Have you RSVPd to Walkout for Washington on September 10?
The CCC bargaining team took a recess to come outside and meet with members there making a racket for a fair contract.
Our bargaining team met with OFM in Olympia for two days this week in person, several of us traveling from across Washington to attend. From the sound of it, the state may actually like the "revolving door" that public service has become. Their offers are so insulting, it feels like they're inviting employees to leave.
But we're not giving up.
WFSE Local 304 president Johnny Dwyer speaks to members gathered to show support for the bargaining team.
Our bargaining team was joined by CCC members who used their personal leave to show support and solidarity. They posted up outside the DES building where negotiations took place, chanting and carrying signs. It was beautiful to see all the green shirts today. Even though the state didn’t address all our pay inequities, they did move. We heard your voices and are so grateful.
We also joined forces with our siblings who were here to deliver the Pay Trades petition, including bargaining team member Ward Kaplan, with nearly 1300 signatures.
CCC and trades members gathered for a group shot at the DES building in Olympia.
In this two day session:
- We fought to protect vacation, especially for newer hires.
- We're continuing to fight over compensation. The state was not able to respond to the last offer we made today on compensation, so it's still being negotiated.
- We advocated for respect and dignity for our trades members.
- We refused to back down on needed contract changes to ensure our members’ safety at work and address assaults on members.
Our team has been accommodating and flexible. This work is intensively detail oriented, technical, and involves long hours and lots of patience. We are working very hard, but we're coming up against a brick wall from OFM. They're turning down proposals that would really help our members, or offering “wait and see” or “ maybe”. The team felt gaslit as the state brought forward lousy offers while paying lip service to critical issues like equity, diversity, and inclusion and retention and recruitment.
CCC members took their action to the streets, marching near the DES building and garnering honks of support from drivers.
We, the workers who run the colleges, give so much. We bring skill, dedication, and institutional knowledge to our jobs. We just want to be respected and paid fairly. The citizens of Washington need all of the services we provide—we just need to be able to live while we provide those services.
What we’ve received so far for COLAs is not going to match the inflation projected for the next two years. We will push for more. As we stare down the last few sessions of bargaining, we all need to come together and make as much noise as we can.
That's why we are asking you to join us in walking out at an event near you. Our strength is in numbers. The timing couldn't be more critical. We hope to see you September 10!
In solidarity,
Your 2025-2027 Bargaining Team
- Tonya Rehberg, Community Colleges of Spokane
- Ward Kaplan, Community Colleges of Spokane
- Kimi Hanson, Everett Community College
- Scott Beals, Green River College
- Amanda Clifford, Green River College
- Tracy Stanley, Lower Columbia College
- Tom Cline, Peninsula Community College
- Thuy Nguyen, North Seattle College
- Diane Ellis, Seattle Central College
- James Ellis, Seattle Colleges District
- James 'Ric' Doike-Foreman, Shoreline Community College
- Sandy Long, South Seattle College
- Patricia Hermoso, Tacoma Community College
- Michael Greenhouse, Tacoma Community College
- Dan Andreason, Whatcom Community College