General Government In Person-Bargaining Update | Bob-a-Thon Continues | Rally Recap
We hope you had a good Labor Day weekend, whether you were relaxing with friends and family or screaming your lungs out with us at the State Capitol.
Here's an update on:
- Our two days of in-person bargaining last week
- The status of our Call Bob-a-Thon (we're still going strong. Make those calls this week)
- Our next negotiations session on Thursday, September 10
- The Labor Power for Labor Day Rally at the Capitol on Saturday
In-Person Bargaining Recap
Your General Government bargaining team was in negotiations with the state on Thursday and Friday last week for two marathon sessions of about 12 hours each.
While our statewide walkouts on Aug 31st broke a deadlock on some of our members' priority items, by Friday evening it became clear we would not reach a tentative agreement for your 2027-29 union contract without more pressure.
We're back in negotiations on Thursday, September 10. Mark your calendar, wear green, and be sure to call or email the governor before then. Get caught up on negotiations on our landing page here.
Your calls and emails are having a HUGE impact at the negotiations table.
☎️It's critical that as many members as possible call and email the governor THIS WEEK. Read on for details☎️
It's a Call Bob-a-Thon, Not a Sprint: Call this week, all week
The Call Bob-a-Thon is continuing every single day until we win a fair union contract.
👉 Take Action Now: You'll either leave a message or have the operator relay a short message. Keep it short, respectful and easy for your fellow state workers in the Gov's Office to pass your message along.
1. Call 360-902-4111 8am - 5pm, Monday - Friday
2. Tell them:
- Your name
- That you're a WFSE member who works at ______
- That you're demanding a fair contract
Want to help your coworkers make calls as well?
Tell them to text FAIR to 237-263 to receive the flyer and script. You can also print out this flyer with instructions and a short script.
📧If you haven't emailed the Governor and his team yet, do that here.📧
Labor Power for Labor Day Weekend
Labor Day is supposed to celebrate the contributions of working people. But this weekend, Washington’s public workers gathered not just to celebrate, but to fight.
WFSE members, elected officials, and community and labor allies rallied in front of the State Capitol and marched to the Governor's Mansion to make sure our message was heard.
"It's no secret that year after year, as state employees, we are asked to do more with less," said WFSE Treasurer Jeanette Obelcz, who works at DCYF. "In child welfare, we need 400 more employees right now just to fulfill our basic mission of keeping the kids of Washington state safe."
"You show up around the clock," said April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council. "And the demands are growing. Federal cuts and policy changes are already making your jobs harder.
"The state cannot claim they want to protect Washington families from federal attacks and at the same time refuse to fund the workers who provide the services those same families rely on."
See more on our blog here and stay tuned to our social media accounts for speeches and updates as we fight to reach a tentative agreement.
Want to be able to review and vote YES or NO on the Tentative Agreement?Become a WFSE member here.