WHEREAS:

            Farm workers, temporary workers, domestic and health care workers, taxi drivers, restaurant workers and other workers are excluded-by either policy or practice-from the right to organize and other basic labor laws; and

WHEREAS:

            These workers are the footings of the foundation of our national labor policy and are essential part of our labor force and serve as a crucial component of our national economy; and

WHEREAS:

            The excluded workers are not being treated equally under the federal and state labor laws of our nation; and

WHEREAS:

            There is no just or valid reason to exclude these workers from the protections of the right to organize and other labor protections, essentially creating a modern day slave class, disenfranchised, with no economic or political power; and

WHEREAS:

            The excluded workers forced to live and work under this undue burden are detrimentally impacted as are their children, resulting in a rise in our national poverty level and further skewing the concentration of wealth to the rich; and

WHEREAS:

            The disenfranchisement of such a large segment of our population places a drag on and depresses our national economy; and

WHEREAS:

            The labor movement recognizes that an injury to one is an injury to all and that these workers are injured as a result of this exclusion.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            That WFSE Local 304 strongly encourages all the affiliates to adopt this resolution in protection of these workers under all federal and state labor laws; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That suitably prepared copies of this resolution be prepared and forwarded to the Washington Federation of State Employees Council 28 and the Washington State Labor Council for adoption; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That a copy of this resolution is forwarded to AFSCME International and the AFL-CIO for their adoption and their continued support of these excluded workers; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

            That all of the above named organizations and their affiliates work together to change policies and promote legislation at the city, state and national level to make it possible to cover the excluded workers with bargaining rights to achieve living wages and health benefits.