Rob Allen, Jr.

I'm a union man and a conservative. People act like that's a contradiction. It isn't. Hard work. Family. Country. A fair day's pay for a fair day's work. That's what this movement stood for long before anybody tried to turn it into a wing of one party.

Data center moratoriums now cover Seattle, Spokane, Pasco, Federal Way, Burien and six counties. Rep. Doglio calls a moratorium "a short-term solution" and wants guardrails instead. Right. Make them disclose water and power, pay their own grid costs, and hire local. Then build.

Walla Walla County heard calls Monday for a one-year moratorium on Amazon's data center at Wallula Gap. Water and transparency are fair questions, so answer them in writing. A year-long freeze answers nothing. It just sends the work and the electricians somewhere else.

Washington just hit 20 million gallons a year of green jet fuel capacity, thanks to the Phillips 66 refinery in Ferndale. That unlocks a $1 to $2 a gallon state tax credit. Notice who got us there: a refinery and the trades who work it. Keep refineries here and keep building.

IBEW Local 46 General Membership Meeting Recap, November 11, 2026 Veterans Day We opened tonight by honoring the veterans in our hall, and the families who served alongside them. Thank you for your service. Minutes The October 14 General Membership Meeting minutes and the October 20 and November 3 Executive Board and Building Managers minutes were approved as distributed. Officer and Board Updates Welcome and congratulations to Brother Chris Gray, who was sworn in tonight as our new Treasurer. The Executive Board has ratified the PAC bylaws, and a PAC officer election is coming up. Dispatch and Work The Business Manager's report covered changes to travel status, combination dispatches, and upcoming negotiations in the first quarter of 2027 for stockperson, fixture maintenance and residential. Wage allocations will be decided at the end of November. Retiree Healthcare Members discussed the retiree healthcare transition to UnitedHealthcare and Retiree First, including requests for a provider list and help for retirees who are having trouble getting care. Upcoming Events Retirees' Christmas Luncheon: Monday, December 7, 11:00 AM, Hilton Seattle Airport, Crystal Ballroom. Snacks with Santa: Saturday, December 12, 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Angel Tree sign-ups close on the 20th. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM. Thank you to all the Brothers and Sisters who came out for a great turnout tonight, took part and made their voices heard.

Last call: comments on PSE's rate case close tomorrow, Nov. 12. PSE wants about 30% more for electricity over three years. Regulators decide Jan. 27. PSE customer? Tell the UTC what that does to your bill. Email [email protected] or call 1-888-333-9882. Docket UE-260005.

The Senate filed cloture today on the permitting bill after two big votes this week, 73-25 and 62-21. Final Senate votes could come within days. Every year a project sits in review is a year nobody's pulling wire on it. Pass it, then the House needs to finish before January.

Truth.

Engineers and conductors at the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway just walked off the job and set up picket lines across Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Western Maryland. When the people who actually run the trains say enough, you listen. Solidarity to the BLET members on the line. blet.org/news/breaking-news-…

Happy Veterans Day. Thank you to everyone who served. If you're getting out and want a real career, look at the trades. Apprentices earn while they learn, train debt-free, and the GI Bill can help. Helmets to Hardhats connects vets with building trades apprenticeships.

Seattle's council budget plan adds $50M+ in new priorities for 2027, partly by moving $23M out of the JumpStart payroll tax fund and cutting $22M from a fire pension reserve. That's spending the cushion. When the next downturn hits, who gets the bill? Final vote Nov. 20.

MIT grad workers just reached a tentative agreement and called off their planned strike. Cost-of-living raises, health care guarantees and stronger protections for international workers. Now the members get the final say in a ratification vote. That's how it's supposed to work. Organize, bargain hard, let the members decide. bostonglobe.com/2026/11/10/m…

WA's UTC released its draft rules for big power users like data centers: minimum contract terms, exit fees and collateral so the rest of us don't get stuck with stranded costs. Comments due Nov. 25. That's how you protect the family bill. Not a ban. They pay, we build.

Gov. Ferguson says he's confident the Legislature passes "something" on data centers in 2027. Good. Make "something" mean they pay for their own power and grid upgrades and hire local trades. A statewide ban doesn't lower anyone's bill. It ships the work out of state.

The permitting bill cleared 73-25 Monday, but the lame duck clock is running and the House still has to act. Some groups want to wait for the new Congress and start over. Starting over means more projects sit in review another year. Finish it this year and let us build.