On the surface, it looked like
grim news for the Washington Education Association, one of the state's most powerful
political organizations. The state teachers union had just agreed to a settlement
reported in the media as "a big blow, financially and politically" to the
organization...
But below the surface, the news
is anything but bad for the union. The terms under which the money is paid are generous...
It is important to note is that
no union official is hit with any fine, nor is anyone required to make any portion of the
reimbursement out of their personal pocketbook...
...(And) now the attorney
general's office is saying that this section applies only to businesses, not labor
unions. The "paycheck protection" section of Initiative 134 that has drawn
attention from states across the country has essentially been neutered. This is the
price the union pays for breaking the law?