We need all our members to understand that if they win a good benefit in their local contract, they could lose that same benefit with the stroke of a pen in the Legislature. If the lawmakers that support such benefits for workers don't win their elections, laws hostile to workers and their unions will be enacted. The current debate over health care reform is a case in point. These days, many issues that affect labor also affect other groups. For example, safety and health standards often concern environmentalists concerned about chemical exposures in our communities.
Discrimination laws concern the gay and lesbian communities.
And child care issues are of great interest to the women's community. To Know laws about hazardous chemicals. In the past couple of years, the labor community has strengthened our relationship with the church community. We have an ongoing working relationship with two key women's organizations-Washington Women United and the National Organization for Women. Our challenge now is to create permanent coalitions with sympathetic community groups that transcend individual legislative goals or issues.