HB 2409 — Agricultural employees/PERC

Summary

Placing agricultural employees under the jurisdiction of the public employment relations commission for the purpose of collective bargaining.

Bill Text

Compared against the Revised Code of Washington as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 2 section(s) of the Revised Code of Washington: RCW 49.32.020; RCW 5.60.060.

• RCW 49.32.020

  as (1) as such jurisdiction and authority are herein defined and limited, the public policy of the state of Washington is hereby declared as follows: WHEREAS, Under prevailing economic conditions, developed with the aid of governmental authority for owners of property to organize in the corporate and other forms of ownership association, the individual unorganized worker is commonly helpless to exercise actual liberty of contract and to protect his or her freedom of labor, and thereby to obtain acceptable terms and conditions of employment, wherefore, though he or she should be free to decline to associate with his or her fellows, it is necessary that he or she have full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of his or her own choosing, to negotiate the terms and conditions of his or her employment, and that he or she shall be free from interference, restraint, or coercion of employers of labor, or their agents, in the designation of such representatives or in self-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protections; therefore, the following definitions of, and limitations upon, the jurisdiction and authority of the courts of the state of Washington are hereby enacted. (2) The public employment relations commission has concurrent jurisdiction to prevent and to remedy any violation of the rights set forth in subsection (1) of this section.

  amended

• RCW 5.60.060

  or the union member's possession of such statements, does not render them discoverable over the objection of the union member; (iv) In actions, regulatory, civil, or criminal, against the union or its affiliated, subordinate, or parent bodies or their agents; or (v) When an admission of, or intent to engage in, criminal conduct is revealed by the represented union member to the union representative. (b) The privilege created in this subsection (11) does not apply to any record of communications that would otherwise be subject to disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW. (c) The privilege created in this subsection (11) may not interfere with an employee's or union representative's applicable statutory mandatory reporting requirements, including but not limited to duties to report in chapters 26.44, 43.101, and 74.34 RCW. (d) For purposes of this subsection: (i) "Employee" means a person represented by a certified or recognized union regardless of whether the employee is a member of the union. (ii) "Union" means any lawful organization that has as one of its primary purposes the representation of employees in their employment relations with employers, including without limitation labor organizations defined by 29 U.S.C. Sec. 152(5) and 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7103(a)(4), representatives defined by 45 U.S.C. Sec. 151, and bargaining representatives defined in RCW 41.56.030, and employee organizations as defined in RCW 28B.52.020, 41.59.020, 41.80.005, 41.76.005, 47.64.011, and 53.18.010, and farmworker labor organizations as defined in section 3 of this act --- END ---

  amended

Action History

1. January 13, 2026

   First reading, referred to Labor & Workplace Standards.

Sponsors

• (Mena) · Primary

Subjects