The Evergreen State College Student Support Services Staff Contract Voting Documents and Timeline

Negotiation of the 2027-2029 TESC SSSSU Tentative Agreement (TA) has concluded. 

As you all know, the budget deficit continues to grow, and compensation discussions were incredibly difficult as a result. While there is no additional compensation in the first year, we successfully fought off takeaways and have secured a re-opener that will allow us to come back to the table and fight for compensation increases in the second year of the agreement. 

Based on member feedback, your bargaining team leveraged that budget deficit to make every non-economic gain possible in these challenging budget times, and those gains are significant. 

Because of these achievements, your TESC SSSSU Bargaining Team recommends that you vote YES to ACCEPT this Agreement. A complete copy of the tentative agreement is available. 

See the links below for a complete copy of the TA, highlights, voting instructions, a flyer, and an informational webinar on 9/22.

• Read the Complete TA 
• Read the Highlights
• Voting Instructions
• What are the repercussions of a YES or NO vote? 

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, contact the Member Connection Center (MCC) at [email protected] or 833-MCC-WFSE (1-833-622-9373).

Your WFSE SSSSU Bargaining Team

Voting Information

Voting Instructions and Timeline

• Voting opens: Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 8:00 AM
• Voting closes: Friday, September 25, 2026, at 5:00 PM

How to vote

1. Visit vote.wfse.org to cast your ballot.
2. Click "ONLINE VOTING" below "Important Links." See screenshot below.

Log in with your first name, last name and your PIN. Click "ONLINE VOTING" below "Important Links." See screenshot below.

Check your personal email for your PIN. Be sure to check your spam, promotions and junk folders. Vote using your personal equipment on personal time.

Questions about the TA or difficulty voting? Contact the Member Connection Center (MCC) at [email protected] or 833-MCC-WFSE (1-833-622-9373).

Download and Share the TA Highlights flyer

Highlights

As you all know, the budget deficit continues to grow, and compensation discussions were incredibly difficult as a result. While there is no additional compensation in the first year, we successfully fought off takeaways and have secured a re-opener that will allow us to come back to the table and fight for compensation increases in the second year of the agreement. 

• Secured additional funding for healthcare and protected current cost share 
• Secured re-opener for compensation in the second year of the CBA
• Secured $750 bonus in July 2027
• Secured an additional Personal Leave Day
• Protected against any layoffs resulting from the use of Generative AI

Based on member feedback, your bargaining team leveraged that budget deficit to make every non-economic gain possible in these challenging budget times, and those gains were significant. Read on for more information. 

Article 2 – Non-Discrimination 

• Protections from discrimination if you are the victim of a hate crime.

Article 3 – Union Rights and Activities 

• Ability for Union to directly use state email. 

Article 6 – Hiring and Appointments

• Internal candidates who apply for a position with the College have a right to request feedback if they don’t ultimately get the new position.

Article 8 – Training and Employee Development 

• Each Union member has the right to one 2-hour meeting to learn about updates to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 
• We can now schedule more than one of these meetings to better accommodate people’s schedules.

Article 15 – Shared Leave 

• New allowances to use shared leave for victims of hate crimes and for individuals attending immigration proceedings.

Article 16 – Miscellaneous Paid Leaves 

• Everyone covered by this contract gets an additional personal leave day.
• Access to the campus’s voting hub during work time. 
• Members now qualify for release time for state recommended vaccines during a pandemic.
• We now have up to 24 hours of leave if you experience damages or displacement during a declared state of emergency due to a natural disaster.

Article 18 – Leave Without Pay 

• Denials for requests to use leave without pay must now be delivered in writing upon request. 

Article 30 – Corrective Action, Discipline, and Discharge  

• No new language, but we successfully fought management’s attempt to circumvent notification rights in certain types of discipline.

Article 33 – Layoff and Seniority

• A person’s seniority date is no longer penalized at an unfair, disproportionate rate. 

Article 38 – Employee Lounge Facilities 

• No new language, however, we prevented management’s attempt to take over breakrooms for alternative purposes.

Article 43 – Health Care Benefits Amounts 

• In addition to the items noted at the top:
• Protected any SmartHealth benefit that is earned in 2027!
• Protected the Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) benefits for all workers making $68,004.00 or less annually (see 43.5)!
• Protected the FSA workgroup MOU, which provides a path to increase participation in this important benefit!

Article 43 – Distribution of Agreement 

• The college and the Union will equally share costs to translate the contract when both parties agree that a need exists.

New MOU – Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

• GenAI cannot be relied on for employment decision making!
• GenAI use in such decisions must be disclosed!
• GenAI cannot be used in a manner that results in the layoff of any represented employees! 

MOU – Retention Bonus

• A $750 payment on your July 25, 2027 paycheck. 

Your TESC SSSSU Bargaining Team recommends you 
VOTE YES TO ACCEPT this Agreement!
 

Not a member, but want to vote? It’s not too late!

You can join here: Join | AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE)

How did we get here? 

Read all the bargaining updates from this round of negotiations on our TESC SSSSU landing page here.