ABHS Bargaining Update #3 - Your contract has been ratified!

Negotiation of the 2025-2027 Tentative Agreement between the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) and American Behavioral Health Systems (ABHS) has concluded! 

The 2025-2027 ABHS contract achieves several major goals identified as priorities by the membership:   

• Despite challenging and uncertain budget projections, particularly related to Medicaid and state funding, the contract secures a general wage increase of 4% in 2025, and an agreement to reopen the contract before July 2026 to bargain compensation for the second year of the Agreement.  
• Employees with 2 or more years of service will also receive an additional 25 cent per hour increase on July 1, 2025, which brings many up to about a 5% increase!
• The contract ensures that ABHS will increase employer contributions to employee healthcare costs, lowering monthly costs for employees, and adds two new FSA benefits for health and dependent care!
• Longevity increases were given greater permanence and are now a part of the contract, providing bonuses to all with 1 or more years of service!  
• Major increases to vacation leave accrual and sick leave accrual!  
• Increases to Med Cart pay, and all shift differentials. Employees are eligible for ALL differentials for which they qualify – meaning they stack!
• Indigenous Peoples’ Day is now a paid holiday, bringing the total to 12 paid holidays plus a personal holiday each year!
• Plus, many, many more economic and non-economic improvements! See the full tentative agreement for details.  

Because of these achievements, your ABHS Bargaining Team recommends that you vote YES toACCEPT this Agreement! A summary and complete copy of the tentative agreement is available here: 

We want to thank you all for your hard work, research, job actions, and solidarity. Your strength makes all the difference! If you have questions, please visit a voting assistance center, contact a bargaining team member, or contact your WFSE staff. 

Your WFSE ABHS Bargaining Team