News

On Tuesday, September 10, thousands of WFSE members at over 130 worksites walked out of their jobs to draw attention to the need for a fair contract.

Months into bargaining with the University of Washington, WFSE members feel disrespected by UW’s resistance towards better pay and benefits for the staff that keep the university clean, safe, and f

Longer response times for stranded drivers, reduced access to life-saving medical treatment and more crime suffered by elderly residents are just a few of the impacts Washington residents may face if legislators choose budget cuts over new revenue.
Armed with a strong contract and the resources of their union, four WFSE members won justice for themselves and their co-workers.

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice president-elect Kamala Harris on Monday brought together business and union leaders, including AFSCME President Lee Saunders, for a virtual meeting to discuss an economic recovery agenda for the country.

Following the meeting, Biden warned of a “dark winter” ahead for the nation and highlighted consensus among the labor leaders and CEOs alike on the need to fund the front lines.

It was bad enough that the Trump administration failed miserably in its response to the coronavirus pandemic, ignoring the science and failing to come up with a national strategy.

It was pathetic and tragic when Republicans in Congress failed to summon the courage to support the everyday heroes who saved our communities by funding the front lines.

With so much at stake for working families in the 2020 election, AFSCME members across the country stood up to the challenge once again. Although the pandemic prevented us from putting thousands of boots on the ground as we normally do, AFSCME members still made a huge difference in key races across the country.

Members from WFSE Local 1060 and more than a dozen other private and public sector unions defeated a union-busting ordinance that was brought to the Whatcom County Council straight from the right-wing Freedom Foundation’s playbook.

This past Saturday, you might have been cooking a late breakfast, planning a fun weekend activity or taking some quiet time with your family. But with 10 days to go until the most important election of our lifetimes, more than 200 AFSCME members were fired up and raring to go during a Pennsylvania volunteer kickoff Zoom call, one of many being held around the country as the Big Green Machine kicks into high gear.

Coming out of the Great Recession, Governor Inslee rejected the austerity agenda of his predecessor and set Washington on a course for recovery by investing in—not cutting from—working families. He proved that taking care of people isn’t just possible while you grow the economy, it’s actually how you grow the economy. In my view, this is the lesson of his tenure as governor.