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WMS Workers Are Unionizing with WFSE

WFSE Staff
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Whether you're currently eligible to join our union or interested in forming a new bargaining unit, we're happy you're here! We've compiled come frequently asked questions below.

Start here:

I’m eligible to join the new WMS DSHS bargaining unit. What do I need to know?

I’m a WMS employee, but I’m not in the new DSHS bargaining unit. What do I need to know?

I’m eligible to join the new WMS DSHS bargaining unit. What do I need to know?

How did the new bargaining unit form?

Thanks to your hard work, non-supervisory WMS employees serving clients with developmental disabilities in DSHS successfully organized to form our union with WFSE/AFSCME Council 28. On March 19, 2025, our union was officially certified, and we became the first WMS employees in DSHS to have a union!

In 2023, WMS staff won the right to unionize and collectively bargain. 

This win was made possible when WMS staff partnered with the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), AFSCME Council 28 and successfully campaigned the Washington State Legislature for collective bargaining rights. Now, more than 3500 WMS Band 1 and 2 employees are eligible to unionize with WFSE and start negotiating for better pay, secure benefits, and a voice on the job.

What did we win with our new collective bargaining agreement?

On March 19, 2025, the first large WMS bargaining unit was formed in DSHS, and our union reached an agreement with OFM and management to incorporate the unit into our 2025-2027 General Government Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). These WMS workers are now WFSE members and enjoy all the rights, protections, and benefits of our CBA including guaranteed general wage increases, just cause protection, the right to union representation, and much more.

We also reached agreement for special articles for WMS that meet our unique needs on topics such as Hiring and Appointments (Article 4), Layoff and Recall (Article 34), Classification (Article 41), and Compensation (Article 42).

You can find the full General Government CBA here and the full WMS agreement here.

Our first WMS bargaining unit has created a strong foundation and precedent for fellow WMS staff in DSHS and agencies across the state to join our union and increase your bargaining power with the State.

How can I get involved?

We still have much more work to do. There are many ways for you to get involved and steer our work:

  • Join your union: The strength of our CBA depends on the strength of us, the members! Ready to sign your union card? Click here.
  • Submit a contract proposal: While our initial agreement ensured our coverage under the contract, the work to achieve better compensation and working conditions has only just begun. We will be working to address many of our concerns in the next full round of contract negotiations. If you have ideas for what you want to see, and are a member, you can submit your contract proposals here.
  • Learn more about helping your coworkers by becoming a union steward: Check out the WFSE/AFSCME Council 28 steward center at Steward Center | Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

I’m a WMS employee, but I’m not in the new DSHS bargaining unit. What do I need to know?

How do I get involved?

The first step for every supporter is to sign or update a union card. WMS staff in every department need to formalize our desire to create represented bargaining units by working together to sign union cards. Bargaining units must be formed around supervisory and non-supervisory lines, within each agency. 

The next step is to start talking to your coworkers who are also Band 1 and 2, to ensure that they have the information they need to sign, too. Union organizers and member leaders are available anytime to answer questions and speak with any of your colleagues.

We are currently building leadership teams among WMS staff who can help with outreach efforts and disseminating communications. Moving forward, we will need help gathering signed union cards to form bargaining units. If you’re interested, please reach out to an organizer you’ve spoken with or email [email protected].

The collective bargaining law allows several larger agencies, like DSHS, to form smaller units by Division/Administration, but staff in most state agencies will need to build their units agency-wide, along these supervisory and non-supervisory lines. You can learn more about what a bargaining unit can look like at your agency by reaching out to an Organizer at [email protected].

I think I already signed a union card. What else do I need to do?

If you signed a union authorization and membership card in 2023 or 2024, your card has expired. If you're ready to build your union, you will need to update your card here.

What’s in it for me?

  • A seat at the table to advocate for our needs and in support of the work we do.
  • The ability to build a real movement for better pay.
  • Clearer rules, protections, and guidelines around workload concerns – hours, discipline, and discharge.
  • The tools necessary to address equity concerns with and between different departments at the WMS level.
  • Security. In times of budget cuts and shortfalls, having a union contract means knowing your rights are guaranteed and having a clear set of rules that management must follow, along with processes to enforce them.
  • Power in numbers. Several thousand WMS staff joining 50,000+ state workers will mean real power and support when we are at the bargaining table with the Governor’s office.

Why WFSE?

WFSE is the same union that many of us promoted out of, and the union with the best understanding of our departments, our roles, our needs, and our history.

WFSE already represents thousands of Classified/WGS supervisors and program area experts. They are the only union with far-ranging experience and expertise in public service in Washington State.

WFSE is Washington’s largest state employee union, representing over 50,000+ employees. WFSE is part of a national parent union called AFSCME, which is the largest labor union representing state employees in the United States and represents over 1.6 million state, county, and municipal employees.

WFSE is member-run and driven. In WFSE, we run our union as members, and we set our union’s priorities and direction because we know what’s best for ourselves as state employees.

Becoming part of the ASFCME family is the logical choice given that it has been instrumental in helping us get the law changed to win collective bargaining rights and already represents most organized employees in state agencies in Washington. There is a real advantage to becoming a part of a large union. Negotiating a contract and getting it funded at the state level is no small feat. We need statewide power and organization to support us as we move to negotiate our first and subsequent contracts.

What does our union look like?

For over two decades, WMS employees stood alone, navigating our workspaces without a union by our side. Many of us experienced wage compression as represented Classified/WGS staff secured [AS2] significant raises while we did not. By standing with the 50,000+ represented state employees in AFSCME Council 28/WFSE, we brought their power to our struggle to secure collective bargaining rights. 

Today, we are in a position to stand alongside our WFSE union peers at the negotiating table and continue to build the most powerful voice for state employees in the Pacific Northwest. Our union has members in over 40 state agencies, is present in over 20 higher education campuses, and represents other state agency-adjacent workers in social services, interpretation, and cultural institutions.

Joining this union is a huge step forward for WMS staff across the state, many of whom are in the process of building support in their own agencies to ensure that they can win the same rights, benefits, and representation that Classified/WGS staff have – while also securing a real voice in discussions around wages and working conditions that matter to the entire WMS workforce.

I'm busy. Why do we need to hurry to organize?

The sooner we organize and certify our union the sooner we can secure the rights, benefits, power, and voice that comes with being part of our union and having a union contract.

Many of us have been frustrated to find that we are denied certain benefits, perks, and the same level of stability that Classified staff have in certain matters.

We’ve continued to see our wages compressed in comparison to union-represented staff, while the cost of living has continued to surge.

We know that individual negotiations can only accomplish so much, with many staff resorting to hopping positions to address wages and workplace concerns.

We can do better together, but only if we organize.

When did union representation become an option for WMS?

With the partnership of WFSE, our WMS collective bargaining bill (HB 1122) passed through the legislature in 2023. As of July 1, 2025, WMS staff can be fully incorporated into union collective bargaining agreements, and one unit in DSHS has already done so.

WMS staff launched this movement to organize with WFSE to allow us to collectively bargain for better wages and predictable salary increases, negotiate over working conditions, and secure the many benefits that Classified/WGS staff have won over the years.

Since collective bargaining rights were won, hundreds upon hundreds of WMS employees have signed union cards throughout agencies across the state, but a clear majority must be built within a specific agency for our union to create a bargaining unit within that agency. You can learn more about that process below.

What does the Legislature think about this?

In 2023, the Legislature agreed – a union for WMS Band 1 and 2 staff is best for everyone. The WMS structure delivered some of the flexibility that executives wanted to see in state agencies prior to its creation, but the ability of every agency to utilize it largely as they see fit has led to inconsistency and great inequities across agencies and bands. It has also limited our ability to successfully advocate for ourselves. This has negatively impacted our work/life balance, our available income, and, in many cases, our departments’ ability to recruit and retain staff. The Legislature granted collective bargaining rights because it wants us to have the choice to secure a union, for ourselves and for the people we serve.

What will our executive management teams think about this?

Whether you’re Supervisory or Non-Supervisory, there’s no need to fear: WFSE already represents thousands of Classified supervisors and program area experts. Executive management is accustomed to working with WFSE as a result. Being in a union has not inhibited their ability to pursue professional development and promotions.

We believe that management understands that WMS employees are not forming unions primarily because they have problems with their executive leadership. We believe that we share the same goals with management regarding staff retention, funding for reduced workloads, and many other issues. But we also understand that we won’t see those gains unless we organize ourselves.

With a union, we can negotiate binding raises with the state that the Legislature must vote on, and which they cannot unilaterally decrease. In these efforts, we positively impact agency budgets and secure the funding that we deserve. This helps management, particularly with retention.

Finally, and most importantly, it is your legal right to decide whether to form a union, without fear, intimidation, harassment, or retaliation.

How much are dues?

Dues only start after WFSE is our exclusive union representative, and we are covered by a contract. This occurs once we have secured certification of our bargaining unit by the Public Employment Relations Commission. 

Dues are 1.5% of gross pay. So, if you make:

  • $60,000 per year / $5,000 per month, then you would pay $37.50 per paycheck
  • $70,000 per year / ~$5,833 per month, then you would pay $43.50 per paycheck
  • $80,000 per year / ~$6,667 per month, then you would pay $50 per paycheck
  • $90,000 per year / $7,500 per month, then you would pay $56.25 per paycheck
  • $100,000 per year / ~$8,333, then you would pay $62.50 per paycheck

The dues amount is decided on by our union’s members and can be found in the constitution and bylaws of our union.

Because WFSE’s bargaining power is directly dependent on our membership strength, a strong majority of the 50,000+ state employees who we represent choose to voluntarily become dues-paying members.

But again, this choice is up to each individual employee, and no one is forced to become a member or pay WFSE dues.

Every organization needs resources, and every WFSE member pays dues to collectively pool lots of small amounts of money together to create one powerful union that is advocating for state employees 24/7, all year round. 

Our dues fund negotiations and contract enforcement and ensure that we can continue to advocate to protect and improve the healthcare, retirement, wages, professional development, and agency programs we value. WFSE uses our dues to harness the power of our membership during bargaining with the state, mobilize our members to get the Legislature to fund our contracts and state agencies, and to employ expert staff negotiators, lobbyists, organizers, and representatives, whose full-time jobs are to advocate for our members.

Will forming a union result in WMS staff losing any of the working conditions or benefits that we like?

Without union representation there are NO protections or guarantees that WMS staff will keep or maintain working conditions or benefits they like. Agencies or the state legislature can make decisions without input from WMS staff at any time. Given the budget shortfalls, it is likely that many difficult decisions will be made by agency leadership and legislators that could have a direct impact on WMS staff.

With union representation WMS staff will have a voice and guaranteed rights. While nothing is guaranteed in bargaining, WFSE has a winning track record of their members doing better by having a seat at the table to advocate for themselves and the work they do.

Once we file for certification, a “dynamic status quo” comes into effect which requires management to negotiate any major changes to wages or working conditions – even though the union hasn’t been established yet.

Upon certification and being covered under the General Government Collective Bargaining Agreement, WMS staff will have more security and a voice at work.

In WFSE, you and your coworkers are our union. Welcome!