OLYMPIA (June 11, 2013) — On the cusp of a second “special” legislative session, the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is urging all union members and community supporters to contact their state legislators immediately — even if you already have in recent days — to send a new message urging [...]
Dozens of sports and commercial fishers, community supporters, Jobs With Justice and WFSE/AFSCME Local 2964 members rallied Thursday morning across from the Samish Hatchery in Burlington, Skagit County, as lawmakers in Olympia enter the final days of a budget debate that could close the historic — and successful — Chinook [...]
Tell your senator to OPPOSE ESSB 5851 and ESSB 5905 The special session of the Legislature ends soon. Lawmakers face pressure to jam through a budget by July 1. Yet the Senate Majority Coalition continues touting its 33 proposed “reforms” – a policy agenda that continues the war on [...]
VIEW PHOTO FEED HERE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfse/sets/72157633765976383/ Three hundred (300) walk strike line at The Evergreen State College today (5/28) and call for fair contract during huge rally. GET STRIKE UPDATES & MEDIA LINKS HERE
The State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council Tuesday morning said state revenue is up $231 million. It was the good news everyone was waiting for and, say legislative budget leaders, should end the long budget impasse and prevent a shutdown of state government on July 1. “I expect us to [...]
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You’ve seen and heard the media reports. You may have gotten e-mails from your agency or seen the memo from the state budget office on contingency planning in the event the Legislature fails to pass a budget by July 1. As one state official said, “there are more Q’s than [...]
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CLICK HERE TO WATCH REPORT ON KING 5
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UPDATE: A celebration of life for Marty Harris, the beloved Vancouver Local 313 activist who died June 13, will be 4-7 p.m., Saturday, June 29, Water Resources Education Center, 4600 S.E. Columbia Way, Vancouver, Wash. PREVIOUS POST: Marty Harris, described as “the nicest guy in the world,” died in a [...]
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OLYMPIA (June 18, 2013) — Over the past week, more than 4,000 emails have been sent from labor activists and other community supporters to state lawmakers urging them reject policy bills, avert a government shutdown, and pass the budgets. And there are signs that lawmakers are getting the message. With [...]
CLICK HERE TO WATCH REPORT ON KING 5
The State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council Tuesday morning said state revenue is up $231 million. It was the good news everyone was waiting for and, say legislative budget leaders, should end the long budget impasse and prevent a shutdown of state government on July 1. “I expect us to [...]
You’ve seen and heard the media reports. You may have gotten e-mails from your agency or seen the memo from the state budget office on contingency planning in the event the Legislature fails to pass a budget by July 1. As one state official said, “there are more Q’s than [...]
The media is reporting that July 10 paychecks will go out even in the worst case of a government shutdown. But it shouldn’t come to that — the Senate Majority Coalition needs to get off its ideological bandwagon and get the budget done!
The Federation’s long fight at Kitsap Tenant Support Services for a first contract – and basic dignity and respect for the supported living workers – took a dramatic turn Thursday when the federal government stepped in to undo damage done by KTSS management. The National Labor Relations Board asked the [...]
On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee urged legislators to put aside partisan ideology and negotiate a budget agreement that works for all Washington families. House Democrats have already offered reasonable compromises to meet the Senate halfway, but the Senate Majority Coalition is holding the budget hostage to push unpopular anti-middle class [...]
The Senate Majority Coalition waited until it was almost too late, but shortly before midnight Thursday (June 13) passed EHB 2075 closing the estate tax loophole. Gov. Jay Inslee quickly signed it into law. The Senate Majority Coalition’s foot-dragging over its ideological agenda came just hours before refund checks would [...]
On Tuesday (6/11/13), Governor Jay Inslee urged legislators to put aside partisan ideology and negotiate a budget agreement that works for all Washington families. House Democrats have already offered reasonable compromises to meet the Senate half-way, but Republican Senators Rodney Tom and Andy Hill are holding the budget hostage to [...]
UPDATE: A celebration of life for Marty Harris, the beloved Vancouver Local 313 activist who died June 13, will be 4-7 p.m., Saturday, June 29, Water Resources Education Center, 4600 S.E. Columbia Way, Vancouver, Wash. PREVIOUS POST: Marty Harris, described as “the nicest guy in the world,” died in a [...]
While the Senate Majority Coalition holds schools and services we need hostage to their demands for attacks on our health care, pensions, workers’ compensation and middle class families, state agencies have begun identifying areas of state government that must shut down if there is no budget deal by July 1. [...]
After 17 months of negotiations and a one-day strike, members of the Student Support Services Staff Union at The Evergreen State College on Wednesday (June 12) ratified their contract on a vote of 52-2. This first-ever collective bargaining agreement takes effect July 1 and runs through June 30, 2015. It [...]
Agency/Contract: UW, Campuswide 11-13 Contract Article(s): Article 23: Corrective Action Arbitrator: Eric Lindauer Action: Discipline, Termination Outcome: Grievance Sustained Decision Date: 07/11/2012 The issue in this case was whether the employer had just cause to terminate a four-year employee for accepting a gratuity in the form of merchandise from a [...]
Mincing no words, Gov. Jay Inslee Tuesday morning said the Senate Majority Coalition must stop leveraging obligations to children and services we need in return for a laundry list of ideological policy bills. Today is the last day of the 30-day special session. Inslee has called lawmakers back to Olympia [...]
Ballots for the Federation’s General Government and Higher Education bargaining teams (under the 2002 Personnel System Reform Act) went in the mail last week. They are due back June 20. Several races were declared by acclamation because the number of nominees matched the available slots. Some vacancies exist. Because of [...]
OLYMPIA (June 11, 2013) — On the cusp of a second “special” legislative session, the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is urging all union members and community supporters to contact their state legislators immediately — even if you already have in recent days — to send a new message urging [...]
The Senate Saturday afternoon first rejected the compromise House budget then re-passed essentially the same all-cuts plan passed by the Senate in regular session. This means the budget stalemate will likely continue and a second special session will have to be called Wednesday. The attempt to pass the compromise House [...]
Lee Saunders, national president of AFSCME, applauded the Federation and joined its crusade against the kind of budget antics shown by our state Senate Majority Coalition. It’s part of the national movement against such attacks on the middle class, Saunders told 300 delegates to the Federation’s Policy Committees Saturday (June [...]
Two new members were elected Saturday (June 8) to fill vacancies on the Federation’s Statewide Executive Board. The Higher Education Policy Committee elected Kathleen Warren of Eastern Washington University Local 931. The Transportation Policy Committee elected Georgina Willner of Local 443. Warren and Willner will serve until regular elections for [...]
Supporters of Riverside State Park in Spokane and other parks that could close or go seasonal under the all-cuts Senate budget rallied Friday. They signed a huge petition that will make its way among other supporters before being delivered to legislators in Olympia. Gov. Jay Inslee has said without a [...]