News

WFSE 50th Biennial Convention Energizes, Inspires, and Unites

WFSE’s 50th Biennial Convention, coinciding with the 80th year of our union’s history, took place from October 6-8 in SeaTac, WA. 

2025-2027 Contract Negotiations

Get all the information and links you need to help win strong 2025-27 union contracts on this page.

Mind Games at the Department of Health

Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on faith-based “empathy training” that silences discrimination concerns and penalizes protected union activity. DOH employees are calling for it to stop. Sign their petition here.

Capacity, Not Closures! DOC Reentry Centers Provide Second Chances

The proposed closures would negatively impact those who are in most need of these services , result in increased recidivism (a 2007 study showed Washington’s reentry centers lead to at least a 2.8% reduction in recidivism), cost the state more money (research conducted by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy indicates that reentry programs have a positive cost/benefit impact; for every dollar spent, $3.82 is returned to the state.), and threaten the capacity of our community custody system when the need for more capacity is rising.

University of Pennsylvania libraries staff win union election, extending wave of unionization

Philadelphia – Penn Libraries staff, unionizing as AFSCME DC 47 Local 590 Penn Libraries United, announced this fall the results of their August election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

Protecting Yakima Valley School and Rainier School From Closure

As you may have heard, the governor's proposed budget includes the closure of Yakima Valley School and Rainier School. We can't lose these crucial community resources for Washingtonians who need them. Read on for actions you can take to stand with vulnerable community members and dedicated WFSE members and stop the closures.

DOC Update - Zev Firearms and More

On December 12th, DOC Leadership met with management for the Statewide Union Management Communication Committee (SUMCC).

This was the first meeting since firearms had been returned to Zev. This has been one of the largest concerns identified by our members, and the lack of communication from the agency has increased this stress.

2024: A Year of Solidarity

This year, we took on many challenges to become stronger as a union, protect our jobs, and ensure our families have the best futures possible. We aren't stopping there.

Worried about the Budget Crisis? Here's the latest

If you're worried about the pending budget shortfall, here's what you need to know.

We’ve known about the budget crunch since June, and here’s the good news. We’re ahead of the game.

Our members have already taken two crucial steps to limit how the downturn will affect the 52,000 public workers our union represents:

#1. We’ve already won an agreement from our employers to give us a 5% raise over the next two years.

2025 Legislative Session: Help Fund Our Raises and Pass Priority Bills

We're calling on our elected officials to ratify and fund our 2025-2027 union contracts to ensure the state can hire and retain the workforce necessary to provide the vital public services we all depend on.

During Walkout for Washington, Thousands of WFSE Members Walk Out for Fair Contract

On Tuesday, September 10, thousands of WFSE members at over 130 worksites walked out of their jobs to draw attention to the need for a fair contract.

Two days following the walkouts, tentative agreements for 2025-27 contracts began rolling in.