Great week for our priority legislation
In the past eight days, Federation members saw several of our priority bills signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.
In signing a package of working family labor bills March 23, the governor brought up the Janus Case and outlined the harm it poses for not only public workers, but public services as well. A decision is expected soon from the United States Supreme Court in the Janus Case that targets public employees and their unions. If this case succeeds it will be a setback for our country's middle class. See video of those remarks from our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wfsec28/posts/10155651381263422
That same day the governor also signed other priority bills, including:
- The bill expanding PSERS (the Public Safety Employees Retirement System) to cover DSHS and VA institutions workers in high-risk jobs (SHB 1558), bringing an earlier retirement age for those who are eligible and for whom it makes sense (video at: https://www.facebook.com/wfsec28/posts/10155651641858422 );
- The bill expanding Interpreter services (2SSB 6245); and
- HB 2669, to leave no doubt and add all part-time employees to civil service.
The day before (March 22), Inslee signed HB 2611 that gives Community Corrections officers and specialists the same post-incident privileged communications protections as other law enforcement officers when talking to peer support counselors.
More on Janus and the PSERS bill coming in the April edition of Our View, our social media/cable TV newsmagazine. Watch for it at wfse.org and our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/wfsec28/
Interpreter bill SB 6245
Peer Support Group Counselling
