THE LAST Washington state legislative session, state senator Joe Nguyen and three others sponsored a bill that would trim the standard 40-hour workweek to 32. It didn’t gain traction. But with the coronavirus pandemic hastening remote office setups, imperiling our mental health, and roiling our concept of time (is it Wednesday? Saturday?), employers have begun to reexamine their workplace norms; why not consider less time on-the-clock? We asked Nguyen and two CEOs who’ve adopted the four-day week why others should get on board. The conversation, held over Zoom, has been edited for clarity.
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OLYMPIA – Sen. Joe Nguyen (D- White Center) was elected Assistant Floor Leader today by the Washington State Senate Democratic Caucus.
“I am extremely honored that my colleagues chose me for this role and eager to get to work building a Washington that works for everyone this legislative session,” said Nguyen.
The Assistant Floor Leader supports the Floor Leader in setting Senate floor agendas and works with bicameral and bipartisan leadership to facilitate discussion. Sen. Marko Liias (D – Lynnwood) was reelected as the Senate Democratic Caucus Floor Leader by the caucus on Monday.
“We’ve seen so much suffering and difficulty this year. Even with work happening behind the scenes, I’m ready to start passing policies that support our small businesses and essential workers, prioritize the health of Washingtonians, and address the racial injustices that sparked worldwide protests this summer,” Nguyen added.
Nguyen was first elected to serve the 34th Legislative District in 2018 and sits on the Transportation, Environment, Energy & Technology, Rules, and Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation committees. He has focused on restoring cash benefits to those most in need, rebalancing Washington’s tax structure to help working people, and reforming the criminal justice system.
The 2021 Legislative Session is scheduled to begin on Jan. 11, 2021, and will essentially take place virtually to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Seattle was on the cusp of finally ending federal oversight of its police department when an outside arbitrator demanded that the city rehire an officer who had punched a handcuffed woman in the eye.
The arbitrator’s ruling was so upsetting to a federal judge that he saw fit to play the video of the incident — in which officer Adley Shepherd is seen leveling the woman in the back of his patrol car — to a captive audience in his usually staid courtroom.
When the tape finished playing, the judge, James Robart, concluded that the city police department would remain under federal supervision until it fixed what had gone wrong with the Shepherd case.
I have a question for Mayor Durkan. When do we start getting our free money?
On June 29, 11 U.S. mayors, led by Michael Tubbs of Stockton, California, announced the launch of a new network called Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. The basic idea of a guaranteed income is simple: Give people cash, not just once, but regularly, with no strings attached. The mayors intend to experiment with city-based pilot programs, as well as advocate for state and federal guaranteed income policies. The effort quickly got a $3 million boost from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
With state revenues now expected to take a $9 billion hit, new taxes could get a warmer reception when Washington lawmakers gather to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.
On Wednesday, legislative budget writers received new information clarifying just how big of a budget problem they face over the next three years.
After over two months of social distancing, our new normal has transformed into enduring agony. Like every other elected official in the state and beyond, I spend hours each day responding to heartbreaking emails from constituents who have been pushed to the margins, and far too many who have been pushed over.
Political leaders made moves Monday toward defunding the city’s police department in the aftermath of violence here over the weekend, following in the steps of other cities after nearly two weeks of protests over police brutality that have swept the nation.
The police department tear-gassed protesters Sunday night, despite the mayor trying to previously limit tear-gas use. Earlier Sunday evening, a 27-year old was shot by an armed driver barreling into a crowd of protesters.
Persisting inequities have been top of mind for Senator Joe Nguyen as he’s worked to shore up social services and protections through progressive legislation. He’s been a leader in the Legislature on technology policy and expanding TANF benefits. Now, with jarring shortfalls looming, Nguyen is focused on the budget.
I reached out to Nguyen to hear about the budget proposal he’s been working on. We also discussed the application of benchmarks in analyzing COVID data and the inequities laid bare by the pandemic.
Michael Goldberg: State legislators are in this intermediary period between regular session ending and a probable special session. Based on the conversations you’ve had and the work you’ve been doing, what should the Legislature’s prioritization look like in the special session?
With our economy and sense of social normalcy completely upended to combat the spread of coronavirus, it was only a matter of time before we’d hear the calls for austerity. They come in well-messaged colloquialisms like “time to tighten our belts” and “we must trim the fat.” Many will join in. But just as we have to do everything we can to suppress the spread of coronavirus, we have to do everything we can to suppress the spread of bad, reactionary ideas that follow it.
Make no mistake—austerity measures are the exact opposite of what we should be doing. They will only perpetuate the economic contagion caused by this pandemic, and will hurt the people who need help the most.
