Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 23, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

State secures support funds for former Boeing workers

OLYMPIA - About 2,400 laid off Boeing workers will continue to receive income support payments to help them with retraining under an agreement worked out this morning between the Locke Administration and the federal Department of Labor, Governor Gary Locke announced today.

"Getting the funds was critical for these workers," Locke said. "They made some very difficult decisions to change their career directions and were depending upon this support. I applaud the Department of Labor for stepping in to help"

The agreement followed a meeting between Department of Labor officials and a Washington state delegation that included the Governor's labor policy advisor, Rich Nafziger, and representatives of the Employment Security Department, The Boeing Company and the International Association of Machinists. Members of the state's Congressional Delegation were also in regular contact with federal officials.

"This deal comes just in time to brighten the holiday week end for these workers," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman. "We are keeping our promise by seeing to it that the workers who lost jobs at Boeing can complete their training and be prepared for rewarding new jobs. I wish them great success in the future."

Under the agreement, the Department of Labor will provide an additional $9.8 million to help ensure that the 2,400 workers currently enrolled in training programs will continue to receive support payments until April 1. Support payments begin after regular Unemployment Benefits are exhausted. New enrollments in the program were ended September 17 after the enrollment limits of the grant were reached.

The agreement buys the state time to attempt to pass legislation to allow for additional unemployment benefits for laid off workers. Legislation to do so was introduced during the last session, but not passed. Because of higher than expected demand for program services, the labor-management committee which oversees the grant was recently forced to announce that support payments would be ended in December, raising an outcry from workers who depended upon the money to complete their retraining. Today's action ensures that, at least until April 1, the workers can continue to train for new careers.

"The precarious situation these workers have found themselves in highlights the need for the state to take action to help dislocated workers in their retraining efforts," Locke said. "I have directed the Employment Security Department to develop legislation and we will work hard to come up with a proposal that can pass."

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