Helen Sommers: An Oral History

The Press
of reasons to oppose her now. They blame her for
not putting money in the budget to cover votermandated
teacher pay raises, supporting charter
schools and not putting enough restrictions on
corporate tax breaks.
A contentious raise
But what probably spurred the SEIU most was
what it considered Sommers’ lack of enthusiasm for
a home health-care workers contract.
The union in 2002 had reached an agreement
with state negotiators that called for a $2.07-anhour
raise and new state-subsidized benefits. But
the contract went to the Legislature in 2003 at the
same time state budget-writers were struggling with
a projected $2.6 billion revenue shortfall.
Legislators ended up giving home health-care
workers a 75-cent raise. “Helen Sommers actively
worked to prevent the Legislature from honoring
a union contract with home health-care workers,”
said Adam Glickman, a spokesman for the SEIU.
Rep. Geoff Simpson, D-Covington, a Kent
firefighter and an ally of organized labor, said that
during the session, Sommers “would point out the
deficiencies of the contract and just emphasize any
negative aspect.”
Sommers said SEIU did well to get a raise at all.
The union was asking for a boatload of money at
a time when the state was making deep cuts, plus
“the governor said no new taxes, and the Senate
said no new taxes,” Sommers said. “They received
a significant increase when no one else did.”
In the 2004 session, she noted, the Legislature
did approve the contract and gave the workers an
additional 50 cents an hour plus benefits.
Conservative or liberal?
Woldt said she’s counting on union support but
stressed that she has a broader base than just labor.
“Some of Helen’s supporters might want to put me
in the box of the labor candidate, but I think I have
a much larger draw than that,” Woldt said. “I have
a lot of friends and people in the community that
I’ve worked with in the human-service community,
the peace community and the Democratic Party.”
pg. 277
Woldt and her backers are focusing on Sommers’
Democratic credentials.
“I think she’s pretty conservative for the 36 th
District. Her economic conservatism has gone too
far to the Republican side,” said Woldt, 64, who
is executive director for the Seattle Alliance for
Good Jobs and Housing for Everyone. She recently
stepped down after 17 years on the executive staff
of the Church Council of Greater Seattle and is a
past chairwoman of the King County Democratic
Party.
Several prominent Democratic legislators defend
Sommers.
“By any standard, Helen is a very liberal
Democrat,” said Ed Murray, D-Seattle, an openly
gay Seattle Democrat and chairman of the House
Transportation Committee. “Only in Seattle is she
being painted as something else than a liberal.”
Rep. Eileen Cody, D-Seattle, chairwoman of
the House Health Care Committee and an SEIU
member, also said the criticism is unwarranted. “We
have worked together on the health-care budget for
the last eight years,” Cody said. “I certainly felt like
health and human services were well represented
and that (Sommers) listened to it and tried to get
us the money we needed.”
Democratic consultant Christian Sinderman
sees a hard-fought primary race. “Both sides have
something to prove,” he said. “Alice and her backers
want to show that no Democrat is safe. Helen
and her backers want to prove that seniority and
experience matters.”
If Woldt wins, several state lawmakers will be
looking over their shoulders.
State Sen. Jacobsen noted he’s cast votes that
don’t line up with SEIU’s agenda.
“I think I’m next,” he said.
Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company