>>> GOOD MORNING, THE HUMAN
SERVICES, LABOR, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING OF
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL
NOW COME TO ORDER. IT IS NOW
9:33 A.M., FRIDAY, APRIL 17th,
2026. I AM ALEXIS MERCEDES
RINCK, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
AND TAKE NOTE THAT COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH IS EXCUSED.
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] CHAIR,
THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, WE WILL NOW MOVE
TO APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. HELLO, AND WELCOME,
EVERYONE, WE HAVE A PACKED
AGENDA TODAY. WE WILL BEGIN THIS
MORNING WITH A BRIEFING FROM THE
SEATTLE MUSIC COMMISSION,
FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL VOTES ON
APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMISSION,
THEN WE WILL HAVE EVERYTHING
FROM THE LABOR ADVISORY
STANDARDS COMMISSION ON THEIR
BODY OF WORK, THEN END WITH A
BRIEFING ON WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. FOR MY COLLEAGUES
IN THE VIEWING PUBLIC, SIMILAR
TO OUR LAST MEETING OF THIS
COMMITTEE, DURING THE LABOR
STANDARDS ADVISORY COMMISSION
BRIEFING, WE WILL HAVE SPANISH
LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION FROM ONE
OF OUR PANELISTS, SO THEY CAN
FULLY JOIN THE DISCUSSION. WITH
THAT, WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE TO
TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE. HOW
MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED
UP FOR TODAY? X CURRENTLY, WE
HAVE ZERO INTEREST IN SPEAKERS
AND ZERO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> ALL RIGHT, GOING ONCE, GOING
TWICE. HEARING THAT WE HAVE NO
REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR TODAY,
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS
OF BUSINESS. SO, MOVING ON TO
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS,
WHILE THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEMS 1 THROUGH 7 INTO THE
RECORD? COLLEAGUES, THE CLERK
WILL READ ITEMS 1 THROUGH 7 INTO
THE RECORD, SO WE WILL DISCUSS
THESE ITEMS AT ONE TIME. I WILL
MOVE THESE ITEMS AS A PACKAGE
AFTER WE HAVE DISCUSSED BOTH THE
OVERVIEW AND APPOINTMENT TO THE
SEATTLE MUSIC COMMISSION.
>> ITEM 1, SEATTLE MUSIC
COMMISSION OVERVIEW, BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE
VOTES. ITEM 2, APPT 03474,
APPOINTMENT OF RYAN PATRICK
DEVLIN AS MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE
MUSIC COMMISSION FOR A TERM TO
AUGUST 31st, 2028. BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
ITEM NUMBER 3, APPT 03475,
APPOINTMENT OF JANICE JIMENEZ AS
MEMBER OF SEATTLE MUSIC
COMMISSION. FOR BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE
POINT ITEM NUMBER 4, APPT 03476,
APPOINTMENT OF MARSHALL HUGH
MASSING OUT AS MEMBER OF SEATTLE
MUSIC COMMISSION . BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE BOOK. ITEM
5, APPT 03477, APPOINTMENT OF
SEVEN SKY SPILLIOS AS MEMBER OF
SEATTLE MUSIC COMMISSION . A
BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, AND
POSSIBLE VOTES. ITEM 6, APPT
03478, APPOINTMENT OF TINA MARIE
TYLER AS MEMBER OF SEATTLE MUSIC
COMMISSION FOR A TERM TO AUGUST
31st, 2028 POINT BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTES.
ITEM 7, APPT 03479, APPOINTMENT
OF K.M. VAN PATTEN .
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, I SEE WE
HAVE OUR PRESENTERS WHO HAVE
JOINED US AT THE TABLE AND I
KNOW WE HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO
JOINED US ONLINE, SO BEFORE WE
GET STARTED, IF YOU CAN TAKE A
MOMENT AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF BY
STATING YOUR NAME INTO THE
MICROPHONE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> IF WE CAN TAKE ONE MOMENT, I
THINK -- CAN YOU MAKE SURE THE
MICROPHONES ARE TURNED ON BY
PRESSING THAT BUTTON?
>> MIC CHECK, MIC CHECKS, THERE
WE GO.
>> SCOTT, REINTRODUCE HIMSELF.
>> SURE. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> TINA MARIE TYLER.
>> K VAN PETTEN.
>> SEVEN SKY SPILLIOS.
>> OUR FOLKS ONLINE.
>> THE JANICE GIMENEZ.
>> THANK YOU, I BELIEVE THAT'S
EVERYONE WE HAVE HERE, PLEASE
PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND GOOD
MORNING, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. I
AM THE NIGHTLIFE BUSINESS
ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY AND OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL
AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE LIAISON
FOR THE SEATTLE MUSIC
COMMISSION.
>> GREAT, I'M GOING TO GIVE A
LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE MUSIC
COMMISSION FOR FOLKS. THE MUSIC
COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN
2010 BY A COUNCIL RESOLUTION
THEN FULLY RATIFIED IN THE CITY
ORDINANCE OF 2014. THE
COMMISSION IS A GROUP OF
INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER
STAKEHOLDERS ASSEMBLE TO ADVISE
THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN ITS ADVOCACY FOR
THE POLICY OF SEATTLE'S SUPPORT
AND GROWTH OF LOCAL MUSIC
INDUSTRY AND IMMUNITY. [
INAUDIBLE ] AND CONVEY THE
CITY'S COMMITMENT TO THE
INDUSTRY , MUSICIANS, AND LIVE
MUSIC AUDIENCE THAT COMPRISE THE
CITY'S LOCAL MUSIC ECONOMY.
THERE ARE 21 MEMBERS ON THE
COMMITTEE REPRESENTING THE
INDUSTRY SECTORS BUT 11 ARE
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND 10
ARE APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL.
THEY EACH SERVE THREE-YEAR
TERMS. THE COMMISSION IS
COMPRISED OF FOUR COMMITTEES.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN MAY
ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY AT NOON.
WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
WHICH IS COMPRISED OF CHAIRS AND
COCHAIRS OF EACH SUBCOMMITTEE,
AND THE ADVOCACY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
COMMITTEES , EACH FOCUSING ON
POLICY, OUTREACH, AND
DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY. WE
HAVE A BUDGET FOR THE PURPOSES
OF ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH. JUST
SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION, WE
LAUNCHED IN 2024, THANKS TO THE
COUNCIL, AND SIGNED BY MAYOR
HARRELL. THE MUSICIAN PARKING
AND LOADING ZONES, WE HAVE 21
VENUES THAT HAVE HAD THESE
INSTALLED TO DATE , WITH MORE
COMING ONLINE. EXTREMELY
SUCCESSFUL AND VERY POPULAR WITH
ALL OF OUR MUSICIANS AND VENUES
IN TOWN. WE HAVE THE MUSIC
CAREER DAYS AND CREATIVE COMEDY
CAREER DAYS, WHICH BRING OVER
500 HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH TO MEET
WITH INDUSTRY INSIDERS WHO ARE
HERE FROM EXPERTS ON PANELS AND
LEARN ABOUT THE PATHWAYS TO
CREATIVE ECONOMY CAREERS. WE
HAVE MIXERS, MEET THE
COMMISSIONER EVENTS, INDUSTRY
EVENTS , THE CREATIVE ADVANTAGE
IS A PROGRAM THAT STARTED WITH
THE MUSIC COMMISSION, THE ARTS
COMMISSION MAC OFFICE OF ARTS
AND CULTURE, AND PARTNERSHIP
WITH SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO
PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
CREATIVE PROGRAMMING AND
TEACHING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE
HAVE ALL HEARD THE MUSIC OUT OF
THE AIRPORT PROGRAM, THAT WAS
STARTED BY THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
RECENTLY, LAST YEAR, WE
COMPLETED THE JAZZ AND STREET
JAZZ HERITAGE TRAIL, WHICH YOU
CAN DO A GUIDED TRAIL THROUGH
JACKSON STREET OF ALL OF OUR OLD
JAZZ VENUES. AND THE PIANISTS IN
THE PARK PROGRAM AS WELL.
CURRENTLY, THE COMMISSION IS
FOCUSED ON QUARTERLY [ INAUDIBLE
] FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE
ARE GOING OUT INTO COMMUNITY,
INVITING FOLKS IN, MEETING AT
DIFFERENT VENUES AROUND THE CITY
TO SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY. FINDING
ALIGNMENT WITH THE MAYOR'S
RECENT TRANSITION THAT CAME OUT
[ INAUDIBLE ] THE ELECTION.
CONTINUING MORE, ALIGNING WITH
THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN.
OBVIOUSLY, WORKING TO SEE THAT
LOCAL MUSICIANS ARE REPRESENTED
DURING THE FIFA 2026
CELEBRATIONS, AND ALSO ON WORK
HORSE DEVELOPMENT. SO, TODAY, WE
HAVE OPENINGS FOR SEVEN
COMMISSIONERS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE
SIX WHO WILL BE APPOINTED. THREE
OF THESE ARE APPOINTED BY THE
MAYOR, AND THE OTHER THREE WILL
BE APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL. SO,
THESE ARE ALL FIRST TERM
APPOINTMENTS, SO THEY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE BACK IN FRONT
OF YOU IN THREE YEARS TO
REAPPOINT. SO, WITH THAT, IF
IT'S OKAY, I WILL GO AHEAD AND
ALLOW EACH OF THEM TO GIVE A
BRIEF STATEMENT. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS MARSHALL
HUGH AND I AM AN ARTIST AND
FOUNDER OF FREMONT FRIDAYS HERE
IN SEATTLE. FREMONT FRIDAYS IS
AN EVENT THAT BRINGS TOGETHER
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO, LIKE
ME, ALL OF US HERE LOVE THE
LOCAL MUSIC SCENE. I HAVE SEEN
WITH FREMONT FRIDAYS, THE MUSIC
IS ABLE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER
AND IMPACT A COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY
THROUGH MUSIC, THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, AND SO, I'M
EXCITED TO BRING MY EXPERTISE
AND MY SMALL BUREAU TO A LARGER
GROUP AND LEARN FROM PEOPLE THAT
ARE EXPERTS IN THE SYSTEM, AND
HOPEFULLY PEOPLE THAT ARE OPEN
TO DEVELOPING NEW SYSTEMS THAT
PUT OUR MUSICIANS AND OUR MUSIC
LOVERS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ANY
MUSICAL EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT MUSIC IS UNIVERSAL,
AND IT'S A LANGUAGE WE ALL
SPEAK, AND SO HOPEFULLY, IT CAN
BE USED AS THE TOOL THAT IT IS
TO UPLIFT OUR ENTIRE CITY AND
SEE US WHERE WE WANT TO BE. I
THINK THAT WE CAN BE LIKE AN
AUSTIN, LIKE A NEW ORLEANS, AND
SEE THAT RIGHT HERE , BOOTS ON
THE GROUND, SO EXCITED TO BE
HERE AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME, AND HOPE TO JOIN THESE FINE
PEOPLE.
>> NEW ORLEANS, DEIGNED.
>> COME ON, WE GOT THE SIGN
RIGHT HERE, LET'S DO IT.
>> I KNOW, I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS TINA
MARIE TYLER. I AM THE FOUNDER OF
HIP-HOP INSTITUTE FOR PEACE. I
AM A MUSIC LOVER AND FAN AND I
COME FROM A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT BACKGROUND. I STARTED
OFF AS A BROADCAST JOURNALIST
COVERING ENTERTAINMENT, AND SO,
I COVERED THE GRAMMYS AND ALL OF
THAT, BUT NOW I HAVE A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION AND VERY INFORMAL
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED
NATIONS PERMANENT FORUM OF
PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT. AND
MY ROLE IS REALLY TO USE MUSIC,
AND SPECIFICALLY HIP-HOP TO
PROMOTE DIPLOMACY. AND WE PRIDE
LARGE-SCALE EVENTS ALL OVER THE
WORLD, AND WE PRODUCE THEM. WE
PUT A LOT OF MUSICIANS TO WORK.
WE ARE ABLE TO USE MUSIC AS A
WAY TO BRING TOGETHER IN PEACE
AND HARMONY, SO I AM VERY
EXCITED TO JOIN THE SEATTLE
MUSIC COMMISSION AND BRING SOME
OF THIS LOVE AND JOY HERE TO THE
FOLKS IN SEATTLE. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, Y'ALL. MY NAME
IS K VAN PETTEN AND I AM A MUSIC
ECOSYSTEM BUILDER. I HAVE BEEN
PLAYING MUSIC AND COUNTLESS
BANDS FOR THE PAST DECADE HERE
IN SEATTLE AND I AM NOW THE
MARKETING DIRECTOR FOR STARLIGHT
GUILDS, WHICH IS A LOCAL
NONPROFIT THAT SUPPORTS LOCAL
MUSICIANS FOR GRANTS AND LIVE
EVENTS, AND WE ARE PROVING THAT
THERE IS A BETTER FUTURE
POSSIBLE THROUGH DEEP MUSIC
PATRONAGE HERE IN SEATTLE. SINCE
2020, WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED OVER
HALF $1 MILLION TO THE SEATTLE
MUSIC COMMUNITY AND WE BELIEVE
THAT MORE IS POSSIBLE. AND WHAT
WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS A
RENAISSANCE OF SUPPORT FOR LOCAL
MUSIC. WHERE SEATTLE IS BUILDING
A MODEL TO SHOW OTHER CITIES
WHAT IS POSSIBLE AS THE EVOLVING
ROLE OF THE LABEL AND STREAMING
SERVICES AND A.I. MOVES FORWARD,
THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO
STEP UP AND SUPPORT MUSICIANS,
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE
DOING WHEN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
THE VERA PROJECT AND ALL THESE
PROGRAMS FROM THE '90s , TO SEE
THAT A BETTER FUTURE FOR MUSIC
IS POSSIBLE. AND IF WE BELIEVE
THAT FUTURE IS POSSIBLE, WE HAVE
TO TURN THE MUSIC SUPPORTERS
INTO MUSIC LOVERS, AND MAKE SURE
THAT MUSICIANS ARE AT THE CORE
OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, SOME
EXCITED TO BE HERE, THANKS FOR
HAVING US.
>> MY NAME IS SEVEN, I AM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE SEATTLE
COMPOSERS ALLIANCE, 27-YEAR-OLD
ORGANIZATION CREATING MUSIC
CREATORS TO EDUCATION AND
OPPORTUNITY. WE CURRENTLY HAVE
ABOUT 100 ACTIVE MEMBERS IN ALL
DISCIPLINES AND WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO ENGAGING THE 500 OR
SO MEMBERS THAT WERE A PART OF
IT FIVE OR 10 YEARS AGO. I USED
TO THINK THAT THE END OF OUR
MISSION STATEMENT WAS THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO,
BUT AS I DEEPEN MY CONNECTIONS
TO THE AREA, [ INAUDIBLE ]
CHAPTER OF THE GRAMMYS,
REPRESENTATIVE [ INAUDIBLE ]
ECONOMY COALITION AND CREATIVE
ECONOMY WORKFORCE COALITION, AND
GENERALLY, THOSE ARE TWO
COMPLETELY DISTINCT GROUPS. THE
MORE I REALIZE THAT THE WORD
CONNECTING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
PART OF WHAT WE DO. WE CAN'T
BEGIN TO TACKLE YOUTH
UNEMPLOYMENT IF YOUR MUSIC
CREATORS DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR
LOCAL VENUES, STUDIOS, AND PEERS
ARE. EVEN OUR MOST TALENTED
ARTISTS AREN'T ABLE TO ADVANCE
IN THEIR CAREERS WHEN THEY ARE
UNABLE TO FIND INDUSTRY SUPPORT
AND INDUSTRY IS UNABLE TO
ACTIVATE WITHIN SEATTLE'S
ECOSYSTEM OF BUSINESSES AND JOIN
FORCES WITH ONE ANOTHER. THE
BROADER CREATIVE ECONOMY HAS SO
MANY SILOS AND I'M SURE YOU SEE
IT YOURSELF WITH THE CITY'S 78
OR SO ACTIVE BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS. THE THROUGH LINE OF
ALL OF THIS IS THAT THE LACK OF
CONNECTION, ESPECIALLY AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL, I THINK, IS THE
ISSUE. THIS IS WHAT EXCITES ME
ABOUT JOINING THE MUSIC
COMMISSION. IN AN ERA WHEN WE
ARE THEORETICALLY THE MOST
CONNECTED, WE ARE MISSING THOSE
BRIDGES. THEY CANNOT BE BUILT
ALONG, BUT I AM HERE TO HELP AND
TO FIND ALLIES WHO ARE EXCITED
ABOUT CONNECTING SEATTLE'S
MUSIC CREATORS TO COMMUNITY,
EDUCATION, AND OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AND NOW WE WILL
MOVE ON LINE TO JANICE.
>> HI, I AM JANICE JIMENEZ, YOUR
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING A CLIMATE
PLEDGE ARENA, I HAVE BEEN THERE
SINCE 2021, AND SINCE I HAVE
BEEN THERE AND LIVING IN THE
CITY FOR OVER 17 YEARS, I HAVE
SEEN AND EXPERIENCED PROGRAMS
THAT SMC HAS EXECUTED IN THE
LAST FEW YEARS AND IT IS SUPER
INSPIRING TO SEE THEM PUT THESE
PROGRAMS TOGETHER, WHETHER I AM
AT THE AIRPORT OR [ INAUDIBLE ]
, SEEING ARTISTS GET EXCITED
ABOUT THESE BENEFITS THAT THEY
HAVE IS AMAZING. IT GIVES PEOPLE
A SENSE OF BELONGING, IT CREATES
A WARM ENVIRONMENT, AND WITH
THAT SENSE, I AM HOPING TO BE A
PART OF THESE PROGRAMS OF WHERE
OUR CITY BECOMES A CITY OF
MUSIC, LIKE NEW ORLEANS OR
NASHVILLE . AND WE ARE KNOWN FOR
OUR BANDS NOW, NOT FOR THE ONES
, SORRY, THE '90s -- [ LAUGHTER
] THEY ARE AMAZING AND THEY ARE
AWESOME, BUT LET'S BE PART OF
MAKING A BIGGER AND BETTER OF
WHAT IS NOW. THANK YOU FOR
INVITING ME.
>> AND THEN I DO HAVE A
STATEMENT FROM RYAN.
>> PLEASE.
>> IT JUST WENT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU. RYAN DEVLIN, OUR
SIXTH EMPLOYEE -- APPOINTEE HAD
PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED TRIP TO
JAPAN AND WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN
TODAY, BUT HE DID ASK ME TO READ
THIS MESSAGE. HELLO, STEAM
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS RYAN
DEVLIN AND I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE MUSIC
COMMISSION MY SINCERE APOLOGIES
FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND
THIS MEETING IN PERSON. I'M A
WORKING MUSICIAN, MUSIC
EDUCATOR, AND PRODUCER LIVING IN
NORTH SEATTLE. I WAS BORN AND
RAISED IN SEATTLE AND HAVE BEEN
PERFORMING IN CLUBS, MAKING
RECORDS, AND WORKING VARIOUS
MUSIC RELATED JOBS HERE FOR 20
YEARS. I PRESENTLY HAVE TWO
BANDS WITH MY WIFE AND
COLLABORATOR, CANWEST, [
INAUDIBLE ]. I HAVE HAD A REALLY
UNIQUE RUN OF MUSIC INDUSTRY
POSITIONS HERE IN SEATTLE,
INCLUDING SINGER/SONGWRITER,
INSTRUCTOR COLLEGE OF THE ARTS,
PRODUCING EVENTS AND CONCERTS,
MANAGING ARTS ORGANIZATION
PARTNERSHIPS, MANAGING
DISTRIBUTION FOR CITY ARTS
MAGAZINE, AND TALENT FINDER AT
COLUMBIA CITY THEATER. THIS
COLLAGE OF MUSIC INDUSTRY JOBS
IN SEATTLE IS PRECISELY WHY I
WANT TO JOIN THE MUSIC
COMMISSION. THIS IS AN
INCREASINGLY TOUGH CITY FOR
MUSICIANS. WE ARE UP AGAINST
SOME OF THE HIGHEST RANKS IN THE
NATION, LARGEST CORPORATIONS IN
THE WORLD, AN EXODUS OF INDUSTRY
RESOURCES FROM THE CITY, AND A
LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A
LIVING SOLELY AS AN ARTIST. IN
SPITE OF ALL THAT, OUR MUSIC
COMMUNITY IS BRILLIANTLY KNOWN
ACROSS THE WORLD. I WANT TO JOIN
THE COMMISSION AND WORKERS TO
ADVOCATE FOR MY COMMUNITY ,
ARTISTS, AND INDUSTRY WORKERS, I
THINK I'M VERY UNIQUELY
POSITIONED TO DO SO. I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HELP SEATTLE FULFILL ITS PROMISE
OF BEING A TRUE MUSIC CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING BEFORE US
TODAY. COLLEAGUES, I WOULD LIKE
TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. I
AM RECOGNIZING COUNCILMEMBER
LAWRENCE FIRST. XO, MADAM CHAIR.
FIRST OF ALL, JANICE, BIG SHOUT
OUT TO YOU, IT IS GOOD TO SEE
YOU AGAIN AT CLIMATE PLEDGE, AND
TO WORK WITH OBG AND ALL THAT
WORK, SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE MET
BEFORE, BUT NOT NORMALLY, SO IT
IS GOOD TO SEE YOU. I WILL TAKE
THE DATE ON THE '90s, I WILL
LET THAT GO, AND I AM JUST
SAYING THAT IS THE BEST TIME FOR
MUSIC. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU
ALL LISTENED TO NOW, BUT IT
MAKES NO SENSE TO ME, I WILL
LEAVE IT AT THAT POINT MADAM
CHAIR, I JUST ALSO WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT ALSO,
WE FOUND IT IN YOUR GUYS '
CONFIRMATION PACKETS, TO RYAN
AND MARSHALL, D5, THANK YOU. WE
ALWAYS TRY TO STRIVE AS
COUNCILMEMBERS [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR
DISTRICT PARITY AND
REPRESENTATION ALL ACROSS THE
CITY, SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE
APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE COMING
FROM ALL OVER THE CITY. AND I DO
LIKE THE REFERENCE TO NEW
ORLEANS, I THINK THAT'S AMAZING
AND I LOVE THAT. THE OTHER THING
IS I KNOW THIS IS PICKY, BUT I
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I AM NOT
WRONG HERE ON YOUR POWERPOINT,
MY PAGE NUMBER STARTS AT PAGE 7,
AND THEN THEY GO TO 12, SO WAS I
MISSING THE FIRST SIX OR DID IT
JUST START AT SEVEN ?
>> I APOLOGIZE, I AM NOT SURE
WHY IT DID THAT, BUT NO, YOU DID
NOT MISS ANYTHING.
>> OKAY, GOOD, I THOUGHT MAYBE
WE DIDN'T PRINT OUT THE FIRST
SIX, THEN I STARTED AT PAGE
SEVEN. BECAUSE THEY ARE NUMBERED
ONLINE, BUT THEY START AT PAGE
SEVEN. THAT'S ALL, I JUST
WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAVE
EVERYTHING. SO, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. THANK YOU, FOLKS, I KNOW
IT'S HARD, YOUR VOLUNTEERING,
BUT IT IS SOMETHING YOU LOVE.
HAVING TWO MUSICIANS IN MY
FAMILY. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR ALL YOUR WORK, AND AGAIN,
JANICE, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU
AGAIN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEREZ, AND THAT REMINDER, WE
WILL BE SURE TO SPOT CHECK FOR
THOSE PAGE NUMBERS, I KNOW IT'S
CERTAINLY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU.
AND NOW RECOGNIZING
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND I FIRST
WANT TO THANK ALL THE PROPOSED
NOMINEES FOR STEPPING UP TO
SERVE YOUR CITY , OUR COMMUNITY,
AND THE BROADER INDUSTRY IN SUCH
AN IMPACTFUL AND PROFOUND
MANNER, SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. OUR CITY IS GREAT FOR
YOUR SERVICE, AND YOU KNOW,
EXCITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW
WE CAN BEST SUPPORT YOU FROM THE
CITY PERSPECTIVE, AND SEE ALL
THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU ARE
GOING TO ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
SO, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SERVING,
AND EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT EVERYONE TODAY. AS AN
ASIDE, I WILL SAY FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, I AGREE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER LAWRENCE, THE '90s
ERA OF MUSIC ACROSS THE BOARD,
WHETHER IT IS ROCK, HIP-HOP,
IT'S THE BEST MUSIC BUT BOY
BANDS, ROCK, BEST MUSIC! BEST
MUSIC ERA. MAYBE I'M JUST OLD
AND SEND TO GET OFF MY PORCH,
BUT IT IS THE BEST MUSIC ERA IN
MY HUMBLE OPINION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> PERHAPS A DEBATE HERE IN
COMMITTEE THIS MORNING.
>> DO WE GET A CHANCE TO DEFEND
OR --
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> YOU DON'T.
>> WE GOT SOME NEW FIRE OUT
THERE FOR YOU THIS SUMMER, CHECK
US OUT. GOT TO GET OUT THE CRIB.
>> I AM NOT LISTENING TO THAT
CRAZY RAP STUFF THAT I DON'T
UNDERSTAND, SO SORRY, I'M OLD
SCHOOL, I'M NOT DOING THAT.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] TO RECOGNIZE
THAT IT IS ALSO A FRIDAY,
HAPPENING TODAY.
>> OH, IT'S TODAY?
>> NO, IT STARTS IN THE SUMMER,
JUNE 27th. YOU'VE GOT SOME
TIME, WE WILL SEND YOU SOME
LINKS.
>> OKAY.
>> SOME GOOD FOLLOW-UPS FROM
TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING. ALL
RIGHT, WELL, I'M GOING TO GIVE
IT. AT FIRST, I WANT TO JUST
TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND
ADD MY VOICE TO THE CHORUS, SO
TO SPEAK, OF APPRECIATION FOR
ALL OF YOUR WORK, JUST
CULTIVATING OUR CREATIVE
ECONOMY, ADDING YOUR CREATIVITY
TO OUR CITY , AND THIS FEELS
ALSO PERSONAL. SOME MAY KNOW, I
ALMOST WENT TO SCHOOL FOR MUSIC,
PLAYING IN THE SYMPHONIC BAND
WAS A LIFELINE FOR ME GROWING
UP, AND I ALMOST PURSUED A
CAREER IN MUSIC AND WANTED TO
BECOME A WORKING ARTIST, WORKING
MUSICIAN, AND A TEACHER. AND SO,
BUT THAT WASN'T QUITE IN THE
CARDS FOR ME, SO MAYBE I WILL
HAVE TO LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH
Y'ALL. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT
JUST ADDED A LOT, TOO, TO MY OWN
UPBRINGING, REALLY EXCITED TO
SEE, AGAIN, THE INCREDIBLE WORK
YOU HAVE ALL DONE AROUND
CREATIVE ADVANTAGE IN BRINGING
THAT PROGRAM INTO SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, SO YOUNG PEOPLE CAN BE
ABLE TO CULTIVATE THEIR OWN
CREATIVITY, IT'S REALLY AMAZING
AND I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT IS
COMING NEXT AS WELL. SO, I DID
HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU ALL,
JUST AN OPEN QUESTION TO EACH OF
OUR APPOINTEES BEFORE US TODAY.
WHAT CAN THE CITY DO TO ENSURE
SUSTAINABLE MUSIC INDUSTRY
CAREERS ARE GROWING IN SEATTLE,
AND HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR
ADVOCACY ON THE COMMISSION TO
ADVANCE THAT?
>> APPARENTLY WE ARE GOING IN
REVERSE ORDER. WELL, I WILL SAY,
SPOILERS, THE ADVOCACY AND
ECONOMICS DEVELOPMENT
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE MUSIC
COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY GOING
THROUGH A MASSIVE LIST OF ABOUT
20 PRIORITIES TO TRY TO NARROW
IT DOWN, SO, I FEEL THAT IT
WOULD BE BEST FOR ME PERSONALLY
TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE CONSENSUS
AS A TEAM BEFORE -- [ LAUGHTER ]
GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE I JUST
THINK STRATEGICALLY, THAT'S THE
BEST THING FOR ME TO DO. BUT
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING, THAT IS
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL QUESTION, AND I
THINK AT THE CENTER OF IT IS
SUPPORT FOR MUSICIANS OF COURSE,
NOT JUST SUPPORT FOR MUSIC. WE
TALK A LOT ABOUT BEING THE CITY
OF MUSIC, BUT WE NEED TO BE THE
CITY MUSICIANS IN ORDER FOR THE
MUSIC TO GET MADE IN THE FIRST
PLACE, AND I WANT TO BRING UP
ONE IDEA THAT I BROUGHT ON THAT
BIG LIST, WHICH WAS TO BRING
FORWARD A MUSIC LAUREATE. NO
CITY HAS EVER HAD A MUSICIAN
LAUREATE. THERE HAVE BEEN
COMPOSER LAUREATES, BUT AS
POPULAR MUSIC GOES, WE ARE
TRYING TO BUILD THE SUPPORT LIKE
WE HAD AROUND THE SYMPHONY OR
OPERA OR BALLET, WE ARE TRYING
TO BRING THAT TO POPULAR MUSIC,
AND SO, I BELIEVE PROGRAMS LIKE
THAT IN RECOGNITION, IN ADDITION
TO SUPPORT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND GRANTS FOR MUSICIANS,
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSICIANS,
RECOGNITION IS A HUGE PART OF
THAT, TOO, AND HAVING THOSE [
INAUDIBLE ] ON THE CAREER
LADDER, FOR AN ARTIST TO KNOW
WHAT THE NEXT STEP FOR THEM IS ,
IS JUST AS BIG A DEAL AS THE
NEXT PAYCHECK, SO, CREATING
THOSE STEPS IN THE LATTER IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I BELIEVE
THAT HAVING A CITY MUSICIAN
LAUREATE COULD BE INTERESTING
WAY TO BUILD ANOTHER, BUT OF
COURSE, SO MANY OTHER IDEAS IN
THAT BEAUTIFUL DOCUMENT YOU
MENTIONED THAT WE ARE WORKING
ON, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
>> SO, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE I
DEAL WITH THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC
, AND THAT IS EVERYTHING. THE
ARTISTS, YOU KNOW, VENDORS, THE
CREW. SO, FOR ME, AND THE FOLKS
THAT I DEAL WITH IN [ INAUDIBLE
] AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND
THE WORLD, FUNDING IS MAJOR,
RIGHT? AND BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT
FUNDING AND HAVE FUNDING, I
SHOULD SAY, THAT SUPPORTS
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMMING
WITHIN OUR CITY, I THINK WOULD
BE VERY HELPFUL. IT'S ALSO VERY
EXPENSIVE, YOU KNOW, TO PRODUCE
THINGS IN SEATTLE. AND SO, WE
SHOULD START LOOKING AT THE
COSTS AND MAYBE THERE CAN BE
SOME WAIVERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT
FOR SOME OF THE LARGER, YOU
KNOW, TYPE OF PRODUCTIONS HERE.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS A LONG
TIME -- I MEAN, I'M A RESIDENT,
BUT I'M ALSO A SEATTLE NATIVE,
I REMEMBER BUMBERSHOOT AND I
REMEMBER THE FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL.
I REMEMBER THE BLACK FESTIVAL AT
THE TIME AND SEAFARER. I ALWAYS
LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE THINGS AS
A CHILD. NOW THAT I AM 58 AND
STILL TRYING TO ENJOY THOSE
THINGS, THE PROGRAMMING IS
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK
WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT
THE MAJOR FESTIVALS THAT WE HAVE
HERE IN SEATTLE AND RE-EXAMINE
THEM, WE REALLY DO. IT NEEDS TO
HAVE A BROADER APPEAL, NOT ONLY
FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING,
BUT ALSO THE ARTISTS. I THINK WE
HAVE TO BE SENSITIVE TO OUR
CULTURAL DIVERSITY HERE IN
SEATTLE, AND MAKE SURE THAT IF
THE CITY IS GOING TO GIVE A
LARGE PORTION OF THE BUDGET TO
ONE INDIVIDUAL FESTIVAL, THAT
THOSE PROMOTERS AND THOSE
PRODUCERS ARE OPEN TO WORKING
WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS , AND MAY
NOT HAVE THE SAME BACKGROUND OR
THE SAME IDEAS THAT THEY DO. SO,
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH THE CITY. I AM LOOKING
FORWARD TO HAVING MORE
CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THERE ARE
CITIES THAT HAVE WONDERFUL AND
VERY VIBRANT CREATIVE ECONOMIES.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO REINVENT THE
WORLD -- WHEEL, EXCUSE ME. ALL
WE HAVE TO DO IS TAKE SOME OF
THE BEST PRACTICES AND APPLY
THEM HERE, AND REALLY LOOK AT
THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AS A
THRIVING REVENUE PRODUCER FOR
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, NOT JUST AN
AFTERTHOUGHT.
>> FOR ME, BUT I AM MOST EXCITED
ABOUT IS GETTING A CHANCE TO
EVEN BE IN THESE ROOMS. I THINK
PEOPLE OFTEN -- IN MY REALM,
WHETHER IT JUST BE PEOPLE OF
COLOR OR MUSICIANS, WE FEEL A
DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE SYSTEMS
THAT ARE IN PLACE AND THE
GOVERNMENT, AND WHAT WE DO
CREATING EXPERIENCES FOR PEOPLE
TO ENJOY THE SEATTLE MUSIC
SCENE, SO I AM MOST EXCITED TO
LEARN AND FIND WAYS TO NOT ONLY
WORK THE CURRENT SYSTEMS, BUT
FIND NEW SYSTEMS TO SEE ARTISTS
AND THE VENUES THRIVE. FROM MY
EXPERIENCE, I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF
REPRESENTATION FROM THE VENUE
SIDE OF THINGS, BECAUSE THOSE
ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MASTERY
OF THE BUSINESS, AND THEN YOU
HAVE THE ARTISTS WHO S█OMETIMES
FEEL LIKE THEY ARE JUST THE
HIRED HELP. AND I BELIEVE THAT
THROUGH ME AND EVERYONE ELSE
JOINING THE COUNCIL, WE ARE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THOSE
GAPS, AND MAKE A LARGER IMPACT
TOGETHER, SO, I'M A REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE'VE GOT A
TON OF IDEAS, LIKE MINIMUM WAGE
FOR MUSICIANS, BUT WE ARE GOING
TO TACKLE IT AS UNIFIED FRONT,
AND HOPEFULLY WITH ALL Y'ALL'S
HELP, WE CAN MAKE SOME GREAT
HEADWAY ON THESE NEXT THREE
YEARS.
>> THANK YOU. AND MOVING TO
JANICE, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ADD, TOO?
>> YEAH, JUST TO ADD HERE,
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA BEING
OBVIOUSLY THE LARGEST VENUE
HERE, WE HAVE A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE ARTISTS [
INAUDIBLE ] ON A LOCAL LEVEL, I
THINK THIS GIVES ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THE
COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FOR, WHAT
IS NEEDED, AND HOW WE CAN USE
THE LEVERAGE THAT WE HAVE TO
SUPPORT THOSE ARTISTS IN ANY WAY
POSSIBLE. AND FOR THE RECORD, IT
IS '90s GRUNGE. I LOVE '90s
R&B AND HIP-HOP AND ALL THE
OTHER GENRES. WE NEED TO BE
KNOWN FOR MORE THAN THAT. SO,
COUNCILMEMBER LAWRENCE, JUST
LETTING YOU KNOW THAT
>> NICE SAVE, SISTER, NICE SAVE,
LOVE IT. I GOT YOU.
>> BEAUTIFUL. WELL, THANK YOU
ALL FOR THOSE RESPONSES, THERE
WERE A LOT OF IDEAS THAT WERE
NAMED IN YOUR RESPONSES, TOO,
WHICH JUST MAKES ME REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT EACH OF YOUR
PARTICIPATION ON THE MUSIC
COMMISSION AND THE WORK THAT
LIES AHEAD, SO, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE TODAY, AND I AM GOING
TO MOVE US ALONG , COLLEAGUES,
ON THIS. SO, I'M GOING TO BE
MOVING THE APPOINTMENTS. SO,
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I
MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE MOVE
FORWARD WITH VOTING TO PASS
APPOINTMENTS APPT 03474, APPT
03475, APPT 03476, APPT 03477,
APPT 03478, APPT 03479. IS THERE
A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE
APPOINTMENTS. ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL AND
THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE
FORWARD THE APPOINTMENTS?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] COULD
YOU REPEAT YOUR VOTE?
>> YES, YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THUMBS-UP.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THERE ARE FOUR IN FAVOR AND
ZERO OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU, THE MOTION
CARRIES, THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE
APPOINTMENTS WILL BE CONFIRMED
WILL BE SENT TO THE APRIL 28th
CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE. HAPPY
FRIDAY.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU, COLLEAGUES. MAYBE WE WILL
HAVE TO LOOK AHEAD FOR OUR
COMMITTEE SCHEDULE AND FIGURE
OUT WHEN WE CAN ALL GO TO A
FREMONT FRIDAY TOGETHER. FIELD
TRIP. WONDERFUL. WITH THAT, WE
ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT
ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM 8 INTO THE
RECORD?
>> ITEM 8, LABOR STANDARDS
ADVISORY COMMISSION LSAC ,
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION POINT
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. AS OUR
PRESENTERS ARE COMING TO THE
TABLE, I WILL JUST GIVE A NOTE
THAT I KNOW DURING OUR LAST
MEETING OF THIS COMMITTEE, WE
HEARD FROM DOMESTIC WORKERS
STANDARDS BOARD. TODAY, WE ARE
GOING TO BE HEARING FROM THE
OTHER COMMISSION THAT OLS
OVERSEAS.
>> BE RIGHT BACK. ALL RIGHT. AND
AS FOLKS SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE,
IF YOU CAN TAKE A MOMENT TO
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR
THE RECORD BY STATING YOUR FULL
NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE. THANK
YOU.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> GOOD MORNING, BILL
HETHERINGTON COULD
>> GOOD MORNING, PATRICE
TISDALE.
>> HELLO, HELLO, GOOD MORNING,
SILVIA GONZALEZ.
>> SORRY, CAN WE PAUSE FOR ONE
SECOND. IF I CAN HAVE YOU
REINTRODUCE YOURSELF?
>> ME? SAMUEL HILBERT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SILVIA GONZALEZ.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] SPANISH
INTERPRETER.
>> WONDERFUL. WONDERFUL. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THE PRESENTATION, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT. THAT'S ALL RIGHT, WELL,
WELCOME. WE ARE THE LABOR
STANDARDS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I
AM ONE OF THE COCHAIRS, DELETE
HETHERINGTON. OUR OTHER COCHAIR
IS AMANDA POWDER, SHE IS A SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER, SHE WASN'T ABLE
TO JOIN US TODAY. JUST A QUICK
STORY ABOUT AMANDA, WHEN I GOT
TO MEET HER, HER BROTHER, WHEN I
WAS OUT IN THE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY, HER BROTHER RAN THE
E.R. FOR THE COMPANY THAT I
WORKED FOR, SO SMALL WORLD, JUST
WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
SO, THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> DO WE WANT TO INTRODUCE --
OKAY, YEAH, WE CAN INTRODUCE
EACH INDIVIDUAL AGAIN.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> OH, OKAY.
>> OKAY, BACKGROUND, PATRICE
TISDALE, WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE
COMMISSION, I WAS GENERAL
COUNSEL FOR THE [ INAUDIBLE ]
UNION. I CURRENTLY ASSIST AND
STILL HELP WITH THEM, BUT I AM
NOW WITH THE WASHINGTON NURSES
ASSOCIATION AS THEIR DIRECTOR OF
LEGAL AFFAIRS.
>> SAMUEL HILBERT HERE, I HAVE
BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR 2 1/2
YEARS NOW. I OWN A [ INAUDIBLE ]
SELLERS, SO WE HAVE THREE
LOCATIONS HERE IN SEATTLE AS
WELL.
>>
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS SILVIA
GONZALEZ.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: I HAVE BEEN WITH
THE COMMISSION FOR APPROXIMATELY
A YEAR.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: AND I HAVE A
SHARE WITH [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: AND I OCCUPIED
ANOTHER SHARE WITH THE DOMESTIC
WORKERS [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> AND AGAIN, BILLY
HETHERINGTON, COCHAIR, I'M THE
DIRECTOR FOR [ INAUDIBLE ] 242,
I WORK AS THE DELICATE FOR THE
SEATTLE BUILDING TRADES. SO, WE
ARE GOING TO SPLIT IT UP AND
TACKLE THE PRESENTATION. ALL OF
US HERE HAVE OUR OWN LITTLE
PIECE OF IT. WE ARE GOING TO GO
OVER THE OVERVIEW AND HISTORY
AND COMPOSITION AND RECRUITMENT
OF THE COMMITTEE. THE PRIORITIES
WE HAVE IN 2026. WE MEET
ANNUALLY TO DEVELOP THESE
PRIORITIES, SO WE'RE KIND OF
GETTING INTO SOME OF THESE
CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN
CONVERSATION, WE WOULD JUST HAVE
AN OPEN CONVERSATION WITH THE
COMMITTEE AND SOME OF THE WORK
WE ARE DOING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL
COUNCILMEMBERS. SO, NEXT SLIDE.
SO, KIND OF AN OVERVIEW. THE
COMMISSION WAS FOUNDED AND
ESTABLISHED IN 2016, A LITTLE
BIT BEFORE MY TIME ON THE
COMMISSION. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE,
IT WAS PASSED BY ORDINANCE AND
IT IS IN THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE, 3.15 .010. YOU CAN READ
THAT THERE, I DON'T NEED TO
READ IT FOR YOU. THE MAKEUP OF
THE COMMISSION IS BUSINESS,
LABOR, AND COMMUNITY. THERE ARE
SPOTS FOR ALL THREE OF THOSE ON
THE COMMITTEE. WE HAVE A REALLY
GOOD, AS YOU CAN TELL BY THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE
TODAY, A REALLY GOOD MIX OF
LABOR AND BUSINESS ON THE
COMMISSION. NEXT SLIDE. SO, SOME
OF THE FIRST [ INAUDIBLE ] OR
COMMISSIONS THAT WERE STOOD UP,
IN 2016, WERE REALLY WORKING ON
ISSUES LIKE SECURE SCHEDULING,
THE FIRST MINIMUM WAGE THAT WAS
ESTABLISHED, THE RAYS OF THE
MINIMUM WAGE THAT WAS
ESTABLISHED HERE IN SEATTLE.
WAGE THEFT ISSUES AND CONCERNS ,
THAT'S REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO
MY HEART, ESTABLISHING THINGS
LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ] TIME. AND
SINCE THEN, THE FOLLOWING
COHORTS, I HAVE BEEN ON THE
COMMISSION SINCE 2021, FOUR OR
FIVE YEARS NOW. IN LIGHT OF
THINGS LIKE COVID-19, I WORKED
WITH OLS TO DO BUSINESS OUTREACH
, YOU KNOW, KEEPING OUR
BUSINESS, OUR CONSUMERS SAFE AND
WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT TO TRY
TO KEEP BUSINESSES OPEN. WE
WORKED ON ESTABLISHING THE
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
PROTECTION ORDINANCE THAT JUST
GOT PUT IN PLACE HERE RECENTLY,
AND ESTABLISHING THE FUND SOURCE
THERE TO HELP OLF 'S REGULATE
THAT, AND YOU KNOW, THRIVE IN
THAT AREA. WE HAVE DONE THINGS
RECENTLY AS KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
TRAINING. WE HAVE [ INAUDIBLE ]
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OLS IN THE
COMMUNITY, AND SILVIA'S
DOMESTIC WORKER STANDARDS BOARD,
AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER KNOW
YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS THAT WE
ARE SPONSORING THAT ARE COMING
UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE, TOO, AS
WELL. SO, AS BILLY KIND OF
ALLUDED TO THERE, WE HAVE 15
POSITIONS WITHIN OUR COMMISSION
HERE.
>> REPRESENTING BUSINESS, LABOR,
AND COMMUNITY. RIGHT NOW, WE
HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO MAKE
SURE WE HAVE A DIVERSITY OF
PERSPECTIVE AND CONSENSUS
BUILDING WITHIN OUR COMMISSION.
WE DO HAVE 11 CURRENT
COMMISSIONERS, THREE OF THOSE
ARE BUSINESS OWNERS, ONE BEING
MYSELF, AND AMANDA AS WELL. ONE
IS A RESEARCHER, WE HAVE TWO
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND
FIVE LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
REPRESENTED. WE DO STILL HAVE
FOUR POSITIONS THAT WE WOULD
LOVE TO FILL. WE WOULD LOVE TO
CONTINUE IT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
KEEPING THAT DIVERSITY OF NOISES
BROUGHT TO THIS COMMISSION. ONE
OF THOSE IS A COUNCIL
APPOINTMENT, TWO MAYORAL
APPOINTMENTS, AND A COMMISSIONER
APPOINTMENT. KEEPING IN MIND
THAT WE WANT TO KEEP THAT
DIVERSITY. WE WOULD LOVE YOUR
HELP IF YOU GUYS CAN EVER THINK
OF SOMEBODY ALONG THE WAY HERE
THAT WOULD BE A GREAT FIT HERE.
SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE KIND OF
IDENTIFIED THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO
HAVE A WORKER ACTUALLY ON OUR
COMMISSION, SOMEBODY WHO CAN
REPRESENT THAT SIDE. WE ALSO
NOTICED WE HAVE A HOLE IN THE
BUSINESS SIDE, CONSIGNS
BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY
RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRIES. FINALLY, IT IS
ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE THE
DIVERSITY OF VOICES IN THE
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY
WHEN IT COMES TO LABOR
STANDARDS, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO
FIND SOME MORE VOICES ON THAT
SIDE AS WELL.
>> OKAY. [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: LIKE HE
MENTIONED, IN 2025, LSAC, IN
COLLABORATION WITH [ INAUDIBLE ]
HELPED A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
TRAINING, WHICH WAS A GREAT
SUCCESS, WE HAD MIXED AUDIENCES
OF WORKERS AND BUSINESSES.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: I AM ENCOURAGED
THAT LSAC IS PROMOTING LANGUAGE
JUSTICE TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
TRAINING [ INAUDIBLE ]
INTERPRETING TO SPANISH, HAVING
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR
INFORMATION IN OUR NATIVE
LANGUAGE IS THE BEST WAY
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: THE MATERIALS AND
THE TRAINING WERE TRANSLATED
INTO SEVEN LANGUAGES, AND [
INAUDIBLE ] WITHIN
ORGANIZATIONS, WITH PARTNER
ORGANIZATIONS.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: THE COMMITMENT
WITH OLS AND THE IMMIGRANTS AND
REFUGEES IS HUGE. THE WORK AND
LEADERSHIP, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF
OUR NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> OLS GIVES EDUCATION , [
INAUDIBLE ], AND FREE REFERENCES
TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE. IT
DOESN'T MATTER THEIR IMMIGRANT
STATUS. AND I WANT TO MENTION
THAT IT'S A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS [
INAUDIBLE ] AND CONSCIOUS ,
SINCE WE ARE LIVING IN TIMES
WHERE THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY
RATHER STAY IN SILENCE.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: IN THIS TRAINING,
WE HAD THE PRESENCE OF
IMMIGRATION LAWYERS THAT SPOKE
ABOUT THE RISE OF THE WORKERS
AND THE EMPLOYERS. TO -- TO TALK
ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: LIKE I MENTIONED
AT THE BEGINNING, THIS TYPE OF
TRAINING WAS A TOTAL SUCCESS AND
WE BELIEVE THAT THESE AGENCIES
IN THE CITY SHOULD GIVE MORE
TRAINING TO THOSE WORKERS AND
EMPLOYERS WHO ARE SMALL
BUSINESSES.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: AND THAT IS WHY
WE ARE PLANNING ANOTHER TRAINING
ON THE FIRST OF JUNE.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: IN COLLABORATION
WITH OLS AND AURA.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: BUT WE HAVE
QUESTIONS AND WORRIES.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: HOW DOES
EMPLOYERS AND CONTRACTORS
PROTECT DOMESTIC WORKERS?
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ] [
INAUDIBLE ] FIRMS AND TEMPORARY
WORK CAN PROTECT UNEMPLOYED
WORKERS.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
WORKERS ARE WORKERS FROM
AGENCIES ARE [ INAUDIBLE ] IN
THEIR WAY TO WORK?
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: WHAT CAN THE CITY
DO TO SUPPORT WORKERS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES AROUND THESE
INSTABILITIES AND INTERRUPTIONS
CAUSED BY THE FEDERAL
IMMIGRATION APPLICATION ?
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: THESE ARE
QUESTIONS THAT WE STILL DON'T
HAVE ANSWERS THAT WE WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ].
>> THANK YOU.
>> JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT
PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, BACKGROUND
WITH MYSELF, I CAME TO SEATTLE
IN SEPTEMBER 2021, SPECIFICALLY
TO WORK AT DRIVERS UNION,
BECAUSE THE CITY HAD PASSED THE
DEACTIVATION RIGHTS ORDINANCE
THAT PROVIDED PROTECTIONS FOR
WORKERS LIKE SILVIA JUST TALKED
ABOUT. IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
I WAS AWARE OF IN ANY OTHER
SPACE. I AM AN IMMIGRANT MYSELF
TO THIS COUNTRY. I HAVE HAD
FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE HAD TO
WORK, YOU KNOW, IN
DRIVE-THROUGH'S , RIGHT? WHILE
THEY WERE WAITING FOR THEIR
STATUS. I HAVE HAD FAMILY
MEMBERS ABUSED WHEN THEY HAVE
BEEN HERE ON THE VISA, AND IN
THEIR CORPORATE SETTING, HAVE
HAD TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN
STRESSES AND PRESSURES , YOU
KNOW, WONDERING, WHAT ARE THEY
GOING TO DO, BECAUSE THEIR
DAUGHTER, THEIR CHILD IS
DEPENDENT ON [ INAUDIBLE ] THIS
JOB. SO, IT IS SOMETHING I
DON'T WANT TO GET LOST, YOU
KNOW, THE IMPACT THE CITY HAS
HAD WITH OLS, WITH THE ADVICE OF
LSAC, OF THE VARIOUS POLICIES
AND ORDINANCE AND HOW THEY
IMPLEMENT WORKING WITH THEIR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS. AND YOU
KNOW, DRIVERS UNION WAS PART OF
THAT. THE GIG WORKER WRITES IS
SOMETHING THAT IS STILL BEING
PAID ATTENTION TO. OTHER CITIES
ARE LOOKING AT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND OLS AND ASKING HOW
THEY WERE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO GET
ORDINANCE LIKE THAT PASSED AND
MOVED, SO I DON'T WANT IT TO
GET LOST, ALTHOUGH I AM HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THE DATA TORSION AND
SEEING THE ACTUAL IMPACT OF WHAT
OLS IS DOING WITH THE ADVICE IN
THIS COMMISSION, AND PART OF WHY
I JOINED THIS COMMISSION WAS
THROUGH THE WORK THAT I WAS
DOING WITH DRIVERS UNION, SO
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT IMPACT,
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT 2025, OF
WHAT WAS DONE WITH OLS, OVER $21
MILLION ASSESSED IN
INVESTIGATIONS. MORE THAN 33,000
WORKERS WERE IMPACTED. THOSE ARE
WORKERS THAT WOULDN'T NORMALLY
-- YOU KNOW, MAY NOT NECESSARILY
STEP OUT [ INAUDIBLE ] AND THIS
COMMISSION BEING AROUND, AND
KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE THIS
FIRST PATH TO COME -- YOU KNOW,
TO SEEK ADVICE FROM. AND OVER
4000 WORKERS TRAINED, AND OVER
7400 BUSINESSES ENGAGED, AND
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE DO WANT TO -- ESPECIALLY IN
THE LABOR SETTING -- FROM THE
LABOR SIDE, THE UNIQUENESS ABOUT
THIS COMMISSION IS THAT WE DO
HAVE LABOR AND BUSINESS WORKING
TOGETHER TO ADVANCE ONE
PARTICULAR -- YOU KNOW, THE
PRIORITIES OF MAKING SURE THAT
WORKERS ARE IN A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT. NOBODY STARTS WITH
A MIND-SET THAT BUSINESSES ARE
TRYING TO DO WRONG. WE KNOW THAT
THEY ARE TRYING TO DO RIGHT, AND
A LOT OF THEM MAY JUST NOT BE
AWARE OF HOW TO DO SO. AND SO,
SOME OF OLS'S WORK IS DONE
THROUGH THE COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS, AND TWO MAIN
JEWELS IS THE CEO EF, WHICH IS A
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
FUND, AND THE BUSINESS OUTREACH
AND EDUCATION FUND. THE COEF
MEET WITH WORKERS WHERE THEY
ARE, THEY PROVIDE LANGUAGE
CAPACITY, THEY HAVE THE SAME
CULTURE, THE SAME LIVED
EXPERIENCES, AND THEY HELP
WORKERS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS,
NAVIGATING WORKPLACE ISSUES, AND
CONNECTING THOSE WORKERS WITH
OLS WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
AND BOEF DOES THE SAME THING,
BUT ON THE BUSINESS SIDE. AS I
SAID, THE STARTING POINT IS
BUSINESSES ARE TRYING TO GET IT
RIGHT THEY ARE PURPOSELY NOT
TRYING TO GET THINGS WRONG, AND
THEY DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT
COMPLIANCE LOOKS LIKE IN
PRACTICE, ESPECIALLY SOME SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS, THEY ARE NOT
NECESSARILY AT THE STAGE WHERE
THEY CAN HAVE A GENERAL COUNSEL
OR [ INAUDIBLE ] TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO COMPLY WITH WHAT THIS
LOOKS LIKE, AND SO, THOSE FUNDS
ARE PARTNERS THAT STEP IN TO
EDUCATE, GUIDE, AND HELP PREVENT
THE VIOLATIONS BEFORE THEY
HAPPEN. BUT SO, THESE PROGRAMS
-- WITH OLS, IT IS WHAT TURNS
THE POLICY, AND THE ORDINANCES
OF THE CITY INTO REAL-WORLD
IMPACT. AND I AM HERE TO
ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW -- WELL, WE
AS LSAC ARE HERE TO ENCOURAGE
THE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE STABLE
FUNDING FOR OLS TO CONTINUE TO
HAVE THIS KIND OF IMPACT IN THE
CITY. RECENTLY, THE MAYOR'S
TRANSITION TEAM RECOGNIZED THAT
OLS NEEDS THAT STABLE FUNDS AND
STRUCTURE TO MEET ITS
ENFORCEMENT POSSIBILITIES. THIS
REQUIRES INCREASED CAPACITY, SO
THAT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE MORE
STOPPING, MORE RESOURCES, AND
MORE DISCRETION. BUT AT THE SAME
TIME, THE CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVE
BEEN ASKED TO PROPOSE HOW THEY
COULD POSSIBLY CUT FIVE TO 10%
FROM THEIR BUDGET. AND FOR A
DEPARTMENT LIKE OLS , THAT IS
TENSION, RIGHT? THEY ARE ALREADY
OPERATING BELOW THEIR FULL
CAPACITY. [ INAUDIBLE ] A LOT OF
POSITIONS, AND CURRENTLY, 38
FUNDED POSITIONS. SO, THE TWO
RECOGNITION FROM THE TRANSITION
TEAM, BUT THEN THE ASK OF THE
CITY DEPARTMENT, THEY ARE
FUNDAMENTALLY IN CONFLICT. AND
FOR OLS, BECAUSE IT IS A SMALLER
DEPARTMENT AND THEY DON'T HAVE
THE DISCUSSION, THERE FUNDS ARE
EARMARKED, RIGHT , FOR SPECIFIC
THINGS. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF
DISCUSSION AND THE ABILITY TO
SHIFT RESOURCES IN RESPONSE TO
INCREASED FUNDING OR INCREASED
DEMAND. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU
HEARD IT MENTIONED IN THE
PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, THERE
WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WORLD
CUP 2026 , THAT IS COMING, AND
THAT IS GOING TO BRING AN INFLUX
OF WORKERS AND BUSINESSES INTO
SEATTLE, AND OLS DOESN'T
NECESSARILY HAVE THE DISCRETION
TO SHIFT FUNDING TO SAY, HEY,
THIS IS HAPPENING, LET'S
REALLOCATE FUNDS TO MORE
OUTREACH OR EDUCATION. AND SO,
IT CREATES -- YOU KNOW, HAS
DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS, RIGHT? IT
MEANS FEWER WORKERS ARE GOING TO
BE REACHED, FEWER BUSINESSES ARE
GOING TO BE SUPPORTED, AND WERE
VIOLATIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
PREVENTED, YOU KNOW, WILL
HAPPEN. SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW,
SEATTLE HAS LED THE NATION IN
ADVANCING LABOR PROTECTIONS FOR
GIG WORKERS. WE HAVE NOT JUST
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TMC
DRIVERS, WE NOW HAVE FOR THE AT
BASE DELIVERY DRIVERS, THE
DEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, SO THESE
ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SEEN IN
OTHER CITIES AND NOT TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION, THAT THOSE THAT
FILL THOSE SPACES DO NOT HAVE
THE POWER TO TRULY NEGOTIATE THE
CONTRACTS THAT THEY MAY BE
ENTERING INTO, AND THAT IMPACTS
THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT NEED
THAT RELIABLE SERVICE AS WELL.
SO, WE ARE ASKING, YOU KNOW,
THIS LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE SET
THE PATH FORWARD, THAT WE
CONTINUE FUNDING THIS PROCESS,
AND PROVIDING THE DISCRETION.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE TRYING
DIFFERENT THINGS . OREGON,
CALIFORNIA, ILLINOIS HAVE
RECOGNIZED AND CREATED STABLE
FUNDING FOR -- FOR A SIMILAR
OFFICE. I HAVE BEEN IN
CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF THEM.
HOW DID OLS HAVE THE IMPACT ,
AND WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO DO,
AND THEY HAVE CREATED -- THESE
OTHER STATES HAVE LOOKED AT
CREATING FUNDING FOR THEIR
OFFICES THROUGH PAYROLL TAXES OR
USING SOME OF THE CIVIL
PENALTIES THAT ARE TIED TO THEIR
ENFORCEMENT, SO YOU KNOW,
SEATTLE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DO THE SAME . AND DO IT IN A WAY
THAT ALIGNS WITH THE LEADERSHIP
THAT WE HAVE ALREADY
DEMONSTRATED. IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT, IT'S
ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT A WORKER
UNDERSTANDS THEIR RIGHTS BEFORE
THEY ARE VIOLATED, AND MAKING
SURE BUSINESSES GET IT RIGHT THE
FIRST TIME, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO
LEARN THROUGH PENALTIES. AND IT
IS ENSURING THAT THE ENTIRE
SYSTEM [ INAUDIBLE ]. BUT ACTUAL
FUNCTION, CONSISTENCY, AND
EQUITABILITY. WE BELIEVE IN
THESE LAWS AND WE ARE ASKING YOU
TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING AND THE
DISCUSSION THAT OLS CAN CONTINUE
DOING THE WORK, AND ALSO CAN
CONTINUE HAVING THE IMPACT THAT
WE HAVE HAD WITH THE VARIOUS
ADVICE THAT WE HAVE GIVEN
THROUGH THE PROCESS. THANK YOU.
>> SO, AND AS I MENTIONED
BEFORE, WE MEET ON AN ANNUAL
BASIS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT
PRIORITIES AND THINGS WE WANT TO
LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD, SO YOU
KNOW, HERE ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT
MOVING FORWARD THAT CAME OUT OF
OUR LAST -- OUR LAST CONFERENCE
OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS IMPACTS
ON A.I. TO THE WORKFORCE. WE ARE
GOING TO BE TRYING TO LOOK AT
DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCES THAT
MIGHT HELP OLS WITH THEIR
FUNDING STREAM, AND MORE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE MEET ON AN EVERY
OTHER MONTH BASIS, AND WE TALK
ABOUT THESE THINGS AND TRY TO
BRING IN GUEST SPEAKERS, YOU
KNOW, HEAR FROM OLS AND THE
DIRECTOR HAVE USED DIFFERENT
THINGS ARE IMPACTING , AND TO
CRAFT POLICY AND SUGGESTIONS
MOVING FORWARD, SO -- HERE IS A
PICTURE OF ONE OF OUR ANNUAL
RETREATS. THIS ONE HERE WAS FROM
2024. SO, WE ARE A BIG, HAPPY
FAMILY. SO, IN CONCLUSION, WE
JUST WANTED TO SAY OBVIOUSLY
THANK YOU AND APPLAUD THE CITY
OF SEATTLE FOR, YOU KNOW,
STANDING UP THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS. AND THIS GROUP, YOU
ARE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF
CITIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT
TAKING -- LOOKING AT WORKERS AND
MAKING THEM A PRIORITY IN YOUR
POLICY, BUT ALSO IN THAT THE
BUSINESS FOLKS, ESPECIALLY THE
ONES THAT SIT HERE AT LSAC,
RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE
COMPETING WITH BUSINESSES IN AND
AROUND SEATTLE, AND WITH A LOT
OF COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH BUSINESS [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND
THE FIRST THING THAT GOES , IT
DRIVES THE IMPACTS ON LABOR,
WHETHER IT IS THROUGH WAGES,
BENEFITS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, SO
WHEN THEY ARE OUT THERE
COMPETING, GOOD BUSINESSES
COMPETING, THEY DON'T WANT TO
COMPETE AGAINST BAD ACTORS,
RIGHT? SO, OLS IS HERE TO PULL
OUT THOSE BAD ACTORS AND MAKE
SURE THERE ARE GOOD FRIENDS IN
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY LIKE WE
HAVE HERE AT LSAC, WHO COMPETE
AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND DO
GOOD BY THE WORKERS ON THAT. OH,
I WANTED TO INVITE EVERYBODY --
SO, AS FAR AS THE BUSINESS
OUTREACH, TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY
ON MAY 1st, THE OLS DOES THEIR
ANNUAL BUSINESS OUTREACH. THIS
YEAR, THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOWN
THE PIONEER SQUARE AREA, AROUND
THE STADIUM DISTRICTS, AND BE
REALLY PROACTIVE IN TALKING TO
THOSE BUSINESSES, AS WE ARE
GOING TO WELCOME THE WORLD TO
SEATTLE FOR FIFA, SO, THAT IS A
GREAT THING THEY DO EVERY YEAR.
A LOT OF US PARTICIPATE IN THOSE
EFFORTS, TOO, AS WELL. IN THE
FUTURE, WE HAVE MET WITH SOME OF
THE COUNCILMEMBERS AS MEMBERS OF
LSAC, AND WE INVITE ANY
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT HAVEN'T MET
WITH US TO PLEASE REACH OUT OR
LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED, WE CAN REACH OUT TO
YOUR STAFF TO SET UP A MEETING.
ANY PRIORITY LEGISLATION OR ANY
THINGS YOU ARE WORKING ON IN
COUNCIL, WE WELCOME THEM TO LOOK
OVER THEM AS A COMMITTEE AND
BUSINESS OF LABOR FOLKS AND GIVE
YOU FEEDBACK, AND WE ARE HERE TO
SERVE YOU, SO THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
BEING IN COMMITTEE TODAY,
TALKING ABOUT YOUR WORK. I KNOW
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY
EXCITES ME ABOUT THE WORK OF
LSAC IS, AGAIN, THE DIVERSE
TABLE THAT IS SET, INCLUDING
BUSINESS, LABOR, AND WORKERS
SITTING TOGETHER AND REALLY
TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES BEFORE
US. COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO OPEN
IT UP FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU
HAVE FOR LSAC MEMBERS .
>> VICE CHAIR FOSTER? I THINK
YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR, AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FOR
BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR YOUR
SERVICE ON THE COMMITTEE, I
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I DIDN'T
GET THE SLIDE NUMBER, BUT THERE
WAS A SLIDE THAT YOU HAD ABOUT
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I SAW A
NOTE THAT SAID -- WELL, THAT'S
NOT IT. IT WAS LATER, IT WAS,
BILLY, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING,
THERE WE GO. THIS FIRST ONE
AROUND RESTRAINING PREDATORY
COMMERCIAL LEASING PRACTICES, I
WONDER IF YOU CAN SHARE MORE
ABOUT THAT ONE.
>> SO, PART OF THE CONVERSATION
THAT CAME UP, MY INVOLVEMENT
WITH OTHERS AND JUST BEING OUT
IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU HEAR ABOUT
SOME OF THE LEASES THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE SIGNING, AND ONE
EXAMPLE OF -- A BUSINESS WINDOW
GOT BROKEN, AND AT LEAST HOW IT
IS WRITTEN, AND THAT SHOULD BE
SOMETHING -- FROM MY STANDPOINT
AS AN ATTORNEY, THAT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE LANDLORD
WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO FIX.
IT WAS NOT. AND THEY ENGAGED,
AND IT WAS MULTIPLE TIMES THAT
IT HAD HAPPENED, IT WAS
SOMETHING WITHIN THAT AREA AND
THEY WEREN'T AWARE THAT THEY
CAN ACTUALLY PUSH FOR THAT. THE
LANDLORD HAD CERTAIN TERMS IN
THERE ABOUT HOW THEY COULD
INCREASE WHAT THEIR RENTS WOULD
BE, BASED ON CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY HAVE DONE
IN THE CLOSET SPACE. BUT THEY
INCREASED IT BEYOND THAT, AND
MORE THAN THE ACTUAL FIXES THAT
THE LANDLORD HAS DONE. SO, IT IS
HAVING SOME OF THOSE PREDATORY
TYPE LEASE TERMS THAT ARE
PRESENT, BUT AS A SMALL BUSINESS
OWNER, THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY
GOING TO HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL OR
THE RESOURCES TO HAVE SOMEONE
THAT CAN REVIEW THIS COMMERCIAL,
YOU KNOW, 20 PAGE COMMERCIAL
LEASE TO SAY, YES, YOU SHOULD,
OR NO, NEGOTIATE THIS PART. YOU
HAVE YOUR BUSINESS YOU ARE
LOOKING TO GET STARTED, AND IT
SEEMS FAIR ENOUGH TO YOU IN
TERMS OF THE LENGTH AND THE
AMOUNT THAT YOU ARE PAYING, SO
THEY SIGN THAT LEASE, AND THEN
AS THEY GET INTO THE DETAILS, [
INAUDIBLE ] START COMING OUT AND
IT IS TOO LATE FOR THAT. SO, IT
IS ONE OF THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW,
I HAVE SEEN TOO MUCH, WHERE I AM
LIKE WE CAN'T REALLY DO
ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU HAVE
ALREADY SIGNED THIS CONTRACT,
AND YOU ARE STUCK WITH THE TERMS
OF THE CONTRACT. BUT SIMILAR TO
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE GIG
ECONOMY, RIGHT, THAT IF THERE
ARE CITY LAWS OR ORDINANCES THAT
REQUIRE CERTAIN LIKE -- WHETHER
IT IS CAPS ON HOW MUCH YOU CAN
INCREASE IN A COMMERCIAL LEASE,
AND CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE KNOW
THE LANDLORD HAS TO BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR, I THINK THAT
WOULD EASE THE CONCERNS AND EASE
THE BURDENS THAT ARE THEN PLACED
ON THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
BECAUSE ONCE THAT INCREASES, NOW
I HAVE TO THINK -- I HAVE TO
COME OUT OF POCKET TO FIX THESE
THINGS, WHICH MEANS I MAY NEED
TO LET A WORKER GO OR CUT ONE OF
MY WORKERS, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT
OF TIME, AND NOW SOMEONE ELSE --
THEY ARE TAKING ON MORE OR
PUTTING ON MORE RESPONSIBILITIES
ON OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE
THERE. SO, IT IS JUST KIND OF
LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE ISSUES
THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND WE HAVE
HEARD AND I HAVE HEARD, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE COMING TO ME WITH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I
WONDER -- I KNOW THE OED
DIRECTOR IS WITH US HERE TODAY,
AND I WONDER IF THERE IS A
FORMAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
COMMITTEE -- I KNOW OBVIOUSLY,
YOU ARE TIED TO OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS, BUT I AM ALSO
THINKING ABOUT WORK THAT ALSO
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS DOING,
SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE IS
ALREADY SORT OF A DIRECT
CONNECTION AS I'M LISTENING TO
THAT RECOMMENDATION WITH OED AND
KNOWING THAT THERE IS WORK
HAPPENING THERE ON THAT LEASE
AND COMMERCIAL SIDE. AND IF NOT,
WE CAN TAKE THAT OFF-LINE AND WE
CAN MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS,
BECAUSE I HEAR A REAL
OPPORTUNITY THERE AND I SEE THE
DIRECTOR NODDING HIS HEAD FROM
THE AUDIENCE, SO WE WILL FOLLOW
UP ON THAT. [ LAUGHTER ] JUST
ONE MORE QUESTION IF I MAY,
CHAIR, IN THE BEGINNING, HE
TALKED ABOUT THE DESIRE TO HAVE
A MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS,
INTEGRITY IS TO TALK ABOUT
POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL.
CAN YOU JUST DEFINE THAT FOR US,
WHAT WOULD BE MEDIUM-SIZED,
KNOWING THAT -- I THINK IN 25 TO
100, TWO LOCATIONS? IF THERE IS
ANY MORE INFORMATION, SO THAT WE
CAN BE GOOD PARTNERS AND HELP ME
BE IDENTIFIABLE TO PARTNER WITH
THE COMMISSION.
>> YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE KIND OF
WRITING THAT RIGHT LINE OF WHERE
WE ARE THINKING THERE, 25 TO
100. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO SMALL
BUSINESSES, I KNOW WE HAVE THREE
LOCATIONS, BUT WE RUN A VERY
TIGHT SHIP AND WE ARE VERY
SMALL. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE GS A
BA ON THERE, BECAUSE THEY KIND
OF [ INAUDIBLE ] MANY, MANY
SIZES OF BUSINESS, BUT IT WOULD
BE REALLY NICE TO GET THOSE
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT HAVE A
PERSPECTIVE THAT I DON'T HAVE,
THAT ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
LIKE MYSELF, WHERE THEY ARE
HAVING MAYBE BIGGER FOOTPRINTS,
A LOT BIGGER LABOR FORCE, BUT
NOT MAYBE TO THAT SIZE [
INAUDIBLE ] THE BIG TECH
COMPANIES HERE AS WELL, WHICH
HONESTLY ARE A WHOLE DIFFERENT
ARRAY OF MIND-SET, BUT I FEEL
LIKE THERE IS UNDERREPRESENTATIO
N THERE AND THAT IS WHERE WE
WOULD LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND CHAIR,
FINAL QUESTION, I REALLY
APPRECIATED THE COMMENTS AND THE
CONTEXT AROUND YOUR WORK AND THE
NEED THAT IS THERE COMPARED TO
THE STAFFING. I ALSO WONDER IF
YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
-- ONE OF MY CONCERNS HAS BEEN
SEEING SOME OF THE DISMANTLING
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OF LABOR
STANDARDS AND OF THE EXISTING
GOVERNING BODIES. I WONDER IF
YOU COULD SPEAK JUST A LITTLE
BIT TO HOW THAT MAY BE IMPACTING
WORK LOCALLY.
>> SO, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE
PIECES, I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE ON A
STATE LEVEL, THEY JUST PAST THE
TRIGGER BILL, SO IF NLRB KICKS
OUT OR DOESN'T TAKE
JURISDICTION, THE PERK COULD DO
SO. SO, BUT IN TERMS OF LOCALLY,
IT'S SOMETHING -- THAT IS A
CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN
HAVING AS A COMMISSION IN TERMS
OF WHAT CAN THE CITY DO OR WHAT
CAN WE RECOMMEND THAT WOULDN'T
NECESSARILY STEP ON THE
JURISDICTION OF OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS ? AND IT IS STILL
AN ONGOING CONVERSATION. PART OF
THE REASON WHY WE WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE, YOU KNOW, WORKERS ON THE
BOARD AS WELL, BECAUSE AS
SOMEONE IN LABOR, WE CAN GIVE
THAT PERSPECTIVE OF HERE IS WHAT
WE ARE SEEING, AND YES, WE ARE
DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO WORKERS,
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THE NURSES
ASSOCIATION, THAT IS HOSPITAL
FACILITIES, THAT IS BIGGER
WORKFORCE, DRIVERS UNION, THEY
HAVE DONE OUR OWN KIND OF
PROTECTING EMPLOYEES, LIKE WE
HAVE OUR RAPID RESPONSE, LIKE
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND IT
IS THROUGH LITIGATION, BUT IT IS
A LITTLE BIT DISHEARTENING
BECAUSE THAT CAN TAKE LONG. SO,
SOME OF THE IDEA IS IS THERE A
WAY THAT WE CAN QUICKLY RESPOND?
IS IT SOMETHING THAT HAVING A
SPACE TO IMPLEMENT MORE -- YOU
KNOW, HEFTIER FINES ON EMPLOYERS
WHERE THERE IS A QUICKER
INVESTIGATION PROCESS THAT GOES
INTO PLACE. STILL SOME OF THE
IDEAS THAT WE ARE WORKING
THROUGH, BUT SOME OF IT COULD BE
THAT IT'S IMPLEMENTING HEFTIER
FINES. I KNOW WHEN WE ARE THERE
AND SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT
WE HAVE USED, YOU KNOW, WE DID
USE ONE OF THE INVESTIGATIONS
THAT OLS DID AND THE
MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PAYMENTS,
YOU KNOW, SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS
THAT UBER AND LYFT ENTERED INTO,
BECAUSE THEY WERE STEALING WAGES
AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THAT, BUT
THEY ARE ALSO AWARE THAT THE
WORKERS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE
TIME TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE
CHART, YOU KNOW, ON THEIR PAY
STATEMENTS TO REALIZE, THERE WAS
FIVE CENTS TAKEN HERE FOR $.10
TAKEN THERE, BUT THAT ADDS UP TO
MILLIONS OVER TIME, SO HAVING --
AND THAT IS PART OF WHY WE
TALKED ABOUT MORE ENFORCEMENT,
HAVING MORE STUFF THAT CAN DO
THE INVESTIGATIONS IN A SHORTER
TIME PERIOD, AND HAVING HEFTIER
PENALTIES, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATED
TO THAT, I THINK IS WHAT WOULD
ENCOURAGE WORKERS TO STEP UP AND
LOOK INTO ENFORCING THAT,
BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD WHEN I AM
BRINGING CASES FROM THE TMC
DRIVERS, THERE IS A FAIR OF HOW
CAN THEY RETALIATE OR HOW LONG
IS THIS GOING TO TAKE, AND THE
COMPANY IS, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGER
COMPANIES TAKE THEIR TIME AND
DRAG OUT THE LITIGATION, AND SO,
IT IS TWO, THREE YEARS LATER,
AND THE DRIVERS HAVE MOVED ON TO
SOMETHING ELSE, AND/OR NOW THAT
THE FEDERAL LANDSCAPE IS
CHANGING, THEY ARE AFRAID TO
CONTINUE TO PURSUE IT SO,
THINKING OF IDEAS, YOU KNOW,
ALONG THOSE LINES , AND SAME
WITH BUSINESSES, WE HAVE HAD
THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON THE
PANEL, I DON'T WANT TO GET
THOSE FINES, BUT YOU KNOW, WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IT IS,
SO THE COMMUNITY FUNDS AND THE
BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP FUNDS ARE
TWO PHONES THAT I THINK ARE VERY
VALUABLE, BUT IT IS ALSO HAVING
MORE DISCRETION AND HAVING A
LITTLE BIT MORE OUTREACH. SO,
LOCALLY, WITH THE DISMANTLING OF
WHAT IS GOING ON, YOU KNOW,
FEDERALLY, IT IS PROMOTING THE
IDEA OF LIKE, YES, LEAN INTO
THIS SPACE OF WE ARE, YOU KNOW,
IS SAFE CITY. AND WORKERS --
BUSINESSES SHOULD SPEAK UP AND
STEP UP, TOO, BUT I THINK HAVING
THAT -- THAT SAVES SPACE, FOR
LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE, AND
HAVING THE CONFIDENCE TO KNOW
THAT IF I COME TO THE CITY, THAT
ONE, MY INFORMATION ISN'T BEING
SHARED, IT IS GOING TO BE
RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCERNS THAT
WE ARE BRINGING UP, AND YOU
KNOW, I HAVE THAT SUPPORT.
>> REAL QUICK, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER, ON THAT, I THINK THAT'S
WHY THOSE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
TRAININGS THAT WE DO ARE SO
IMPORTANT. AND AS PATRICE
MENTIONED, THE BUSINESS AND
COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT WE DO --
BECAUSE WE WORK WITH
REPRESENTATIVE WORKERS, BUT
THERE ARE A MAJORITY OF WORKERS
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT
AREN'T REPRESENTED. LARGE
GROUPS OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
SO, THESE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
TRAININGS -- FOR EXAMPLE, THE
FIRST TRAINING THAT WE DID, WE
ARE GOING TO DO AN IN PERSON
ONE, BUT WE HAD A LAST-MINUTE
SWITCH TO IT ONLINE FOR SAFETY
OF THE PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO
ATTEND, SO THOSE ARE HUGE. AND
ANYWAY THAT WE CAN CONTINUE
PARTNERING [ INAUDIBLE ] POINT
AND IT LIFTS UP THE WORK THAT
OLS DOES. AND AT THIS TIME, NO
MORE THAN ANY OTHER, THE WORK
THAT THEY DO IS SO GREAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT
IT'S CHAIR FOSTER. AND JUST
BUILDING ON THIS POINT, IT IS MY
RECOLLECTION -- I BELIEVE THERE
WAS A STATE BILL PASSED THIS
YEAR AROUND ALLOWING FOR PAID
LEAVE TO BE USED DURING
IMMIGRATION PROCEEDINGS, IS THAT
CORRECT? I MIGHT BE RECALLING
THAT INCORRECTLY.
>> I BELIEVE SO. GREAT. I THINK
ABOUT THAT, IT'S JUST ONE STEP
FORWARD TO TRY AND APPROACH THE
MYRIAD OF CHALLENGES THAT
IMMIGRANT WORKERS ARE FACING,
AND YOU ALL SPOKE TO THE
DYNAMICS WE HAVE BETWEEN WORKERS
WERE PART OF A REPRESENTED
UNION, BUT MANY OF WHOM ARE NOT,
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND HONOR
THE POINTS THAT SYLVIA WAS
RAISING IN THIS, AND THANK YOU
FOR BEING SO WE'RE ON THE
QUESTIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE
ANSWERS TO AT THIS TIME. AND I
THINK I WANT TO ALSO OPEN IT UP
TO -- WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS
THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THIS SPACE
AND OPPORTUNITIES, UNDERSTANDING
THAT THE STATE TOOK A STEP
FORWARD ON ALLOWING FOR PAID
LEAVE TO BE USED FOR TIME FOR
IMMIGRATION PROCEEDINGS, BUT
I'M THINKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
THE FACT THAT WE KNOW A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO WORK ON
SOME DAYS WHEN THERE IS
SUBSTANTIAL FEAR OF DEPORTATION.
AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE
CHALLENGES. AND I AM HEARING
ABOUT CHALLENGES AROUND JUST
RETALIATION, WAGE THEFT, AND
WEAPONIZING SOMEONE'S
DOCUMENTATION AGAINST THEM. SO,
OTHER IDEAS OR CONCEPTS THAT
HAVE BEEN PERCOLATING OR THINGS
THAT YOU ARE HEARING WOULD BE
HELD ULTA HERE ON THIS FRONT AS
WELL.
>> HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THIS, BUT
AS YOU WERE TALKING, ONE OF THE
THINGS, THOUGHTS, OR IDEAS, AND
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ALREADY
HAPPENING, SO I WILL SAY IT WITH
THAT CAVEAT, BUT I KNOW FOR
EXAMPLE, I USED TO WORK WITH
MLRB, THERE WAS A PROCESS AND A
MEMO IN PLACE AT ONE POINT,
BEFORE I WENT TO DO ANY KIND OF
WORKPLACE INVESTIGATION, [
INAUDIBLE ], THEY WOULD ALSO
CHECK WITH THE MLRB TO SEE IF
THERE WERE ANY COMPLAINTS,
BECAUSE THOSE BIGGER COMPANIES,
WORKERS STARTED UNIONIZING OR
STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT. THEY
WOULD THEN CALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE,
OH, WE NEED TO DO AN [ INAUDIBLE
] CHECK, OR THEY WOULD CALL ICE
TO CULTS THAT MOVEMENT, SO THERE
WAS THAT THE CONFLICTING MEMO
THAT WAS IN PLACE, AND WAS BEING
ADHERED TO. SO, HERE IN THE
CITY, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY
IS ALERTED OR, YOU KNOW, POLICE
FORCE, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE IS
INFORMED. IF THERE IS GOING TO
BE ANY KIND OF ICE COMING INTO
THE CITY. SO, IF THERE WAS
SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR, YOU
KNOW, MAYBE THE CITY POLICE
REACHING OUT , INFORMING OLS,
INFORMING OED, LIKE LETTING SOME
OF THE AGENCIES THAT WORK WITH
OWNERS AND BUSINESSES BE AWARE
THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN,
ASSUMING YOU ARE PROVIDED, YOU
KNOW, KNOWLEDGE AHEAD OF TIME.
THAT COULD BE ONE WAY TO START
THAT PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU FOR NAMING THAT. I
THINK WITH OUR EXISTING LAWS IN
PLACE, THE COOPERATION BETWEEN [
INAUDIBLE ], WE DON'T
NECESSARILY GET A HEADS UP, BUT
I THINK IT IS WORTHWHILE TALKING
TO THE EXECUTIVE THAT WHEN THE
CITY UNDERSTANDS THERE MIGHT BE
SOMETHING COMING OUR WAY,
ENSURING THAT WE ARE
COMMUNICATING WITH DEPARTMENTS,
SO WE CAN DO APPROPRIATE
OUTREACH WHEN POSSIBLE. THANK
YOU FOR RAISING THAT. AND I DO
WANT TO PIVOT US TO JUST ANOTHER
POINT ON THIS SLIDE, MAYBE TO
CLOSE US OUT, JUST BECAUSE A.I.
IS MOVING QUICKLY. IT FEELS LIKE
WE ARE PLAYING CATCH-UP IN MANY
WAYS. AND SO, I AM WONDERING
WHAT ISSUES RELATED TO A.I. IN
THE WORKPLACE THAT YOU ALL ARE
TRACKING AT THIS TIME, AND I
THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A
CONTINUING CONVERSATION AS WE
CONTINUE TO SEE THE RISE OF A.I.
IN WORK RACES ACROSS OUR CITY,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES AND
CHALLENGES AROUND A.I. IN THE
WORKPLACE THAT YOU ALL ARE
TRACKING AT THIS TIME.?
>> I MEAN, I KNOW AT THE STATE
LEVEL, DUSTIN [ INAUDIBLE ] IS
PART OF LSAC, HE IS NOT HERE TO
SPEAK ON IT, BUT THEY ARE
LOOKING AT THE CONSUMER PRICE
FIXING TYPE STUFF THROUGH LIKE
A.I. AND THE TECHNOLOGY THERE,
SO WE'RE KIND OF MONITORING
THAT TYPE OF STUFF. OBVIOUSLY,
ANY TYPE OF REDUCTION IN FORCE,
THAT TYPE OF STUFF, TRYING TO
LOOK AT THOSE THINGS. I WANTED
TO GO BACK REAL QUICK WHAT
PATRICE WAS SAYING. IT SPARKED
SOMETHING IN MY HEAD, I KNOW
GOVERNOR FERGUSON JUST DID
SOMETHING IN THE LAST MONTH
AROUND I-9 AND HAVING TO GIVE
NOTICE TO EMPLOYERS AND GIVING
AN I-9 AUDIT, THAT IS KIND OF
FROM THE FEDERAL ICE
CONVERSATION TOO, BUT THERE ARE
SEVERAL OF US ON HERE THAT ARE
IN DIFFERENT REALMS, WORKING ON
DIFFERENT THINGS, SO WHEN WE
COME TOGETHER, WE DO HAVE -- I
THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE
ONGOING CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT
WE ARE SEEING IN THE A.I. SPACE.
>> I WOULD ALSO ADD TO THAT, ONE
OF THE CONCERNS IS DISCIPLINE
DECISIONS WITH NAI, BECAUSE --
YOU HAVE SEEN IT IN THE GIG
SPACE, IF YOU GET X AMOUNT OF
THINGS ON YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK,
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS,
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LAWS THAT
WE HAVE, IT WOULD BE BEFOREHAND,
IT'S JUST ACCOUNTS. YOU GET
THREE THINGS, YOU'RE OFF THE
PLATFORM, YOU'VE NOW LOST YOUR
JOB. DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU
ARE AT ALL, NOT ALL. SO, THOSE,
I BELIEVE, ACTUALLY ADDRESS
THAT. AND WE KNOW THAT IN THE
FACE, IT THEIR ALGORITHM THAT IS
JUST SCANNING, SEEING THESE
THREE THINGS, AND MAKING A
DECISION, AND THEY BLOCK THE
APP. SO, IT IS NOT SOMEONE, A
HUMAN A.I. ACTUALLY LOOKING AT
IT. I BELIEVE AT ONE POINT,
THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ON THE
STATE LEVEL, I AM NOT SURE WHERE
THAT WENT, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO
LOOK INTO THAT TO GET BACK, BUT
PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS
HAVING AN INDIVIDUAL, A HUMAN
ACTUALLY MAKING THE DECISION
WHEN IT COMES TO DISCIPLINE, AND
NOT LEAVING THAT TO A.I.
ALGORITHMS. SO, THAT IS ANOTHER,
YOU KNOW, THING WE HAVE SEEN IN
THE LABOR SPACES AS WELL, WHERE
A.I. IS MORE EFFICIENT, BUT IT
DOESN'T CONSIDER, YOU KNOW,
ENOUGH CONTEXT.
>> I THINK ALONG THAT LINE, IN
THE SMALL BUSINESS SPACE,
SOMETIMES WE ARE PROBABLY ALL
GUILTY OF USING A.I. TOO MUCH AT
TIMES AND MAYBE GETTING FALSE
INFORMATION AT TIMES, AND IT
GOES BACK TO WHERE OLS NEEDS TO
BE EDUCATED IN THE BUSINESSES,
NOT A.I. AS A SMALL BUSINESS,
THERE ARE MANY TIMES THAT I'M
TRYING TO SORT THROUGH THE
RULES, AND IT MAY BE TO PLUG IT
INTO A MACHINE AND ASK THEM TO
READ THESE ROLES FOR ME, BUT IF
OLS CAN BE CLEAR ON THEIR
BUSINESS EDUCATION TO OTHER
SMALL BUSINESSES, IT WOULD HELP
US BETTER MAKE SURE WE ARE
FOLLOWING THE RULES AND DOING
THINGS CORRECTLY. I THINK THAT
KIND OF -- IT ACTUALLY SHOWS THE
IMPORTANCE OF OLS AND THEIR
EDUCATION SIDE FOR BUSINESSES,
TOO.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: AND I BELIEVE
THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
EDUCATION?
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> AND I THINK A.I. COMES AT A
TIME TO AFFECT VULNERABLE PEOPLE
THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT
KNOWLEDGE.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: AND WE SHOULD
REINFORCE THAT EDUCATION TO [
INAUDIBLE ] WORKING IN
RESTAURANTS, OLDER PEOPLE --
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: BUT BECAUSE THERE
COULD BE A LOT OF FRAUD IN
REGARDS TO THOSE TYPES OF
WORKERS.
>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]
>> Translator: SO, I THINK THAT
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT WE
HAVE TO DO IN THIS A.I. AREA.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THOSE
RESPONSES, AND AGAIN, FOR BEING
HERE TODAY. HEARING A VERY CLEAR
CALLOUT FROM THE CHAIRS TO
COUNCIL TO PLEASE ENGAGE WITH
LSAC ON ANY POLICY IDEAS AND TO
REGULARLY CHECK IN, ESPECIALLY
AS THINGS ARE MOVING QUICKLY
WITH A.I. AND ON IMMIGRATION
FRONT, FRANKLY ON ALL THINGS.
SO, WANT TO UPLIFT -- I KNOW,
BILLY, YOU MENTIONED THE OLS
EVENT HAPPENING IN HONOR OF
MAYDAY. I DID FIND OUT IT IS ON
APRIL 30th, SO I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE GOT THAT. IT IS NOT
QUITE ON MAYDAY. I WILL BE THERE
AND I THINK SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES WILL BE THERE AS
WELL, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT THAT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY
TO DO THAT OUTREACH WORK, SO IT
WILL BE ON APRIL 30th. AT THE
CHINESE INFORMATION SERVICE
CENTER, AND THERE WILL BE
OUTREACH TO A VARIETY OF COUNCIL
DISTRICTS AND BUSINESSES WITHIN
THOSE COUNCIL DISTRICTS. WITH
THAT, COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING TO
MOVE US ALONG, AND THANK YOU
AGAIN, OUR LSAC PARTNERS, FOR
BEING IN COMMITTEE TODAY. YOU
FOR YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WONDERFUL, AND WITH THAT, WE
ARE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR FINAL
ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM 9 INTO THE
RECORD?
>> ITEM 9, OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN,
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> WONDERFUL. AND AS WE GO
THROUGH OUR TRANSITION, I AM
GOING TO WELCOME OUR PARTNERS
WITH THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT TO THE TABLE. AND
ALSO, NOTE FOR THE RECORD, THIS
IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE OUR
NEW OED ACTING DIRECTOR, BETO
YARCE IN COMMITTEE THIS YEAR, WE
ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE WORKING
WITH YOU. AND AS YOU GET SETTLED
IN, IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE
YOURSELF BY STATING YOUR FULL
NAME INTO THEIR MICROPHONE, THAT
WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
>> HI, EVERYONE, MY NAME IS
BRENNA McKAY, I AM THE [
INAUDIBLE ] AT OED.
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM ANITA
CHANDRAMOHAN, I'M POLICY ADVISER
WITHIN THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR RINCK
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THANK
YOU , IT'S A PLEASURE WORKING
WITH YOU DIRECTLY. GOOD MORNING,
EVERYBODY, COUNCILMEMBERS AND
COMMITTEE. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE, PLEASE PROCEED WITH
THE PRESENTATION.
>> I'M GOING TO START WITH A
HIGH LEVEL OF THE WORK THAT
WE'RE DOING ON THE WORKFORCE [
INAUDIBLE ]. SO, I WILL JUST
START WITH FROM [ INAUDIBLE ] TO
IMPLEMENTATION, WHEN THIS WORK
STARTED IN 2025, THE CITY
WORKFORCE INVESTMENT GRAHAM [
INAUDIBLE ] PROGRAMS AND
TRAININGS TO THE NEXT STEP IN
THEIR SKILLS OR CAREER PATH
AROUND THE CITY OR THE REGION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY
FEEL VERY PROUD OF HOW WE ARE
CHANGING STRATEGY AND HOW WE ARE
MEASURING , BY DOING IT WITH THE
SMART GOALS AND REALLY
EVALUATING HOW WE ARE MOVING
FORWARD WITH THIS [ INAUDIBLE ]
AND NOW IMPLEMENTATION. SO, OED
IS A LEADER ON THE FACE OF THE
CITY WORKFORCE IMPLEMENTATION,
SO I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT WORK.
SOMEONE WHO IS A PREVIOUS SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER, SOMEONE WHO
WORKED IN HOSPITALITY AS A
WORKER, UNDOCUMENTED WORKER, I
KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IS WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY
AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE DO.
OED REPRESENTS THE MAYOR
POSITION AS THE LOCAL ELECTED
OFFICIAL ON THE CITY WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF SEATTLE
AND KING COUNTY. AND ALSO, IT [
INAUDIBLE ] CONTACTS WITH
INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION PARTNERS
AND [ INAUDIBLE ] RESPONDING TO
[ INAUDIBLE ] DEPARTMENT
COORDINATION. THE COLLABORATION
IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN WE DO CROSS
DEPARTMENT COORDINATION. OVER
THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS, 10
DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO
IDENTIFY [ INAUDIBLE ] . AS
STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND
JOBSEEKERS WHO WANT TO LEARN IN
ADVANCE [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
FINANCIAL SECURITY. AS SOMEONE
WHO HAS BEEN GRADUATE ORGANIZER,
WORKING MULTIPLE CAPACITIES IN
MY CAREER FROM NONPROFIT,
GOVERNMENT, NOW WITH THE CITY, I
FEEL LIKE COORDINATION IS KEY TO
ADVANCE THE COMPLEXITIES OF
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SO, I'M
VERY PROUD OF MY TEAM LEADING
WITH THAT VISION OF COORDINATION
AND UTILIZING THE RESOURCES THAT
THE CITY HAS, ESPECIALLY IN
THESE TIMES, AND REALLY
EMPOWERING OUR CITY WORKFORCE IN
THIS CAPACITY. WE ARE SEEING
MANY OF OUR REGIONAL PUBLIC
PARTNERS PRIVATIZING WORKFORCE,
WHICH IS VERY EXCITING. THEIR
STORIES ARE VERY CLOSELY [
INAUDIBLE ]. THE CITY NEEDS TO
BE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS
CONVERSATION. WE HAVE A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY TO ALIGN , BLEND,
AND STRENGTHEN , FINDING
OPPORTUNITIES, PUBLIC
INVESTMENTS, AND COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS, WHILE ADVANCING
LOCAL TALENT DEVELOPMENT. WITH
THAT, I WILL DISCUSS IT WITH MY
TEAM, WHICH THEY ARE THE ONES
WHO HAVE ALL THE KNOWLEDGE.
EMILY IS VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR
THEIR SMARTNESS AND THEIR
COMMITMENT, AND THEIR PASSION
FOR THE WORK, SO I WILL PASS IT
TO ANITA. AND BRENNA WILL BE
HERE TO SUPPORT ANITA AND ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS, SO, PLEASE SHARE
YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH THE COUNCIL
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. AGAIN, MY NAME
IS ANITA CHANDRAMOHAN, AND THE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT POLICY
ADVISER WITHIN OED, THANK YOU
ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE
WORKFORCE PORTFOLIO AND THE
REALLY WONDERFUL AND EXCITING
STRATEGIC WORK WE ARE DOING IN
AND ACROSS THE CITY. SO,
TODAY'S BRIEFING WILL FOLLOW
THIS ARC. I'M GOING TO GIVE A
QUICK SNAPSHOT OF THE CITY'S
HISTORICAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
EFFORTS. I WILL KIND OF GIVE THE
LAST 14 MONTHS OF CATCH-UP AND
THINKING ABOUT THE STRATEGY
DEVELOPMENT, CURRENT PRIORITIES,
AND FOCUS AREAS. I WILL TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT KEY
PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE WORK
THAT WE ARE DOING , TOUCH ON
SOME EARLY WINDS, AND AGAIN,
VERY COOL THINGS THAT WE ARE
DOING IN PROGRESS, AND THEN
CLOSE WITH WHERE WE ARE HEADED
AND REALLY THINKING ABOUT SOME
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN CLEAN
ENERGY, YOUTH WORKFORCE
INVESTMENT, AND THINKING ABOUT
HOW BEST TO ANCHOR THE WORK THAT
WE ARE DOING IN ROBUST IMPACT
METRICS, AND SO, WE ARE ABLE TO
CLARIFY, WHAT IS ACTUALLY
DRIVING CHANGE, HOW WE CAN
INFORM OPPORTUNITIES TO SCALE,
INNOVATE, AND ALSO RESPOND TO
VERY RAPIDLY EVOLVING EMPLOYER
AND INDUSTRY NEEDS. THERE IS A
-- THERE SHOULD BE A TIMELINE ON
THIS SLIDE. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT I
CAN ROLL WITH THAT IN PERSON IF
THAT'S OKAY.
>> COLLEAGUES, WE WILL BE AT
EASE FOR ONE SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. OKAY. SO, ON THIS
SLIDE, YOU WOULD SEE A TIMELINE
OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
HISTORY OF THE CITY, BUT BEFORE
WE GET INTO THE HISTORY, I WANT
TO TAKE JUST A SECOND TO DEFINE
WHAT WE NEED WHEN WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AND
WHEN WE SAY WORK HORSE
DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THE COORDINATED EFFORT TO
PREPARE JOBSEEKERS FOR CAREERS
ACROSS SECTORS HOW TO THINK
ABOUT BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
ATTRACTION , AND ALSO WORKING
WITH EMPLOYERS TO ENSURE THAT
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A SKILLED ,
DIE FIRST [ INAUDIBLE ]. SO, IT
INCLUDES INVESTMENTS TO
PARTNERSHIP SOLUTIONS AND
THINKING ABOUT HOW, OF COURSE, A
PROSPECT OR DIFFERENT THINGS CAN
BE PRIORITIZED, BUT THERE IS
STILL INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF
OVERLAP AND THINK ABOUT THE
AUDIENCE NEEDS, CHALLENGES, AND
MANY OF THE THINGS THAT OUR
EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR THAT
ARE NOT TECHNICAL AND
SPECIALIZED TRAINING. YOU GUYS
HAVE JUST HEARD SEVERAL
PRESENTATIONS TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPACT OR DISRUPTION OF A.I. IN
THE WORK HORSE, SO WE WILL
DEFINITELY TOUCH ON THAT A
LITTLE BIT, BUT THE REALITY IS
THAT WE ARE HEARING FROM
EMPLOYERS ACROSS EVERY SECTOR,
AT EVERY LEVEL, THAT THE ABILITY
TO BE ADAPTABLE , TO
COMMUNICATE, TO PROBLEM SOLVE,
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKES
SOMEBODY MORE COMPETITIVE, AND
SO, IN THINKING ABOUT HOW THE
CITY CAN BE INVESTING IN THOSE ,
THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE
ARE REALLY THINKING ABOUT IN
ADDITION TO LIKE THE TRADITIONAL
TRAINING AND EMPLOYER
DEVELOPMENT.
>> THERE WE GO, I THINK WE HAVE
THE LIGHT -- RIGHT SLIDE SET UP,
JUST CONFIRMING. BUT YES,
THAT'S THE RIGHT SLIDE, THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE,
BEFORE 2025, THE CITY ROUGHLY
INVESTED ABOUT $15 MILLION
ACROSS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN 65+
WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. BUT THERE
WASN'T A LOT OF COORDINATION
AND SHARED OUTCOMES. DEPARTMENTS
WERE DOING GREAT WORK, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WERE
OPERATING RELATIVELY
INDEPENDENTLY, OFTENTIMES IN
SILOS, AND JUST NOT TALKING AS
WELL TO EACH OTHER AS THEY
COULD. AND THE OTHER PART OF
THAT IS THAT JOBSEEKERS AND
GRADUATES FROM TRAINING PROGRAMS
WEREN'T EFFECTIVELY CONNECTED
TO THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY OR
POSSIBLE NEXT STEPS IN THEIR
CAREER JOURNEYS. AND SO, IN
EARLY 2025, OED CONVENED THE
CITY WORKFORCE GROUP AND THEY
BROUGHT TOGETHER 11+
DEPARTMENTS, THINKING ABOUT HOW
THEY CAN -- OR HOW WE CAN REALLY
THINK ABOUT WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGICALLY WITHIN
THE CITY, ACROSS THE CITY
BORDERS, BUT ALSO WITHIN THE
REGION, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITHIN
SEATTLE IS REALLY IMPACTING THE
OUTSIDE BORDERS AND VICE VERSA,
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT WORKFORCE. PEOPLE WHO LIVE
IN SEATTLE DON'T NECESSARILY
WORK IN SEATTLE, AND PEOPLE WHO
WORK IN SEATTLE DON'T NECESSARY
LIVE IN SEATTLE, SO THAT'S
REALLY WHY THE CROSS SECTOR AND
REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO THIS CONVERSATION.
IN EARLY 2025, I MENTIONED OED
HAD CONVENED ITS WORK OR SCRIPT,
AND PHASE ONE WAS IDENTIFYING [
INAUDIBLE ] BACKGROUND THE
CITY'S APPROACH AND HOW WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT THE CITY AIMING
TO BE A MODEL EMPLOYER, I WE
CAN PRIORITIZE OUTCOMES AND
IMPACT ACROSS OUR WORKFORCE
INVESTMENTS, AND ALSO AS I JUST
MENTIONED, STRENGTHENING THE
REGIONAL WORKFORCE ECOSYSTEM.
THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH REALLY
KIND OF RESTARTED IN DECEMBER
2025, BEGAN AS THE CITY
WORKFORCE GROUP WAS IDENTIFYING
TWO URGENT PRIORITIES, UTILITIES
AND YOUTH PATHWAYS, SO UTILITIES
INCLUDES CLEAN ENERGY AND GREEN
ECONOMY WORKFORCE DEMANDS, AND
ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE YOUTH
WORKFORCE PRIORITY, HOW ARE WE
EXPOSING AND GIVING HANDS-ON
SKILL, EXPERIENCE, AND EXPOSURE
TO YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE KEY
AND THRIVING CAREER PATHWAYS
THAT EXIST LOCALLY. SO, AS I
JUST MENTIONED, THE 2026
STRATEGY REALLY THINKS ABOUT
YOUTH AND UTILITIES, USING THOSE
THREE PILLARS, THE CITY AS A
MODEL EMPLOYER, STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIPS, AND DATA IMPACT IS
THE UNDERPINNING FOR THE WAY
THAT WE ARE DOING WORK WITHIN
THOSE FOCUS AREAS. AND AS WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT STRONGER, MORE
COHESIVE, AND CONNECTIVE
WORKFORCE SYSTEMS, WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN BRING
THOSE COLORS INTO EACH OF THOSE
AREAS, AND IT IS 100% ABOUT HOW
WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, MORE
EFFECTIVELY, AND HAVING
ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE FOLKS THAT
WE ARE SERVING AND TO EACH OTHER
AS WELL. AND SO, PART OF THIS IS
REALLY TRYING TO HAVE US
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE
INFORMATION OR PARTNERSHIP GAPS
THAT REMAIN, AND WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE NOT LEANING BACK
INTO THAT FRAGMENTATION AND
CONTINUING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
LEARNINGS, TALK TO EACH OTHER,
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
CONNECTED INTERNALLY, AND THEN
ALSO WITH THE PARTNERS THAT WE
FIND VERY KEY TO MOVING THIS
WORK FORWARD. AND I WOULD JUST
MAYBE PAUSE FOR A SECOND HERE
AND SAY THAT ACROSS ALL OF THIS
OR THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS WE GET
ASKED OFTEN, WHAT IS OED'S ROLE?
OED IS REALLY SERVING AS A
CONVENER, AS THE SYSTEM
INTEGRATOR, BUT ALSO HAS A
RELATIONSHIP OLDER FOR
EMPLOYERS, FOR SEATTLE'S
STRAINERS, AND FOR PUBLIC
WORKFORCE INSTITUTIONS, AND IT
IS OED'S ROLE TO ALSO BRING
THAT KNOWLEDGE TO THE CITY AND
HELP DEPARTMENTS KIND OF LEARN
FROM THOSE OTHER PARTNERSHIPS
AND ELEVATE THEM MORE
APPROPRIATE FOR OTHER
DEPARTMENTS TO ELEVATE THEIR OWN
RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL. I KEEP
TALKING ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS AND
RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT, SO I
WANT TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT AND
HIGHLIGHT A FEW EXAMPLES OF
PARTNERS THAT ARE VERY CRITICAL
TO OUR WORK AND THE REGIONAL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT YOU HAVE
HEARD ME SAY THAT WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT IS FUNDAMENTALLY
PARTNERSHIP WORK, AND REALLY AT
OED, OUR ROLE IS TO ALIGN THE
PARTNERS, INCLUDING INDUSTRY
EMPLOYERS, SO JOBSEEKERS CAN
ACCESS AND COMPLETE TRAINING
THAT LEADS TO REAL JOB
OPPORTUNITIES. YOU KNOW, MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD ME SAY
THAT TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE
GREAT, BUT IF THERE IS NO JOB AT
THE END OF IT, THAT IS REALLY
DOING IT JUST NERVOUS TO THE JOB
SEEKER. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S
REALLY A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
CITY AND THE INVESTMENTS OF THE
PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER
TRAINING WHICH HAS NEXT STEPS TO
PLACEMENT, AND THINKING ABOUT
THE EMPLOYER PRIORITIES AND
MAKING SURE THAT TRAININGS ARE
NOT LEAVING PEOPLE KIND OF
UNCOMPETITIVE OR NOT AS
COMPETITIVE BECAUSE THE
TRAININGS AREN'T RESPONSIVE TO
INDUSTRY NEEDS. AND SO, ALIGNING
THAT WITH INDUSTRY DEMAND IN
REAL TIME IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. AND I WILL ALSO JUST
MAYBE SAY HERE, WE OFTEN HEAR
FROM EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRY THAT
BY THE TIME A TRAINING PROGRAM
KIND OF GETS TO THEM OR BY THE
TIME HE GRADUALLY GETS TO THEM,
THAT IS AT THE END OF THE
PIPELINE, WHERE THE EMPLOYER
WISHES THEY HAD BEEN BROUGHT
ALONG AT THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE
THEN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO BE MORE OF A CO-DESIGNER OR A
PARTNER, AND SAY, YEP, THESE ARE
THE SKILLS THAT WE NEED AND WE
HAVE THOSE JOBS KIND OF WAITING
AT THE END OF THIS PROGRAM, TO
HAVE THE GRADUATES BE ABLE TO
ENTER INTO OR TO UPSCALE. AND
SO, LEANING INTO THE SMART
PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS
ARE THOSE CODESIGNED SOLUTIONS
IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE ARE
TRYING TO EXPLORE. AND WE
PARTNER ACROSS FOUR MAIN GROUPS.
HIGHER EDUCATION, THINKING ABOUT
CERTIFICATIONS, GRANT PROGRAMS,
AND IDENTIFYING , AGAIN, THE
OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE AT OUR
LOCAL ATMOSPHERE HIGHER
EDUCATION AND CONNECTING THEM
WITH THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
INTERNALLY, DL IS A HUGE PARTNER
IN THIS WORK, THEY PARTICIPATE
IN THE CITYWIDE WORKFORCE GROUP
AND HOLD CRITICAL RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THE DISTRICT, SEATTLE
PROMISE, THE COLLEGES, ET CETERA
BUT AND SO, JUST END OF NAMING
THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHERE'S
DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE OFTEN THINK
ABOUT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
ADULTS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
YOUTH? REALLY, IT'S A WHOLE
PIPELINE, THAT IS THE
RESPONSIBILITY ALSO FOR SOMEONE
LIKE OED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE
WE DOING IN THE K-12 OR EVEN
K-8, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
HIGH SCHOOL SPACE, AND THEN POST
SECONDARY, ET CETERA. WE ALSO
WORK CLOSELY TO UNDERSTAND THE
NEEDS AND INPUTS OF LABOR AND
INDUSTRY. YOU HEARD ME TALK A
LOT ABOUT HAVING INDUSTRY AT THE
TABLE OR HAVING AT LEAST JUST
THEIR PRIORITIES REPRESENTED,
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THINGS ARE
EVOLVING QUICKLY, AND SO,
UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN REALLY
PARTNER WITH UNION GROUPS, WITH
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, AND
WITH EMPLOYERS TO STRENGTHEN
TRAINING, AND DIRECT PLACEMENT
IN THOSE JOBS. PART OF THIS IS
ALSO HAVING EMPLOYERS COME AND
TALK TO STUDENTS AND YOUNG
PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT IT IS LIKE FOR
CERTAIN PATHWAYS AS A I IS
CHANGING THE NATURE OF THAT
WORK. YOU HEARD ME TALK EARLIER
ABOUT WHAT I AM GOING TO CALL
OUR SKILLS, SOMETIMES CALLED
SOFT SKILLS, THOSE ARE ACROSS
THE BOARD THE NUMBER ONE THING
WE HEAR FROM EMPLOYERS, BUT THEY
STILL CAN'T FIND -- EVEN IF
SOMEBODY HAS THE TECHNICAL KIND
OF SKILL AND EXPERTISE. THE TWO
OTHER BIG GROUPS THAT WE WORK
WITH, PUBLIC WORKFORCE PARTNERS,
SO THESE ARE FOLKS LIKE THE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL,
KING COUNTY, AND COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS. AND SO,
UNDERSTANDING WHERE APPROPRIATE
BRAIDED OR BLENDING FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE PROVIDED,
WHERE WE CAN STRENGTHEN
WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS, BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT THAT IS THE BIGGEST
REASON THAT PEOPLE CAN'T ENTER
OR DROP OUT OF PROGRAMS, AND
ALSO, JUST IN TERMS OF THE
SHARED MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE
SYSTEMS, HAVING PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE
SOME BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE
BEING ELEVATED WITHIN THE CITY?
WE'RE ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT THE
COUNTY AS WELL, AND BEING ABLE
TO SHARE THOSE, SO UNDERSTANDING
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO HOW CAN THE
CITY BE A MODEL EMPLOYER FOR A
LOT OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE
WILL BE CHAMPIONING OR HAVE BEEN
CHAMPIONING? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, THE NEXT TWO SLIDES ARE A
FEW EXAMPLES OF SOME EARLY WINDS
AND PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE,
WORKING TOGETHER IN THE CITYWIDE
WORKFORCE GROUP. I'M NOT GOING
TO READ THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE
SLIDES, BUT I AM GOING TO GIVE
YOU TWO ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS TO
SHARE THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO
SEE THERE. SO, ONE IS A SOFT
LAUNCH OF NEXT MOVE SEATTLE.
SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH
THIS FUNDING AND KIND OF
APPROACH, SO INNOVATION AND
PERFORMANCE. A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, RECEIVED SOME FUNDING TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE
NEED TO HELP WITH MENTAL HEALTH
SUPPORT AND HOW CAN THE CITY BE
RESPONSIVE TO THAT? AND SO, IP
SPOKE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE TO
IDENTIFY SOME TOOLS THAT THEY
NEEDED TO FEEL BETTER SUPPORTED
BY THE COMMUNITY, AND IN
RESPONSE, A DIGITAL PLATFORM WAS
CREATED TO HELP YOUTH NAVIGATE
OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD, THEIR SCHOOLS,
THEIR CITIES. PARTICULARLY
THINKING ABOUT A CITYWIDE CAREER
AND WELL-BEING NAVIGATION TOOL.
AND SO, NEXT MOVE SEATTLE JUST
SOFT LAUNCHED LAST MONTH, AND WE
ARE WORKING TO SUPPORT OUTREACH
FOR THAT, HAVING A COMPLEMENTARY
WEB APP PROTOTYPE AS WELL. IT IS
NOT FUNDED FOR ITS FULL LAUNCH,
BUT I DID WANT TO SHARE THAT ONE
OTHER HIGHLIGHT, SO IT HAS BEEN
GREAT TO HAVE IP SHARE THEIR
LEARNINGS DIRECTLY FROM YOUNG
PEOPLE WITH OUR GROUP AND HAVE
THAT RESPOND AND INCORPORATE A
LOT OF THE CAREER TOOLS THAT WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. WE ARE
ALSO WORKING ON REGIONAL
COORDINATION WITH THE PORT OF
SEATTLE AND THE WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. WE HAVE HAD
WONDERFUL TOUCH POINTS AROUND
SOME MARITIME STRATEGY AND
WORKFORCE DEMAND ALIGNMENT. WE
HAVE ALSO BEEN TALKING ABOUT
CLEAN ENERGY PRIORITIES,
INCLUDING THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE
REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CLEAN
ENERGY WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES
HERE, AND THINKING ABOUT THE
COORDINATED SUPPORT FOR
DISLOCATED WORKERS, IMMIGRANT
AND REFUGEE JOBSEEKERS, AND
SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. AND THIS
IS THE SECOND SET OF PROGRESS ON
THE CITY COORDINATION. JUST
ELEVATING HERE, I'M SURE YOU
ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE LEVY
PASSED LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A
PATH TO TRADES COMPONENT WITHIN
THIS, AND THE CITYWIDE WORKFORCE
GROUP WORKED TOGETHER TO DEVELOP
RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THAT PATH
TO TRADES FUNDING COULD BE USED
TO ALIGN AND SUPPORT OTHER CITY
WORKFORCE INVESTMENTS, GETTING
FOLKS INTO THE TRADES, GETTING
YOUTH EXPOSED TO SKILL PATHWAYS
AS WELL, AND ALSO HIGHLIGHTING
HERE -- ON THE PREVIOUS ONE, HE
SAW AN AWARD. I'M SORRY, THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE, HE SAW AN AWARD
THAT THE CITY WAS AWARDED THE
CITYWIDE WORKFORCE GROUP APPLIED
FOR -- AND CITY LIGHT AND
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
RECEIVED TRAINING OR ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF RECEIVING TRAINING
AND COACHING TO IMPROVE THEIR
INTERNAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,
AND SO, THIS WAS REALLY GREAT
BECAUSE IT IS TRAINING THE CITY
LIGHT AND PUBLIC UTILITIES ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR
REGARDLESS, AND SO, WE KIND OF
SAVED THAT EXPENSE AND WE ARE
ABLE TO HAVE THEM GO THROUGH
THIS PROCESS. WE WILL BE HAVING
A SITE VISIT FROM THE NATIONAL
LEAGUE OF CITIES AND AMERICAN
INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH COMING ON
MAY 11th AND 12, AND WE WILL
ALSO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE SOME OF
THE REALLY GREAT WORK THAT THE
CITY IS DOING INTERNALLY TO HELP
SUPPORT INCUMBENT AND INCOMING
WORKERS. SO, IN OUR CLOSING
MOMENTS, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A
QUICK SNAPSHOT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT COMING AHEAD, SO A
LOT OF THIS WORK IS ONGOING. IT
IS GOING TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE
END OF THE YEAR, AND HOPE LAY
INTO THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS,
JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT WORK
HORSE IS CHANGING AND WE REALLY
ARE SEEING, I WOULD SEE , ACROSS
SECTORS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT
TYPES OF WORKERS WERE BEING
IMPACTED VARIOUS TYPES OF WAYS,
SO HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THEM
WITHIN THE CITY IS SOMETHING WE
ARE THINKING VERY INTENTIONALLY
ABOUT. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT
THE LOCUST OF CONTROL WE HAVE IS
ONLY SO WIDE, SO UNDERSTANDING
WHERE THOSE PARTNERSHIP WAIVERS
ARE THAT WE CAN REALLY LEAN INTO
IS EXTREMELY RADICAL FOR US AND
I THINK IT IS THE WORK SMARTER,
NOT HARDER MODEL, AND ALSO THAT
WE CAN DO MUCH MORE TOGETHER
THAN INDIVIDUALLY. AND SO, I
KNOW THAT HAS BEEN A THEME.
THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN A COUPLE
SPEAKERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE
TODAY BUT I HAVE REALIZED, LIKE
I WANT TO GO BACK AND TALK TO,
SO THAT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL ON MY
END, BUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT
HOW WE ARE -- HOW SEATTLE HAS
BEEN A PLACE FOR INNOVATION FOR
SO LONG, AND I THINK PART OF
INNOVATION IN THE WORKFORCE AREA
IS THINKING ABOUT NEW WAYS THAT
PEOPLE CAN WORK TOGETHER OR CAN
KIND OF PARTNER THAT WE HAVEN'T
ALREADY, AND LEANING INTO SOME
PILOTS AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT
IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT AND
HOW TO SCALE THAT, RIGHT? SO,
AGAIN, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF
CLEAN ENERGY, AND A GREEN
ECONOMY PRIORITIES IN OUR STATE
AND OUR AREA, AND HOW CAN WE BE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT SOME OF THE
INDUSTRY AND EMPLOYER AND
BUSINESS PARTNERS WE HAVE THERE
TO ALSO THEN DEVELOP A LOCAL
TALENT PIPELINE THAT MAKES FOLKS
WANT TO COME AND STAY IN THE
REGION, AND REALLY BOOST THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR
NEIGHBORS AND FOR US. SO, WITH
THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL
OF YOU, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR
PARTNERSHIP, AND HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS HERE WITH [ INAUDIBLE
].
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND
APOLOGIES FOR THE HYDRANTS THERE
ON THE SLIDES, I ENDED UP JUST
SHARING MY OWN SCREEN. SO, GLAD
THAT WE GOT THAT SORTED, AND
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
PRESENTATION. COLLEAGUES, WHAT
QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE ON
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT? I AM
HAPPY TO KICK US OFF WHILE WE
ARE JUST PERHAPS MARINATING ON
SOME OF THESE DETAILS. THANK YOU
FOR WALKING US THROUGH ALL OF
THESE ELEMENTS AND ALL OF THE
WORK YOU'RE DOING, PARTICULARLY
CONNECTING DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS
, EFFORTS WITH THE WORK OF OED.
I AM WONDERING, THE LEVY IS
FRONT OF MIND FOR A LOT OF US. I
KNOW I AM PARTICULARLY EXCITED
ABOUT THE PATH TO TRADES
COMPONENT, SO I AM WONDERING IF
YOU CAN KIND OF JUST PROVIDE A
LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON SOME
OF THE WORK WITH REGIONAL
PARTNERS . WE HAVE BEEN SEEING A
LOT OF REPORTS AND HEARING
DIRECTLY FROM STUDENTS ABOUT
THEIR INTEREST IN HALF TO
TRADES, SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU
CAN SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE
ON SOME OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH
DEAL. MAYBE YOU PARTNER WITH
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TOO. I
THINK SOMETHING THAT I HAVE
CERTAINLY HEARD FROM A LOT OF
PARENTS IS JUST A REAL DESIRE TO
FURTHER BEACH AND FIND KIDDOS
AND BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THESE
OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUNG PEOPLE,
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN
EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON SOME
OF THE THINKING AND OUTREACH
OPPORTUNITIES.
>> SURE. UM, GREAT QUESTION. AND
YEAH, CERTAINLY TOP OF MIND. I
THINK WHAT WAS REALLY GREAT OR
WHAT IS REALLY GREAT IN OUR
CURRENT STRATEGIES WE HAVE THIS
EMPHASIS ON UTILITIES AND KIND
OF SKILLED TRADES WITHIN THAT,
AND THEN ALSO A YOUTH EMPHASIS.
AND SO, THAT KIND OF BRINGS
THOSE TWO WORLDS TOGETHER IN THE
BEST WAY. WE ARE DEFINITELY
WORKING WITH DEAL AS THEY ARE
THE RELATIONSHIP HOLDER, AND WE
KIND OF LOOK TO THEM TO LEAVE
THE STRATEGY AND HELP US
ADVOCATE IN TERMS OF THE WORK
WITH THE COLLEGES. WE HAVE A
PERSON FROM DEAL KIND OF WORKS
ON THE PROMISE PORTION, AND KIND
OF THAT POST SECONDARY INTRO
INTO THE COLLEGES, AND WHERE THE
BATON IS HANDED OFF TO OED, IS
WHEN THE WORKFORCE COMPONENT
COMES IN. AND I DO THINK WHERE
THE BATON IS KIND OF HANDED OFF
IS A VERY GRAY AREA. AND
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO
BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IS HOW
WE CAN GET MORE SKILLS HANDS-ON
TRAINING TO YOUNG PEOPLE. I
THINK SOMETHING THAT USED TO
EXIST, AND BY USED TO, AND SAY
LIKE 15 TO 20 TO 30 YEARS AGO
NOW, THERE USED TO BE A LOT MORE
TRADE EXPOSURE AND HIGH SCHOOLS,
RIGHT? THERE IS NOT REALLY, SO
HOW CAN WE BE A BIT MORE
INTENTIONAL IN PARTNERING WITH
PLACES LIKE THE MACHINIST
INSTITUTE, WHERE EVEN HAVING
MAYBE A MOBILE TRADES KIND OF
COUNSELOR WHO GOES BETWEEN THE
DIFFERENT SCHOOLS ON DIFFERENT
DAYS , TO HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE BE
EXPOSED TO THIS, ONE OF THE
REALLY COOL EVENTS I THINK THAT
WE HAVE, AND I ENCOURAGE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO ATTEND IS THE
CREATIVE ECONOMY CAREER DAY.
THERE IS AN INTERESTING SKILLS
TO TRADE COMPONENT OF THIS,
BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE
UNIONS THAT THEY WORK VERY
CLOSELY WITH IS THE [ INAUDIBLE
] LABOR UNION WHICH HOUSES A LOT
OF DIFFERENT FAULTS THE WORK
WITH THE CREATIVE PATHWAYS, BUT
FOX, WHO FOR EXAMPLE -- MAYBE
CARPENTERS, MAYBE WOODWORKERS
ARE WORKING IN EVEN ELECTRICAL,
THEY THEN CAN HAVE THESE JOBS,
FOR EXAMPLE ON A PRODUCTION SET
OR BUILDING A SET, OR EVEN DOING
AV, ET CETERA, AND I THINK PART
OF WHAT IS REALLY GREAT ABOUT
THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT IS HOW WE CAN TALK TO
YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT LEARNING
SKILL SETS THAT CAN BE STACKABLE
AND FLEXIBLE, RIGHT? WITH THE
NATURE OF A.I. , WE DON'T KNOW
HOW JOBS WILL COMPLETELY
TRANSFORM OR WHERE OR WHAT
ASPECTS OF THEM WILL TRANSFORM,
THAT I THINK GOES BACK TO THE
FACT THAT WITH THE TECHNICAL
SKILL SET YOU HAVE, YOU STILL
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PIVOT IT AND
APPLY IT IN DIFFERENT AREAS, SO
I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO
PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH IS ALSO TO
BRING AN ALUMNI OR FOLK WERE
FROM THE SCHOOLS EVEN, OR THE
BACKGROUNDS THAT THEY ARE, TO
TALK ABOUT LIKE, YEP, I WAS A
YOUNG PERSON, I HAD THIS
INTEREST, I DECIDED TO GO TO FOR
THIS. IT TURNS OUT I USED THAT
SKILL SET PERHAPS NOT AT ALL,
WERE IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
FASHION. WE HAVE FOUND THAT
YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY RESONATE
WITH HEARING FROM FOLKS THAT
HAVE LIKE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF
THE PATHWAYS OR THE COMMUNITIES
THAT THEY HAVE AS WELL, BUT
ALSO, HONESTLY HEARING FROM
PEOPLE ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE HAD
TO PIVOT IT OR HOW THEY HAVE
PURSUED SOMETHING AND IT HAS
FAILED, BUT THAT HAS BEEN OKAY
AND WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED FROM
IT. I THINK FOR A LOT OF YOUNG
PEOPLE, THEY'RE HESITANT FOR A
NUMBER OF REASONS, LIKE MONEY,
TIME, AND ALL THE OTHER PIECES,
LIKE INVEST A TON IN A
PARTICULAR AREA, AND BE LIKE,
WELL, THAT JOB ISN'T GOING TO
EXIST EVEN IF I DO DECIDE TO
PURSUE IT. SO, I THINK IT IS
ALSO ABOUT HELPING A YOUNG
PERSON BE SET UP SUCCESS AND
THINKING ABOUT THOSE PIECES.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PETS
TO TRADE, WE KNOW THE CITY IS
HAD A GREAT PROGRAM IN PRIORITY
HIGHER. ONE OF THE THINGS WE
ALSO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND,
THOUGH, THIS KIND OF GOES BACK
TO THE PARTNERSHIP PIECE, OVER
THE COURSE OF THE LAST 10 YEARS,
I THINK THERE HAS MAYBE BEEN
LIKE ONE PERSON FROM THE
PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAM IS
GRADUATED, WHO HAS GOTTEN A JOB
AT THE CITY OF SEATTLE. CITY
LIGHT AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE
HAVE NOTORIOUSLY HARD PROCESSES.
WHAT ARE THOSE VERY HARD ASPECTS
WERE KIND OF POINTS OF THE
HIRING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY
THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, RIGHT? THAT
WE CAN MAKE MORE EQUITABLE, THAT
WE CAN MAKE CLEARER AND EASIER
FOR JOBSEEKERS TO NAVIGATE THE
AND AGAIN, I THINK SOME OF THAT
IS LIKE DOWN BY LABOR AND OTHER
MORE INDUSTRY PIECES, BUT THERE
ARE PLACES THAT WE CAN BE
FLEXIBLE, SO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
THOSE ARE IS ALSO ABOUT, I
THINK, JUST DIGGING A BIT DEEPER
AND GETTING DATE ON THINGS THAT
WE HAVE ANECDOTAL INFORMATION
ABOUT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WANT
TO TAKE.
>> THANK YOU FOR BREAKING THAT
DOWN. AND I KNOW ALSO AT THIS
TIME, AS FROM OUR PREVIOUS
DISCUSSION IN THE COMMITTEE
MEETING, ELATED IMMIGRATION,
HAVE BEEN REALLY FRONT OF MIND
FOR MANY OF US. I WANTED TO TAKE
A MOMENT TO SEND MY APPRECIATION
FOR THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
AND I AM WONDERING IF OED HAS
INCORPORATED ANY OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS OR FINDINGS FROM
THE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR
IMMIGRATION, INTEGRATION, AND
THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT REPORT
TO INCORPORATING THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS OR THINKING
ABOUT STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS
UNDEREMPLOYMENT FOR IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES .
>> YEAH, I WILL GET US STARTED.
SO, YES, THE READY TO WORK
PROGRAM, JUST IN CASE ANYBODY
ISN'T FAMILIAR, PREVIOUSLY OR
HISTORICALLY, THE READY TO WORK
PROGRAM HAS SERVED FOLKS WERE
KIND OF LEVEL 0 OR ONE TO LEVEL
3 OR SO OF ENGLISH. IT IS FOLKS
-- IT IS HELPING PEOPLE KIND OF
DO ENGLISH TRAINING, BUT ALSO
VERY BASICS AROUND CREATING
RESUMES, DOING JOB APPLICATIONS,
INTERVIEWING, ET CETERA,
PARTICULARLY AT A U.S. CULTURAL
CONTEXT. AND THE REFINED 2.0
VERSION OF READY TO WORK THAT IS
ABOUT TO BE LAUNCHED, AND JUST
TO CLARIFY, THE 1.0 IS STILL
STAYING, SO WE ARE STILL SERVING
THAT POPULATION, BUT THE SECOND
LEVEL IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT,
OKAY, WE HAVE THESE FOLKS, MAYBE
THEY HAVE DONE SOME SKILLED
TRADES BACK HOME, MAYBE THEY ARE
TRYING -- THEY ARE AT THE LEVEL
FOR PLUS ENGLISH, BUT THEY
DON'T HAVE THE VOCATIONAL OR
TECHNICAL ENGLISH TO PASS AN
APPRENTICESHIP EXAM, TO QUALIFY
FOR A TRAINING PROGRAM OR
WHATEVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE,
SO THAT IS REALLY WHERE THE
READY TO WORK REFINEMENT COMES
IN, SO IT IS READY TO WORK
CAREER PATHWAY PROGRAM, SO THAT
HAS BEEN REALLY EXCITING THERE.
ANOTHER PIECE IS WE HAVE BEEN
BRINGING IN THE WORKFORCE LEAD
TO A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ON
ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS WITH
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND
WITH SDOT AND CITY LIGHT, SO
UNDERSTANDING THAT -- IS THERE A
WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE AN IDEA
THAT WAS KIND OF BEEN THROWN
AROUND? THERE ARE APPLICANTS WHO
ARE VERY TALENTED WHO APPLY FOR
CITY ROLES, AND I WILL SPEAK TO
CITY ROLES HERE, JUST BECAUSE I
HAVE MORE DATA ON THAT, BUT THEY
APPLY TO CITY ROLES, ENABLE THE
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS, BUT
THEIR ENGLISH IS NOT AT THE
LEVEL THEY WOULD NEED TO BE
HIRED. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO UNDERSTAND
IS IS THERE A WAY WE COULD HAVE
A CITY REFERRAL SERVICE OR AN
APPLICANT WHO APPLIES WHO MIGHT
BENEFIT THEM FROM SOME
ADDITIONAL ENGLISH TRAINING, AND
COULD BE REFERRED TO [ INAUDIBLE
] FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE OTHER
THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS WE
HAVE ALSO HAD THEM BE
CONTRACTED, AND ALSO WITH THE
CITYWIDE WORK FIRST GROUP BY A
FEW DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WHO
HAVE HAD CHALLENGES WITH
IMMIGRANT AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LEARNING POPULATIONS AROUND
PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNICATION
PIECES, SO HAVING THE CITYWIDE
WORKFORCE GROUP AND OIRA ALSO,
REALLY PARTNER ON HOW WE CAN
DEVELOP IN LANGUAGE TRAININGS
FOR MORE DEPARTMENTS TO
EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH
ENGLISH MULTILINGUAL
POPULATIONS, SO AGAIN, CREATING
SOME OF THE RESOURCES WHERE WE
MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE EMPLOYER
TO HIRE AND COMMUNICATE AND
NAVIGATE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES OR
OPPORTUNITIES WITH IMMIGRANT
POPULATIONS. ANYTHING YOU WANTED
TO ADD?
>> I WILL JUST -- AS PART OF MY
ROLE AS DIRECTOR, AS WE ARE
HEARING, CULTIVATION AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH MULTIPLE
STAKEHOLDERS, IT HAS BEEN
SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS IN JUST
THE SIX WEEKS WITH OIRA AND OLS
AND MY ROLE WORKING WITH [
INAUDIBLE ], HOW DO WE ELEVATE
MORE OF THIS WORK AND HOW WE CAN
MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS MORE
STRATEGICALLY IN TERMS OF
IMMIGRANT WORKERS. IT WAS VERY
CONVENIENT THAT I WAS SITTING
HERE IN THE PREVIOUS
PRESENTATION, BECAUSE A LOT OF
THE CONVERSATIONS ARE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE
ALREADY HAVING. HOW DO WE KIND
OF IMPLEMENT THE POLICY, HOW DO
WE FIGURE OUT [ INAUDIBLE ], AND
WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE
ALREADY HERE THAT WE JUST NEED
TO CONNECT AND MEET PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE INSTRUMENT SO, MY TEAM
IS DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB DOING
THE STRATEGY, WORKING, AND ALSO,
MY JOB IS HOW DO I HEAR FROM MY
TEAM OR HOW DO I CONNECT IT WITH
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT
COLLABORATE WITH US IN THIS
WORK?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND YOU
MENTIONED JUST IN YOUR POINT
ABOUT CITY EMPLOYMENT, THAT
BEING MORE READILY ACCESSIBLE
INFORMATION. IS THERE
INFORMATION YOU WISH YOU HAD TO
BETTER SUPPORT YOUR WORK IN
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT
PATHWAYS IN WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS SO MUCH
HAPPENING AT OUR REGION, AND
I'M WONDERING WHAT WOULD BE
SUPPORTIVE FOR YOUR WORK WHETHER
IT IS BETTER CONNECTIONS ACROSS
THE REGION, OR WHAT WILL JUST
FURTHER AMPLIFY AND SUPPORT YOUR
WORK?
>> SURE, I THINK THAT SOME OF
THE INFORMATION WE WISH WE HAD
-- I WILL START FIRST WITH THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH KING COUNTY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE ALL STILL
GOING THROUGH THE TRANSITION
PROCESS, AND WE ARE ABOUT TO
HAVE A MEETING WITH SOME OF OUR
COLLEAGUES OVER AT KING COUNTY,
BUT TRYING TO GET MORE
INFORMATION AND POINTS OF
CONTACT THERE ON HOW WE CAN
REALLY CONTINUE TO MOVE SOME OF
THE WORK FORWARD WOULD BE VERY
HELPFUL. I ALSO THINK ON THE
DATA SIDE, MAYBE NOT WITHIN THE
CITY SPECIFICALLY, BUT TO THE
EXTENT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET
MORE UPDATED INFORMATION ON
LABOR AND DEMOGRAPHICS ACROSS
INDUSTRIES AND SECTORS, TO BE
ABLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE IMPACT -- THE ECONOMIC
IMPACT IS ABSURD AND SECTORS ON
OUR ECONOMY . OF COURSE, AT OED,
WE HAVE SOME OF THAT
INFORMATION, BUT TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE THAT ACROSS SECTORS WOULD
BE REALLY HELPFUL IN TERMS OF
HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO
PRIORITIZE OUR INVESTMENTS WERE
LOOKING FORWARD TOWARDS THE
FUTURE OF JOBS , WHAT TYPES OF
INVESTMENTS WE COULD PRIORITIZE
IN A MORE STRATEGIC, LONG-TERM
WAY IS HOW I WOULD RESPOND.
ANITA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO
ADD ON THAT?
>> YEAH, I WOULD SUGGEST AND
MAYBE CALLOUT THAT PART OF --
PART OF, I THINK, MY HESITANCE
TO JUMP IN RIGHT AWAY TO THAT
QUESTION IS THINKING ABOUT, WE
HAVE A LOT OF DATA IN FRONT OF
US, AND PART OF IT IS, I THINK,
RIGHT NOW TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT
OPPORTUNITIES WHERE SOMETHING IS
WORKING AND HOW LONG DO WE NEED
TO SEE IT WORKING FOR AN SCALE
THAT? SOME OF THE PIECES WHERE
THE UNKNOWN IS THERE IS THE
TESTING NOW. WE ABOUT THIS DATA,
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TEST IT,
BUT FRANKLY, TESTING SOMETHING
ALSO REQUIRES QUITE A BIG
INVESTMENT . WE GOT SOME OF THE
DATA AND UNFORTUNATELY OR
FORTUNATELY IN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT OR WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, YOU NEVER HAVE ALL
THE DATA UNTIL YOU ARE AT THE
END OF THE CYCLE, WE ARE TRYING
TO THINK MORE INTERNALLY AND
ALSO WITH PARTNERS, HOW CAN WE
BEST IDENTIFY THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATION ?
WHERE IS IT THAT THE PORT MIGHT
BE DOING SOMETHING, THE CITY IS
DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR, LET'S
GET TOGETHER AND SEE IF THIS
COLLABORATION CAN REALLY RESULT
IN SOMETHING FRUITFUL. SOMETIMES
IT IS NOT GOING TO BE AS
SUCCESSFUL AS OTHERS, BUT I
THINK THAT IS PART OF THIS
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY
GIVEN THAT SO MANY THINGS ARE
KIND OF UNPREDICTABLE WHEN IT
COMES TO WORKFORCE RIGHT NOW. I
THINK TESTING IS VERY IMPORTANT,
BECAUSE IF YOU WAIT UNTIL WE
HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, THEN
WE ARE ALMOST LIKE JUST PLAYING
CATCH-UP ALL THE TIME.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
POINT, JUST ON TESTING CONCEPTS,
I THINK THAT IS FANTASTIC TO
HEAR. COLLEAGUES, ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTERS
TODAY? HEARING NONE, I'M GOING
TO THANK YOU THREE AGAIN FOR
BEING HERE ON A FRIDAY MORNING
TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THIS WORK AND HIGHLIGHT THE
COMPLEXITIES AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF PARTNERSHIP WORKING ACROSS
THE CITY AND OUR REGION, SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WITH
THAT, WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF
TODAY'S AGENDA. IS THERE ANY
FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE
ARE ADJOURNED. NEXT HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING IS
SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, MAY 1st AT
9:00 A.M., AND THAT IS