Yesterday, we held our third negotiation session with management for our 2025-27 union contract.
More progress was made. Thus far we’ve reached tentative agreement on a third of the articles in our contract, meaning our bargaining team and management agree.
Once we reach a tentative agreement on the entire contract, likely late this summer, WFSE members will have the opportunity to review the entire tentative contract and vote yes or no.
As we mentioned in our last update, our positions and the employer’s on many articles of our contract remain far apart. Employee safety is no exception.
Employee Safety in the Spotlight
Many of our members work in environments where assaults by patients and clients is commonplace. Our position is that one is too many.
Too many of our members’ careers in public service have ended due to serious injury, physical and psychological, on the job.
Here’s the good news: Yesterday’s discussion with management was collaborative. They acknowledged the gravity of the crisis, and we’re cautiously optimistic that we are going to be able to come together on this.
Pay and Staff Safety
We’ve proposed some common-sense fixes to address the assaults, but understand that competitive pay that allows for safe staffing levels must be a part of the solution.
To be clear, we’re fighting for fair pay for all of our members—so we can afford to live in the communities we serve, so we can continue working in the public sector, so that our vital contributions to our agencies are recognized.
After the state’s next economic forecast is released in June, we’ll begin putting together proposals on compensation and will likely share them with management sometime in July.
Your Involvement Is Key
Following our last two negotiation sessions, we submitted numerous information requests to confirm or refute what management was saying at the negotiating table. The information we’ve gotten back has been telling, and we’ve adjusted our strategy based on the information we’ve received.
We’re not only asking for information from the state. We’ve also been reaching out to our fellow state employees to get to the truth of what’s happening on the ground in their workplaces.
We need every member to fill out our bargaining survey below. You can rank the most important issues to you so we know where we need to focus the greatest effort.
Use the tools below to get involved!
To win the best possible contract, we need our members to be engaged, informed, and loud!
- Want to share this update and others? Use the bargaining updates webpage
- Bargaining Survey due 6/30: Click here to rank the issues most important to you
- Wear Green on Your Negotiation Dates! 4/29, 5/13, 5/29, 6/12, 6/25, 7/8, 7/22, 8/19, 8/26, 9/9, 9/12, and 9/19
Visit our 2025-2027 Contract Negotiations landing page to learn about how negotiations work, and download social media graphics, flyers, and posters to support your bargaining team.
Use Hashtag #UnitedforWashington to post about our contract campaign and follow all the action on our social media channels!
