Advocates say fear of financial hardship undermines bargaining leverage. Opponents say the bill will increase business costs or prolong work stoppages.
Fishing companies say long waits between seasons can be common, but labor experts say offshore foreign workers are “uniquely unprotected” under U.S. policies.
When Bob Johnson, wildfire division manager for the Washington Department of Natural Resources, thinks about past fire seasons, he does so with a certain amount of nostalgia.