Wisconsin Democrats have it right. The party traditionally associated with labor took extreme measures last week to fight a Republican-sponsored bill in the state Legislature that would gut collective bargaining for state workers under the guise of budget cuts.

You’ll pardon me for being completely perplexed that similar measures are before the Legislature in Olympia that would gut collective bargaining for ferry workers — and that the bills are sponsored by Democrats! More shocking still, the Ferry Advisory Committee, which represents ferry riders, publicly supports these bills. This is so unfathomable that I have to wonder whether riders understand what they’re supporting (or what is being supported on their behalf).

Vashon residents understandably are upset with government proposals to cut service and raise fares, and ferry groups are lobbying aggressively against proposals to lay more of the operating costs on riders. But do you really want to do that at the expense of labor? Do you think you can save a buck by busting the unions?

Now, it’s also true that some ferry workers favor passing all costs onto riders, and that’s not fair, either. Still, not showing solidarity with the workers would be a huge mistake.

The whole thing started with the King-5 “Waste on the Water” series — which was so biased and unfair that it should be called “Waste on the Airwaves,” but that’s a another story. The series did expose abuse of provisions in the union contracts for masters, mates and engineers. However, the special privileges cited by King 5 had to be approved by management. Instead of targeting management, legislators used the King 5 reports as justification to attack the unions. As we’ve seen, this phenomenon isn’t unique to Washington state. What is unique is that it’s happening in a state where Democrats control the Legislature.

Ferry workers showed up en masse at a hearing before the Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 1 to oppose SB 5405. It was gut-wrenching to see them in tears as they told their side of the story. In the end, they were reproached for not stepping up to the plate and making some sacrifices to keep the ferries operating. The unions already have done so. For example, the Inland Boatmen’s Union, which represents deck crew, waived a wage increase for 2009-2011 in respect for Gov. Chris Gregoire’s attempts to cut the state budget. However, the purpose of the committee hearing didn’t seem to be to gather facts. It was more like a public flogging.

Progressive movements and labor go hand-in-hand. True progressives support workers’ rights, which are protected through the collective bargaining process. That alone is reason for those who consider themselves progressive Democrats to oppose SB 5405 and the companion bill in the House, HB 1511.

Whether you actively support these union-busting bills or just stand aside in silence, you are unwittingly placing more money and power in the hands of management, which has time and again resisted accountability and proven many times over that it is irresponsible with public money. Further, by supporting these measures, you are alienating the people in whose hands you place your lives every time you get on the boat.

— Pat Paquette is a writer, editor and consultant living on Vashon. She worked briefly in the galley on the Issaquah in 2008.