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
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.
House Bill 1558expands the Public Service Employees Retirement System (PSERS). The measure would allow earlier retirement for direct care workers at DSHS and Veterans Affairs institutions. The earlier retirement would recognize these workers’ high rate of injury and assault. Those in high-risk institutions occupations would be allowed to retire at age 60.
"The tax plan before Congress is a terrible deal for Washington state. At a time of economic inequality in our nation, we must not increase taxes on many working families or blow a $1.5 trillion hole in the federal budget just to help the wealthiest Americans and corporations. This bill also would result in hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians losing health coverage." - Gov. Jay Inslee
Members in the Student Support Services Unit (SSSU) at Tacoma Community College (TCC) yesterday (Dec. 14) unanimously ratified their new (2017-2019) contract.
This unit bargains under a different law than most other AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Higher Education and General Government members so has a different timetable.