Senate committee weighs bill to let striking workers collect unemployment benefits after two weeks

Senate Labor and Commerce Committee members heard extensive testimony on Senate Bill 5041, a proposal to allow striking workers to receive unemployment insurance (UI) benefits after two weeks of striking and to remove a disqualification that currently bars locked‑out workers in multi‑employer bargaining units from receiving UI.

The bill, offered in substitute form with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2026, would limit the disqualification for workers who strike so that benefits could begin no earlier than the second Sunday following the strike’s first day (unless a final judgment finds the strike was prohibited). It would also allow locked‑out multi‑employer workers to qualify for UI. A fiscal note has been requested but was not available at the hearing.

Why it matters: Supporters said the change would provide a modest safety net that could keep lower‑wage workers from being forced to end strikes for lack of food or housing, while opponents said the policy shifts costs to employers and risks lengthening strikes.

Sponsor and staff summary Senator Marcus Raccelli (R‑3, Spokane), prime sponsor, told the committee the bill would “allow access to a social safety net…