News

WFSE members have been hard at work making DOC a safer and better place to work.

WFSE DOC employees keep communities safe.

WFSE leaders from 41 different locals across Washington gathered on May 31 and June 1, learning the best ways to organize for success within their locals.

Local delegates, executive board members, and member of PEOPLE, our union's political action fund, came together on April 27 to decide which candidates our union endorses in a critical 2024 election season.

How one DOC member’s story moved his legislator to action

The sponsor of the good bill that already unanimously passed the House said the idea of protecting the integrity of post-incident counseling and peer support came from a new awareness brought to him by one of his constituents.

Rep. Andrew Barkis of the 2nd Dist. said John Tulloch, a Community Corrections specialist and member of Local 443, told him that the dangerous work he and his colleagues do often involves “critical incidents” that may involve use of force.

Big news as two more priority bills pass

It was a late Monday and early Tuesday at the Capitol as the House passed two more of our priority bills – the part-time employees bill and the Taxpayer Protection Act.

The House Monday night (Feb. 12) passed the bill to leave no doubt and add part-time state employees to civil service. HB 2669 passed on a vote of 50-47. It now goes to the Senate.

Vancouver senator gives poignant floor speech as she rebukes critics of unions and working families

Sen. Annette Cleveland of the 49th Dist. in Vancouver showed courage and conviction when on Saturday (Feb. 10) she took to the floor of the state Senate in Olympia to reject the divisive debate on legislation our opponents railed because it would help workers and the people they serve.

Three of our priority bills pass

BULLETIN: The state House late Monday morning (Feb. 12) passed our priority bill (SHB 1558) to expand the Public Safety Employees Retirement System (PSERS) to institutions workers in high-risk jobs. The vote was 89-9. SHB 1558 now goes to the Senate. The bill would give state institutions workers doing high-risk jobs the same recognition on retirement as other public workers in dangerous jobs.

Jobs are precarious, health-care costs are skyrocketing, and wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of living—no wonder young people are organizing.

https://www.thenation.com/article/millennials-are-keeping-unions-alive/

Call Legislature’s toll-free message center on three key bills

Today, we focus on three key bills that need floor votes by Feb. 14. Here goes:

The Taxpayer Protection Act (2SHB 1851), our bill to bring transparency and accountability to state contracting, is waiting for a vote of the full House.