The WA Senate is now poised to pass a bill that would give Uber/Lyft drivers a pay raise and some benefits outside of Seattle but prevent them from being classified as employees. Some unions see this bill as a major blow to the movement. Background: #waleg thestranger.com/slog/2022/03/0… In not classifying the ridehail drivers as "employees," the bill would give Uber/Lyft a huge win, plus a great deal on car insurance. Other unions say the bill sets a dangerous precedent for a two-tiered benefit system that threatens workers' rights here and across the country.

The WA Senate just passed HB 2037, a significant rollback from last year’s police accountability legislation. The version they passed allows cops to use force when someone walks away from a cop during a Terry stop #waleg

Background:
thestranger.com/slog/2022/02/0… If the governor signs the bill, which he very likely will, then officers with little more than a hunch that you may have committed a low-level crime can use force to stop you from leaving a scene.

The Teamsters are torn on a Washington state bill that would boost pay and offer some protections to Uber and Lyft drivers outside Seattle but stop short of classifying them as employees. #waleg thestranger.com/slog/2022/03/0… Teamsters 117 + Drivers Union + House Dems want to take the deal and keep pushing for change at the federal/state level.

Teamsters Joint Council 28, the Mass AFL-CIO (which is currently fighting a Prop 22 clone from Uber/Lyft), and other orgs say the deal sets a bad precedent.

A local militia group is planning the same kind of thing here at the Capitol building in Olympia, WA, too. They’re calling it a “Legislative Lockout,” and it’ll go from “Jan 10th 2021-Until Complete,” according to an email sent out by the WA 3%ers.

https://twitter.com/shannonrwatts/status/1341103994551169027

Here’s the basic plan

A little late to the “Count every vote, protect every person” rally in Pioneer Square. Nikkita Oliver and members of daily BLM protest groups givin a lot of speeches linking voting to protecting Black lives. By protecting every vote, by voting, you’re voting for these people.” No small amount of frustration from the speakers regarding the relatively small numbers of protesters at recent nightly protests. “We could have used you all last night, when those officers brutalized us,” says Trae from Black Action Coalition. ST: seattletimes.com/seattle-news/e…

Freakin antifa taking over the Republic City Council

https://twitter.com/OlympiaJoe/status/1324089038530179072

I clearly need to look up what happened at that city council meeting but until then I'm going to reflexively blame Mayor Elbert Koontz on the strength of his name alone

Group of about 100+ are marching down 5th Ave in the ID. Sign says, “SPOG is the prob.” Another days “Bezos is a looter.” We got a modest car brigade of 9-10 on the tail, protecting group from vehicular attacks. This neighbor is into it

Quite the crowd heading south on Rainier Lots of mutual aid alone the way cuz it’s a hot one.

Here at the We Want to Live March for Black Lives at Othello Park. Lots of big church energy here as Pastor Harvey Drake calls for a “season of catalytic change” in the city and across the country. Thousands here, I’d guess. Haven’t seen much in the way of enforcement. After speakers, plan is to march to Rainier Beach. FYI service is fucked for me at least, so forgive delays.