Like many DCYF workers in Washington, Taylor Andrews-Garcelon loves her clients but has felt her job get more stressful and dangerous in the last few years.
Big decisions about our working conditions and livelihoods were made in Olympia during the 2024 legislative session. Through our union, we had a seat at the table and came away with major improvements for public employees.
Many of us were shocked and disturbed at the recent state supreme court ruling that our birthdates must be available to anyone who files a public disclosure request.
On a normal day, Sandra Pacheco, an administrative assistant in Puerto Rico’s Department of Transportation and Public Works, begins her day at 7 a.m., filing paperwork for her colleagues in the field. It’s a job that Pacheco, who is president of her local, AFSCME Local 3889, Council 95 (Servidores Públicos Unidos de Puerto Rico), does with pride and dedication.
Lobbying as a Public Servant: What Are Our Rights?
As a public employee, you have a special role in our state. Public employees protect some of our most vulnerable citizens, preserve our natural resources, and keep our roads safe. But what about your personal rights? Many state employees express concern about their ability to lobby their elected officials.
The new year brings good news for millions of working Americans. Nearly 7 million of them are in line to get pay raises this year thanks to state and local minimum-wage hikes.
On Wednesday, December 18, Governor Jay Inslee released a proposed 2020 supplemental budget, a chance to adjust the 2019-21 budget adopted during the last legislative session.
Though revenue remains a concern, the supplementary budget addresses many of the budget issues raised by public employees.
Governor Inslee proposed no new revenue and a total state spending increase of only 0.6%.
UPDATE 12/27/19: The court extended the temporary restraining order through March 31, 2020. This provides a small window of opportunity for legislators to update our state's public disclosure law. Click here to email your legislators.
Olympia, Wash. – The Superior Court of Washington for Thurston County issued a temporary restraining order December 18, halting the release of state employees’ names, birthdates, work locations, and work emails.
