Unionized staff members endorse candidate opposing their current boss at WA state agency
Union employees working for the Department of Natural Resources have voted to endorse the candidate who is running in direct opposition to their current boss in a South Sound congressional race.
DNR’s Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz and state Deputy Majority Leader Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, are vying for endorsements in their run to represent the 6th Congressional District. Both are Democrats on the August primary ballot, hoping to replace U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, who is not running for re-election.
On Wednesday, the Washington Public Employees Association, which represents DNR staff members, voted to endorse Randall for the congressional seat.
In an emailed statement to McClatchy Thursday, WPEA President Amanda Hacker said too many politicians ignore the needs of working people once they get into office after saying the right things while on the campaign trail, and that “not every candidate who says they care about labor values will actually follow through.”
“We don’t normally make endorsements in congressional races, but this race is important to our members in the 6th district: folks who work at libraries, at community colleges, and especially our members at the Department of Natural Resources,” she said.
Seamus Petrie, a lobbyist for WPEA, told McClatchy in a phone interview that endorsements from major labor unions in the state are important because they want to make it clear that they “absolutely trust” Emily Randall to be their pro-labor candidate.
Randall was endorsed by the Washington Federation of State Employees, the largest state workers union in Washington, and which represents other unionized DNR staff members on April 27.
In a May 22 news release, WFSE President Mike Yestramski said they were proud to endorse Randall, who they believe has been a “champion for labor in Washington State.”
On May 18, Randall also snagged the sole endorsement from the Washington State Labor Council’s Committee On Political Education, and according to reporting by the Washington Observer, union workers at DNR made some key arguments for the endorsement for Randall stemming from concerns over worker safety and low morale at the agency.
All of those unions represent DNR employees, meaning that none of the unionized employees under DNR voted to endorse Franz, the boss who runs their agency.
Franz’ campaign did not provide a statement or comment to McClatchy regarding the endorsements from those organizations.
Franz has a solid list of endorsements of her own as well from organizations such as the Retired Public Employees Council, the Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council, and the International Association of Fire Fighters.
So far, 37 unions in the state have endorsed Franz, but as the Observer reported, they are relatively small membership-wise.
Franz also has the support of Kilmer, as well as Kilmer’s predecessor, longtime Congressional Rep. Norm Dicks. Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards also has endorsed Franz.
Randall and Franz are not the only candidates running for Kilmer’s seat. Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, Republican Janis Clark, and Independent J. Graham Ralston also filed to run for the seat earlier this month.
Washington primaries to pick the top two candidates for the November general election will be held Aug. 6.
