How Does Our Vote on Our Contracts Impact Our Future?

WFSE Staff

Sep. 17, 2026

All of the collective bargaining agreements (CBA) currently being negotiated or voted on are subject to RCW 41.80, which includes important requirements about the process and timeline of our negotiations.

The information below is what would happen in accordance with state law, depending on the vote.

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Looking for the bargaining updates, tentative agreement or voting instructions for your contract? Scroll to the bottom of the page for contracts that are ready to begin voting or click here to visit wfse.org/fair-contract and find all bargaining updates.

What is next if members vote YES?

If a majority of members vote yes, then the tentative agreement is ratified.

This must be completed in September and communicated to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) prior to October 1, 2026, to meet the legally required deadline for any funding. For example, $348.5M in new funding is required just to maintain our current healthcare cost share.

Once that is complete, OFM determines “financial feasibility,” which is also a legally required step. From there, our tentative agreement makes its way to the Governor for inclusion in their proposed budget.

During the 2027 legislative session, our state’s legislators will determine whether our contracts are funded as a part of finalizing the state’s overall budget for the 2027-2029 biennium. Given the dire budget outlook, members should be prepared to work hard during the legislative session lobbying legislators for the funding of our CBAs.

You can learn more about how to get involved in that process here.

What is next if members vote NO?

If members vote no, the tentative agreement is not ratified and there are several important ramifications to be aware of. First, the October 1 deadline is not flexible.

It is set in law and a no vote would mean we do not meet that deadline. Failing to meet the deadline means there is no funding for at least the first year of what would be the 2027-2029 CBA period. As noted above, an example of what requires new funding is the $348.5M in new funding required just to maintain our current healthcare cost share.

In addition to there being no funding, only the parts of our current contract that are in effect as of June 30, 2027, and do not have a specified expiration date, would carry forward for up to one year. That means that there would be numerous takeaways starting July 1, 2027.

In addition, none of the protections that have been secured as part of the 2027-2029 TA will be implemented.