News

Bargaining Team Election Process Begins in October

Who will represent you at the bargaining table with your employer to negotiate your 2025-2027 contract? It’s time to decide.

Union Victory! First Freelance Interpreters Union Expands

After a bizarre disinformation campaign by a billionaire-funded, anti-worker think tank, spoken language interpreters who take appointments from the Department of Labor and Industries (LNI) have voted to unionize and join the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), AFSCME Council 28

Major Win for Public Employee Privacy, Loss for Freedom Foundation

The impacts of HB 1533, a bill our members fought for and passed, felt as the latest Freedom Foundation request for public employees' personal information is shot down by the Supreme Court.

Passage of part-timers bill urged

AFSCME Council 28 (WSFE)'s Stanley urges passage of part-timers bill

AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Secretary Tracy Stanley urged senators today (Jan. 18) to pass a bill that would leave no question about part-time employees.

SB 6184 would add part-time state employees to state civil service. Many part-time groups are already in; SB 6184 would make it wall-to-wall.

PSERS bill gets hearing

Add high-risk state institutions workers into the Public Safety Employees Retirement System (PSERS).

AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) President Sue Henricksen (at far left) and Western State Hospital Local 793 member Rick Hertzog (at far right) today (Jan. 17) as they urge the House Appropriations Committee to move the bill to add high-risk state institutions workers into the Public Safety Employees Retirement System (PSERS).

Arbitration bill boosted

Campus police arbitration bill boosted

AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE)-initiated bill (HB 1559) to give state college and university campus police binding arbitration got a good reception in the House Appropriations Committee Monday (Jan. 15).

The bill makes sense because it would level the playing field for these law enforcement officers, AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Lobbyist Matt Zuvich told the committee.

Privacy fight shifts to legislature

AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE)'s fight to protect your privacy has shifted to the Legislature to be consistent with our recent court victory

AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) has blocked attempts by the Freedom Foundation to violate your privacy by getting your dates of birth.

The state Court of Appeals in October sided with AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) members and ruled the Freedom Foundation’s request violated state employees’ constitutional rights.

Janus v. AFSCME brief

BULLETIN: AFSCME ISSUES MERITS BRIEF IN JANUS V. AFSCME

Press release from AFSCME: AFSCME submitted today its brief on the merits of the corporate-backed Supreme Court Case, Janus v. AFSCME Council 31.

Washington, DC —

State Productivity Board

Bill would bring back state Productivity Board, employee suggestion program

The program that generated millions of dollars in taxpayer savings thanks to employees’ “Brainstorm” ideas may live again under a new bill that would re-establish the state Productivity Board.

The board was suspended in 2011 as a cost-saving measure brought on by The Great Recession.