Lobby for 2026 Worker Priorities — Help Win a Washington for All!
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No workforce has more at stake this legislative session than us
What we're able to pass this legislative session (January 12 – March 12) will determine how much money there is to negotiate for when we enter contract negotiations in the spring.
It will determine if we’re even able to protect the gains we made at the bargaining table last year.
Remember, no workforce has more at stake in the decisions made by elected officials than us.
Big decisions that impact our livelihoods will be made in Olympia starting in January. With your union you have a seat at the table.
Take Action
- Sign up to lobby with your union: 2026 Lobby Day Signup Form
- Rally for Revenue in Olympia: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
- WFSE members will join a broad coalition of unions calling for fair, progressive revenue to protect jobs, strengthen public services, and ensure a Washington for all—not just the rich.
- Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 12:00–1:00 PM, at the Legislative Building's North Steps at the state capitol in Olympia.
- Sign up for an email reminder here.
- Download the flyer here
- Sign the Petition: No Cuts, Tax the Rich!
- Every year, public servants are asked to do more with less. Now, thanks to rising costs, falling revenue, and chaos at the federal level, a state budget shortfall is posing new threats to these services that Washingtonians depend on.
- Sign the petition to demand that our elected officials avoid cuts to vital services and ask the rich to pay their fair share.
- Sign up for your Legislators’ mailing lists to be informed of town halls. You can find your representatives here.
Weekly Legislative Updates
Beginning the week of January 12, updates on our union's legislative priorities will be shared two ways every week:
- Via email to anyone subscribed to WFSE emails and posted below.
- Every Thursday at 5pm with our Legislative and Political Action Team on Teams (dues-paying members only)
If you are not receiving WFSE emails, you can subscribe here.
Our Positions
- No cuts to essential public services or jobs
- Preserve and fund our institutions
- Raise progressive revenue — tax the wealthy and corporations
- NO take-aways or collective bargaining restrictions
Our Priority Bills
- Pass the Millionaires' Tax - No bill number yet
Revenue remains a top priority. We will never be able to address unmet needs across government until we solve our structural budget deficit. As we see the continuing demand for cuts in the face of a budget shortfall, it’s vital we pass the Millionaires Tax and identify short-term revenue solutions.
For now, you can support this bill by filling out this petition.
- The Right to Bargain over AI - HB 1622 (Parshley)
Amends the management rights statute so that public employees can bargain over the implementation of AI when it would result in job loss. (H Rules)
- Payment for No-Shows at L&I Interpreting Appointments - HB 2190 (Cortes)/SB 5944 (Cortes)
Guarantees that interpreters at L&I have the right to bargain over the full scope of compensation, including payment for missed appointments.
- Manageable Caseloads for APS Workers - No bill number yet (H: Rule/ S: Cleveland)
Adds Adult Protective Services caseworkers to the Caseload Forecast Council, establishing adjustments to staffing based on caseload.
- Interest Arbitration for Parks Employees - (Stanford)/HB 1182 (Paul) SB 5379
Grants interest arbitration rights to represented employees at the Parks and Recreation Commission.
- Important Union Information for All Represented Public Workers - HB 2091 (Reed)
Allows unions representing state employees covered by 41.80 to receive the same employee information from the employer as every other group of public sector workers.
- Stopping Public Employee Harassment by Anti-Worker Groups - No bill number yet (Doglio)
Adds solicitation to the “no commercial use” clause of the PRA, preventing unwanted solicitation from anti-worker groups using public records.
- Expanding Union Rights at WaTech - HB 2249 (Salahuddin)
Removes the civil service exemption for network and systems security employees at WATech, allowing 21 classified workers to join a union.
- Fixing the State Classification and Compensation System - No bill number yet (H: Stuebe)
The state classification and compensation system has become overly broad, with classifications getting less accurate. This contributes to pay inequity across sectors, as well as the recruitment and retention crisis. A bill from Rep. Stuebe would rectify specific issues for DOC workers who aren’t able to use in-state salary comparisons in bargaining, but we also must amend the larger system to better meet the needs of our state workforce.
- Protecting Children and Winning More DCYF Staffing
Governor Ferguson funded the first phase of the DCYF Child Welfare workload model in his budget- the legislature must prioritize funding these FTEs who provide lifesaving support to children and families. We also cannot fail to address the rise in critical incidents in the child welfare system- state laws must be updated to be clear when abuse or neglect should necessitate action from DCYF and to recognize that mental, emotional, or medical neglect or abuse of children can have substantial long-term harm.
Creating a Washington for All, Not Just the Rich
Everyone should contribute to the services we provide
The state budget should not depend on the spending habits of poor and working families who are barely getting by. But that’s what we do here in Washington.
Because half of our state budget relies on sales tax, the richest 1% in Washington pay about 4% of their income in taxes. The average WFSE member pays nearly three times as much, around 11%.[1]
The result is boom and bust budget cycles where our pay and the services we provide are never adequately funded.
Meanwhile, the huge profits enjoyed by the super-rich and the largest corporations in our state are not taxed and do not go towards the services we all depend on.
Our message is simple: Everyone in Washington should have access to and benefit from public services, and everyone should help maintain them.
We want a Washington for all, not just the rich. That means shared responsibility for the services we all depend on.
Learn more about our upside-down tax code here and from our allies:
[1] https://itep.org/washington-who-pays-7th-edition/