washington business
already-stressed electrical grid . Over the next five years , more electrical capacity is being removed from the grid than is being added to it .
Too much uncertainty surrounds the proposal ’ s effect on the state economy , costs to households and employers , and energy supply to justify adoption in 2022 , if ever . That , however , does not mean it won ’ t be on the legislative agenda , to be challenged by the employer community .
ready to get back to work
Although there are a variety of factors behind the labor shortage , two stand out : the lack of affordable child care , which means some parents can ’ t return to work , and the lack of the necessary training and education by workers otherwise eager to fill the available jobs .
Next session , there will be efforts to address both issues . Amy Anderson , AWB government affairs director handling workforce issues , believes there may be an effort made to boost compensation for child care workers in state subsidized programs to increase staffing . As one of three co-chairs of the Child Care Collaborative Task Force working to improve childcare and early learning opportunities in the state , she promotes efforts to increase access and affordability .
Compensation , she notes , is a complicated issue , involving consideration of wages and benefits , as well as regional costof-living differences .
“ This has to be a long-term fix ,” she says , noting that there are plenty of models being tried across the nation to address what ’ s emerged as a major post-pandemic workforce issue . A well-functioning child care system , she says , results in reduced downstream costs in the justice system and a better educated workforce .
training and training again
A two-pronged approach to addressing the shortage of skilled workers must also tackle training and retraining . Lawmakers can strengthen programs to get students interested in the trades , considering a variety of credentialing options beyond a four-year degree . And , at the same time , the state needs to strengthen programs for retraining displaced workers . “ This is exactly the type of situation where funding is critical ,” she says . Anderson anticipates the 2022 session will see efforts to expand training opportunities on a variety of fronts , from Running Start and College in High School to collaborative re-skilling efforts involving business , labor and higher education . Such efforts can be undertaken within the capacity of the current operating budget .
stepping toward the goal
Last session , lawmakers set an ambitious goal : Build the economy by doubling manufacturing jobs . In this legislative session , they can put the state in position to achieve the goal .
As Dave Mastin says , “ First , do no harm .” But , he points out , that ’ s not enough .
“ In 2022 , by building labor capacity , avoiding increases in taxes and energy costs , and setting the stage for essential infrastructure investment , lawmakers are well positioned to do a lot of good .”
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