WSECA Is Your Voice in Olympia
WSECA members regularly testify in committee meetings when legislation affecting our industry is being considered by lawmakers.
Issues WSECA has advocated for:
Access to Apprenticeship Programs Through Objection Reform
- Existing apprenticeship programs, particularly the IBEW sponsored programs and CITC, have been abusing the competitor objection process to prevent competition in the apprenticeship market. Even when their own programs are full and not admitting new applicants, these groups are preventing new programs from being approved to meet demand. WSECA has worked with Representative Suzanne Schmidt and industry allies such as Associated Builders & Contractors on a series of bills to reform the objection process, which will allow new and innovative programs to provide more choice and opportunity.
Exempting Trainees At Small & Rural Contractors From The Apprenticeship Requirement
- WSECA members have helped introduce legislation to provide relief from the 01 Electrician apprenticeship mandate to small & rural contractors without adequate access to apprenticeship.
Pushing Back Against Apprentice Utilization Requirements (AURs)
- Requiring that taxpayer funded construction projects employ apprentices for certain percentages of labor hours is well intentioned, but the goal of providing work experience for apprentices can be challenging to write good legislation for.
- Without easy access to apprenticeship for all electrical contractors statewide, this type of legislation unfairly advantages larger contractors located in areas where apprenticeship is more established.
- The mix of trades working on any particular project makes fixed targets for AURs difficult, especially when apprenticeship doesn’t yet exist for many of the trades involved in construction projects.
- Limiting bidder eligibility with AURs results in increased costs to taxpayers for government funded projects.
Pushing Back Against Unnecessary Regulations
- WSECA opposed requirements for EVITP certification for electricians installing EV charging equipment on taxpayer funded projects.
Fighting against unfair Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and Community Workforce Agreements (CWAs)
- These agreements require that only labor from a union organization be utilized on projects. This is an outright ban on small independent contractors.
- WSECA worked with partners and members to help block a PLA requirement for Whatcom County, and continues to fight rules that unfairly restrict competition.
Sensible Rules
- WSECA engages with LNI to assure that the interests and real-world experience of electrical contractors are considered in the development of WAC and RCW rules.
