the 13th and the public is encouraged to comment on them through the end of March.
The bill was voted on at the September 19th Full Council meeting and was unanimously approved. It addresses unfair scheduling practices such as an increase in the use of part-time employees, just-in-time scheduling (real time schedule adjustments), and pressure to “stay within hours” due to tight labor budgets. All of this leads to scheduling unpredictability and volatility, a higher headcount of part-time workers, and fewer hours on average worked for each employee. For the details of the legislation, check out one of my blog posts here or this website which details the ordinance.
If after the draft rule release you have comments, please send them by email to karina.bull@seattle.gov or by regular mail to:
Seattle Office of Labor Standards
810 Third Ave, Suite 750
Seattle, WA 98104-1627
Attn: Karina Bull, Senior Policy Analyst/Secure Scheduling Rule Comment
In-District Office Hours March 24th
I will be at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon St), Friday March 24th from 2:00pm – 7:00pm. The final meeting of the day will begin at 6:30pm.
These hours are walk-in friendly, but if you would like to let me know you’re coming in advance you can email my scheduler Alex Clardy (alex.clardy@seattle.gov).
Additionally, here is a list of my tentatively scheduled office hours. These are subject to change.
| Date | Location | Address |
| Friday, March 24, 2017 | Senior Center of West Seattle | 4217 SW Oregon St |
| Friday, April 28, 2017 | Southwest Neighborhood Service Center | 2801 SW Thistle St |
| Friday, May 26, 2017 | Senior Center of West Seattle | 4217 SW Oregon St |
| Friday, June 23, 2017 | South Park Community Center | 8319 8TH Avenue S |
| Friday, July 28, 2017 | Southwest Neighborhood Service Center | 2801 SW Thistle St |
| Friday, August 18, 2017 | Senior Center of West Seattle | 4217 SW Oregon St |
| Friday, September 22, 2017 | South Park Community Center | 8319 8TH Avenue S |
| Friday, October 27, 2017 | Southwest Neighborhood Service Center | 2801 SW Thistle St |
| Friday, December 15, 2017 | South Park Community Center | 8319 8TH Avenue S |
Campaign to Trump-proof Seattle
Earlier this week I co-hosted a presentation by a number of community groups titled “Trump-Proof Seattle: A Lunch and Learn Forum on Tax Justice. Presenters included the Transit Riders Union, the Seattle Education Association, the King County Labor Council, PTE Local 17, the Tenants Union, and Plum Bistro.
The presentation focused on the need to address the fact that Washington state has the nation’s most regressive state and local tax system. The poorest 20% pay 16.8% of income as taxes, compared to 2.4% for the top 1%, a 686% disparity. The poorest 20% have to work two full months just to cover those taxes; yet the top 1% do so in only 6 weekdays.
The presentation examined the potential long-term options to address this disparity that could prompt a legal challenge with the objective of overturning the statewide prohibition against state and municipal income taxes.
What’s next? There are Town Hall events planned for every district. The first is in District 4 with Councilmember Rob Johnson. There’s a Work Party this Sunday at Casa Latina.
Sunday, 3/12 – 1:00 – 5:00 PM: Campaign Work Party @ Casa Latina, 317 17th Ave S.
Thursday, 3/16 – 5:00 – 7:00 PM: Happy Hour Social @ Optimism Brewing Co., 1158 Broadway.
Thursday, 3/23 – 8:00 – 9:45 PM: District 4 Town Hall @ University Heights Center, 5031 University Way NE.
Delridge Way Ride and Chat: March 11
West Seattle Bike Connections is hosting a ride and conversation about the possibilities for bicycle facilities on or parallel to Delridge as part of the Delridge Multimodal Corridor project. An October, 2016 SDOT corridor study workshop is linked here. Funding was included in the 2015 Move Seattle levy.
It begins at Uptown Espresso on Delridge at Andover (3845 Delridge Way SW) at 2:30pm; the ride starts at 3:00pm
Seattle is seeking the next Civic Poet
The two-year term of Seattle’s wonderful Civic Poet Claudia Luna Castro will be coming to an end later this year, so the Office of Arts and Culture is seeking applications for Civic Poet.
This call is open to Seattle-based poets who have an established body of work including published work and/or spoken word experience. Applicants should have demonstrated interest in promoting equity and inclusion through the arts and through the power of the written and spoken word. Students are not eligible to apply.
The deadline for applications is April 24; the Office of Arts and Culture will host a workshop on eligibility and how to apply on April 6 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the 12th Avenue Arts Conference Room at 1620 12th Avenue, 2nd floor offices. Further information about the Civic Poet position and duties is available at the Office of Arts & Culture website; Civic Poet Claudia Castro Luna has curated monthly readings at the Seattle City Council Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts committee that I chair. You can also contact lizzy.melton@seattle.gov.