Washington State Ferry workers are represented by the Inlandboatmen's Union.
The Everett Herald has published an opinion piece by Rich Austin, Sr., President of the ILWU Pacific Coast Pensioners Association. Austin wrote:
Several mean-spirited bills designed to scapegoat ferry workers have been introduced by both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature. It seems as if some Washington lawmakers are in league with their GOP counterparts in Wisconsin.
Sens. Mary Margaret Haugen (D-Camano Island) and Curtis King (R-Yakima), and Reps. Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island) and Mike Anderson (R-Wenatchee) are sponsoring the bills.
As you will recall, KING-TV ran a series of “specials” depicting wasteful practices in our ferry system. Those isolated incidents then took on lives of their own.
Predictably, opportunists seized on the opening those misconceptions afforded them. And now the people who are in peril are ferry workers. Once again, workers are being painted as the culprits.