LOC News
Bill Requiring Public Subsidy of Striking Workers Passes House
Legislation allowing striking employees to access unemployment insurance benefits passed the House of Representative this week despite opposition from local governments.
SB 916B alters the conditions in which a worker may receive weekly unemployment benefits by allowing workers who elected to strike to receive up to $836 per week.
The LOC remains in active opposition to this bill and is encouraging city leaders to contact their state senators and ask they vote “no” on concurrence to allow the bill to get to a conference committee for mitigating amendments.
Unemployment insurance (UI) benefits are intended to assist workers who find themselves unemployed through no fault of their own. Cities repay the state’s Unemployment Insurance Fund dollar-for-dollar when their employees access benefits instead of paying UI taxes. If a city experienced a strike, it would be in a situation where it would be hiring replacement workers and repaying UI benefits.
Contact: Scott Winkels, Lobbyist – swinkels@orcities.org
Last Updated 6/6/25