We have the opportunity to fight back against Governor Ferguson's furlough proposal right NOW.
In a press conference last week, Governor Ferguson announced his proposal to force Washington state employees to take one furlough day a month for the next two years to "save" the state $300 million dollars.
That is a $300 million dollar "tax" on public employees like YOU that would essentially cancel out our previously negotiated raises.
Meanwhile, the richest Washingtonians who pay much less of their income in taxes than public workers -- who are largely responsible for the $12 billion budget crisis we're facing-- have not yet been asked to pay any more taxes to fill the deficit.
We have a little more than two weeks to convince the House and the Senate to demand the wealthy pay their fair share and reject furloughs in their budgets, which will be released the week of March 24.
- Text STAND to 237-263 to take action, or
- Write your elected official an email here speaking out against furloughs
Every one of us needs to share with our elected officials the importance of our work and how drastic cuts would impact their constituents.
Read on for more ways to take action and stand up for working Washingtonians, including in-person rallies with our union siblings.
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Governor Ferguson’s all-cuts proposals to balance Washington’s budget shortfall would compound rather than combat the chaos and suffering coming from DOGE and Musk in D.C. Read more from WFSE's article in the Washington State Labor Council's The Stand
Across the country and right here in Washington, anti-worker billionaires are attacking public services to give themselves tax breaks and privatize the services we all depend on.
In Washington, D.C., the $4.5 trillion tax handout for the rich being cued by Congress will slash $2 trillion from vital programs that working families, children, seniors and people with disabilities rely on.
The impacts will hit incredibly hard in Washington state.
Over 20,000 WFSE members’ jobs are funded by federal dollars in some capacity. Countless Washingtonians would lose access to vital services they’re receiving right now if these cuts go through.
If we don’t more evenly spread the responsibility for funding vital state services now, we’ll be paying for these cuts for generations. And in the much closer reality, we’ll have no chance at backfilling lost federal funding.
Get the facts from this AFSCME federal budget fact sheet
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Attend a Town Hall with WFSE Members
We're packing town hall meetings being hosted by the legislators who will have the greatest say in what the final budget will look like.
We need to maximize the amount of new revenue generated from those who are not paying their fair share -- Washington has the 2nd most unfair tax structure in the USA -- and minimize the cuts to our work and our pay.
Click this link to go to our registration page and come to a town hall near you. We only have a few more weeks to make our voices heard--we need to speak up now.
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Mike and Ashley Q&A: Governor Ferguson's Budget Proposal
In the wake of Governor Ferguson's budget announcements last week, WFSE President Mike Yestramski and Vice President Ashley Fueston hosted a town hall to answer your questions.
If you weren't able to attend, you can watch the full town hall here.
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Join us Monday, 3/17 for Revenue Day of Action
We need new revenue NOW to avoid furloughs and devastating cuts to critical state programs.
Join WFSE and other union coalitions at the Washington State Capitol on Monday, 3/17 for a full day of action for progressive revenue. We'll be hosting a lunchtime rally, as well as scheduling lawmaker meetings for advocates on campus.
Make sure to wear your green and get ready to fight for our future.
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Get Caught Up on Last Week's Testimony
Keep Our Communities Safe: Enhance Community Corrections Protections | HB 1688
Protect DOT Workers, Educate Drivers on Work Site Safety | HB 1822
Stop Rampant AI Implementation | HB 1622
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Priority Bill Updates
HB 1105/SB 5433: Great news. Our bill to create a standalone contract for WFSE DOC members passed the House. This bill would create a separate contract for Community Corrections staff apart from the General Government contract, which they are currently a part of. This change would save time and simplify the process of bargaining, and we think lead to better outcomes for our DOC members.
SB 5478: This bill is moving forward to House Appropriations. If enacted, it will enhance PEBB benefits with a focus on improving benefits for PEBB subscribers and dependents on PEBB plans.