AWB wins top awards for membership recruitment and retention
The Association of Washington Business took top honors last week in a national competition sponsored by the Association of State Chamber of Commerce Professionals. AWB, Washington’s State Chamber of Commerce, was also a finalist for ASCP’s President’s Award recognizing the nation’s top state chamber of commerce. AWB won that award in 2005. Competing against state chambers from around the nation, AWB ranked first in highest retention in numbers, highest membership growth in numbers, and highest market share in numbers. AWB also received the runner-up award for highest member retention dollars. In 2006, AWB took two honorable mentions and in 2005, AWB was the President’s Award winner.
Don’t miss the 2007 Northwest Environmental Summit
The Association of Washington Business, the Northwest Environmental Business Council, and the Washington State Department of Ecology will bring the state’s most comprehensive environmental conference to Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center on Oct. 17 and 18. For a copy of the agenda or to register go to http://www.envsummit.com/. Contact AWB’s J-Anne Nepomuceno at (360) 943-1600 or JAnneN@awb.org.
Just say yes to Washington’s rainy day fund
Voters will soon decide the fate of a constitutional amendment to establish a rainy day fund for Washington state. AWB supports the proposed fund, which will be created from 1 percent of general state revenues. The fund will be available for use when projected employment growth drops below 1 percent (about 30,000 new jobs) or through a simple-majority vote of the Legislature during a governor-declared emergency. The Legislature can also access the rainy day fund through a three-fifths vote under other financially challenging circumstances. AWB urges its members to support the Yes to a Rainy Day Fund campaign by sending a check to: Yes to a Rainy Day Fund, P.O. Box 21573, Seattle, WA 98111 (EIN 26-0516033). Please note that all contributions over $5,000 must be received before close of business on Oct. 15. After that, contribution limits take effect. There are no limits to the dollar amount allowed before Oct. 15. For more information, please contact AWB’s Amber Carter at (360) 943-1600 or AmberC@awb.org.
Minimum Wage going up again—just like last year
Washington’s minimum wage will increase again in 2008, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced. For workers age 16 and over the state minimum wage will increase by 1.8 percent, from $7.93 to $8.07 per hour. However, 14- and 15-year-olds employed under minor work permits may be paid 15 percent less at $6.86 per hour. The increase keeps Washington in its highest-in-the-nation position, 12 cents an hour above Oregon (second-highest at $7.95 per hour) and $2.22 above the federal minimum wage of $5.85, which Idaho uses. Washington’s minimum wage increases each year because of the passage in 1998 of Initiative 688, which requires the state to add a cost-of-living adjustment to the minimum wage each year based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban/Clerical Wage Earners. For more information, contact Mellani McAleenan at MellaniM@awb.org.
WashingtonResearch Council brief assesses rainy day fund
The Washington Research Council has just released an excellent new policy brief on Washington’s potential rainy day fund. This brief summarizes and reviews the legislation that developed and challenged this fund. It also discusses how the rainy day fund is good fiscal policy that will help Washington weather future economic storms. The brief emphasizes that the rainy day fund should not be the sole source of reserve funds for the state, but that it should be used to complement a healthy reserve in the state general fund. For more information, read the WRC’s policy brief, Looking Forward to a Rainy Day in November, at www.researchcouncil.org.
Supreme Court to hear important forum-shopping case
Last month, AWB submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in Sales v. Weyerhaeuser, urging the Washington Supreme Court to review Weyerhaeuser’s appeal of an important forum-shopping case. The case arises from an asbestos lawsuit filed against Weyerhaeuser in Washington by an out-of–state plaintiff in an attempt to keep the company from using its right to a federal court hearing. Yesterday, the court announced it has granted review in the case and will hear oral arguments in late November. For more information, contact AWB’s Kris Tefft at (360) 943-1600 or KrisT@awb.org.
Dick Davis and Al Ralston featured on TVW
Dick Davis, AWB’s vice president of communications, and Al Ralston, president of the Washington Research Council, are the featured guests on TVW’s Inside Olympia program this week. Go to http://www.tvw.org/ for the airing times.
AWB wage and hour law seminar coming Nov. 8
Unfortunately, even minor mistakes or small misinterpretations of the FLSA's wage and hour laws can lead to major problems.When it comes to something as important as employee wages, you know you can't make assumptions and hope you're right. Don’t miss this seminar! For more information, go to http://www.awb.org/events/wage.asp,
or contact AWB’s J-Anne Nepomuceno at (360) 943-1600 or JAnneN@awb.org to register.
Don’t miss Olympia Business Watch
Olympia Business Watch is AWB’s blog reviewing the news and events shaping business and politics. Recent posts by AWB’s Communications and Government Affairs staff include: Fact Checking the Trial Lawyers R-67 Ads, AWB Pops Up in Charleston Daily Mail, WRC Releases Brief on Simple Majority, Washington Research Council on TVW’s Inside Olympia, and Fumbling the Factoid on Minimum Wage. To read all this and more, check out Olympia Business Watch at www.olympiabusinesswatch.com.
