Washington Legislative Session 2025

A discussion with host Phineas Pope and NWPB reporter Lauren Gallup about Washington state's budget deficit.

In Washington, decisions on the use of technology in the workplace have been made by management for public workers. That's been the case for over 20 years. But now, some lawmakers want to pass an exemption that would allow public sector employees to bargain on one broad and ever changing technology – artificial intelligence.

When workers go on strike in Washington state, they don't earn any money. But a new piece of legislation could change that. NWPB's Lauren Gallup talked with Phineas Pope.

When workers go on strike in Washington state, they don’t earn a dime. A new piece of legislation could change that. This bill would allow workers to eventually access unemployment benefits, starting the second Sunday after they began withholding their labor. Workers could claim up to four weeks of benefits through the state’s unemployment insurance, according to co-sponsor of the bill, state Sen. Steve Conway.