Issue Position: Jobs & Workforce

Issue Position

"My top priority is growing our economy, creating jobs and because we are an export state, continuing to open international markets for Washington's products. However, in keeping our workforce strong to help us compete in an increasingly global economy, we need to give our workers basic rights, skills enhancement and a safe and healthy place to work. We also must give businesses the resources they need to succeed to ensure that the U.S. will maintain its worldwide economic leadership. This is the time to invest in our people through education, good healthcare and job training to get people back to work and sustain our future economic growth. Also, Washington State is the most trade dependent state in the country. International trade matters tremendously to every region of our state and every sector of our economy. Expanded trade is a recipe for economic growth in Washington state."

-- Senator Patty Murray

Washington has been hit hard by the economic downturn. Senator Murray has worked aggressively to help Washington state recover, create jobs, and help Washington state remain competitive for economic growth and new industries. Through increasing investments in public education, particularly math and science and technology curriculums and investing in job training programs, Murray is working to arm Americans with the skills necessary to compete in 21st century industries. She believes we must also focus our efforts on creating new, clean energy technologies that will not just reduce the cost of energy but also create millions of new jobs to pave the way for our future economic security.

With nearly one in three Washington state jobs dependent on international trade, Senator Murray has been an aggressive promoter of Washington state goods and services in the global marketplace. Senator Murray fights to level the playing field for Washington's workers and exporters from the largest employers to small family farms. Murray has supported numerous market opening initiatives in the Congress while pushing both Democratic and Republican Presidents to address labor, environment and transparency issues that are important to continued progress in opening new markets.

* Senator Murray has taken the lead on protecting workers while on the job, building a workforce that is more skilled, and ensuring equal pay and worker rights on the job.

* Recognizing the need to address the widening gap between the number of jobs available in growing industries and the amount of workers who are ready to fill these jobs, Senator Murray introduced the Promoting Innovations to 21st Century Careers Act. This legislation provides to schools, employers and communities incentives to develop ways to expand "career pathways" to help students get the skills and education they need to succeed. Specifically:

o It establishes $912 million in grants to help students move from high school on to a number of post high-school education options, and then on to skilled careers. Any state and regional partnerships seeking funding must include people from high schools, business, labor, post-secondary education, workforce and economic development.

o It encourages these partnerships to develop career pathways that include mentoring, work-based experiences, counseling and assistance in obtaining apprenticeships, degrees and other postsecondary credentials.

* Senator Murray was instrumental in the multi-year fight to pass the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- this bill was the first bill signed into Law by President Barack Obama on January 29th, 2009.

* For the continued protection of America's workers, Senator Murray passed legislation to ban the manufacturing and importation of products containing asbestos, helped pass the first increase in the minimum wage in a decade, fought for extensions of unemployment insurance benefits, supported legislation to protect workers' rights to organize and worked for the passage of the Family Medical Leave Act.

* Senator Murray knows that our young people are the workforce of tomorrow. That is why she introduced the Summer Jobs Stimulus Act to invest in summer employment for youth.

* As the Chairman of the Senate Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray has worked to secure funding for projects that are putting Washingtonians to work right now, building the transportation infrastructure that will attract new businesses and efficiently move goods, services and people throughout our state and sustain economic development initiatives.

* One in three jobs in Washington state is dependent on international trade. Senator Murray works to open new markets to Washington's products, goods and services. Murray believes that trade is good for the economy as a whole, but she recognizes the costs as well. Senator Murray strongly supports programs to help workers and communities deal with the consequences of global competition.

* Senator Murray works on behalf of Washington's leading industries as well as the smallest family owned businesses. She is the Senate's strongest proponent of protecting and growing aerospace jobs at Boeing and throughout Washington's aerospace sector. She stands up to unfair competition from Europe and fights against our government when it unfairly targets companies like Microsoft. She provided disaster assistance to Washington apple farmers and other producers. Numerous small businesses - from defense contractors to marine manufacturers - are exploring new business opportunities with Senator Murray's full support and assistance.

* When Canada used new security regulations as an incentive to lure cargo and jobs from Washington state to Canada, Senator Murray fought back and won Canadian concessions. When dozens of states sought to lure Boeing and the 7E7 program, Senator Murray joined Governor Locke to successfully convince Boeing that Washington state is committed to global aerospace leadership. When trade disputes jeopardized Washington's asparagus, apple, lumber and wheat industries, Senator Murray challenged both Democratic and Republican Presidents to do more for Washington agriculture.

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