OLYMPIA – Striking workers in Washington state may be eligible for up to six weeks of unemployment insurance under legislation signed today by Gov. Bob Ferguson.

Senate Bill 5041, sponsored by Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), will allow individuals unemployed due to a labor strike to receive up to six weeks of unemployment insurance benefits following a qualifying strike or lockout event. Benefits would start 15 to 21 days after the strike begins, depending on what day the strike starts. If the contract is resolved before that time, no benefits would be issued.

“Striking is a last resort, and this bill will help level the playing field for workers trying to exercise their right to collectively bargain for fair wages and safe workplace conditions,” Riccelli said. “Affordability is one of the top issues for people in my district. This legislation will help make sure people who do important jobs and important work have fair pay, good benefits, and safe work conditions.”

The legislation includes a sunset clause, requiring state lawmakers to review the policy in 2036 and decide whether to extend the law or let it expire. The bill also requires the state Employment Security Department to produce an annual report on the number of strikes occurring within Washington and the impact of strikes on the unemployment insurance trust fund.

“This bill levels the playing field for workers who are fighting for fair wages and working conditions,” said Ferguson. “Strikes are a last resort, and while they are an important tool for workers, they can be financially debilitating. This bill ensures workers have the resources they need to effectively bargain with their employers.”

“Workers joining together in union and collectively bargaining to improve working conditions is as American as apple pie,” said April Sims, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “But with stagnant wages and a rising cost of living, many workers don’t have a safety net if they are pushed to strike. Providing UI for striking workers will level the playing field by encouraging employers to bargain in good faith and making it harder for bad bosses to starve workers out. UI benefits will help striking workers survive while they fight for the union contract that will help them thrive. We’re grateful to Sen. Riccelli for his leadership on this bill, and to all the legislators who listened to working people and supported its passage.”

Two other states − New Jersey and New York − have passed similar legislation. At least 13 states have introduced the policy since 2013.

“Our goal, as union members, is never to go on strike. Negotiating for months past a contract expiration is costly and unnecessary and we shouldn’t have to withhold our labor in order to get a fair contract,” said Callie Allen, a registered nurse in the Family Birth Center at Multicare Valley Hospital in Spokane Valley. “However, if we do have to strike, we deserve this kind of support. This legislation is a big win for working families and union members here in Washington! Hopefully this will motivate employers to negotiate fair contracts quickly so the days of labor strikes can be put behind us.”

“Our state is taking a bold step forward,” said Elizabeth Smith, a CORE Tech Assistant at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane. “With the right to unemployment benefits during a strike being signed into law, healthcare workers no longer have to choose between standing up for patients and putting food on the table. Solidarity wins!”

The bill will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.