This is the Federation Hotline updated Jan. 30.
CORRECTION: We got our pension bills mixed up in our last Hotline message. The bill that passed the House Monday on a vote of 66-29 with 3 excused was the PERS 2 default bill, SHB 1560. The PSERS bill, HB 1558, is still in the House Appropriations Committee where it has until Feb. 6 to pass committee. We apologize for any confusion this caused.
AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) urges passage of bill to protect privacy of state employee victims of sexual harassment
AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) on Tuesday (Jan. 30) urged a House committee to pass a bill to protect the privacy of state employees who blow the whistle on sexual harassment.
HB 2778 would prohibit state agencies from disclosing to the Freedom Foundation, media or anyone else any personal information about any state employee who makes a sexual harassment claim.
The bill aims to stop the Freedom Foundation or anyone else from getting such information and using it to “harass, stalk, threaten or intimidate” those who blow the whistle on sexual harassment.
“Threats to state employees are real – this is not hypothetical,” AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) LPA Director Dennis Eagle told the House State Government Committee.
State employees come to work to help others, not face harassment, he said.
“We believe strongly in our mission to serve everybody without discrimination,” Eagle said. “We would ask you to keep in mind that sometimes that service comes with risks to personal safety.”
The #MeToo and #TimesUp awareness efforts have taught us that victims of workplace sexual harassment need safety, not secrecy, he said.
“(We need) to provide victims of sexual harassment with a safe harbor,” Eagle said.
“We need to create a culture where victims can report abuse safely without fear of reprisal or risk.”
A committee vote is set for Wednesday (Jan. 31).
HB 2778 is part of AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE)'s #MeToo effort that includes the bill to keep dates of birth private (SB 6079) and the bill to make workplace bullying an unfair labor practice (HB 2888).
Community Corrections members ask for privileged communications protections after critical incident responses
AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Community Corrections members are often involved in dangerous situations that may involve use of force.
They’re asking for a bill (HB 2611) that would give them the same post-incident privileged communications protections as other law enforcement officers when talking to peer support counselors.
It’s like the attorney-client privilege.
John Tulloch, a Community Corrections specialist and member of Olympia Local 443, said HB 2611 is a “fair and necessary” solution.
He told the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday (Jan. 30) that other law enforcement officers in those critical incidents can talk to peer support counselors who “are not compelled to testify about any communications to the counselors by the officers.
“Community Corrections officers and specialists do not have the same privilege even though we are held to the same standard during use-of-force incidents.”
“Our officers need to have a sounding board during these difficult times,” Tulloch added.
“We should be able to talk with the counselors as soon as possible and help get us through these incidents and those statements should be protected.”
A committee vote is set for Thursday (Feb. 1).
AFSCME Council 28 (WFES) VP urges rejection of bill that could cut Community Corrections staff
A bill touted as improving rehabilitation of adult criminals isn’t what it appears to be and may spark unintended consequences.
That’s what AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Vice President Judy Kuschel told the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee.
The controversial bill, SB 6511, would remove the authority of the Department of Corrections hearing officers to revoke an individual’s early release time by returning him or her back to prison to serve out their time.
Kuschel, a 20-year employee of DOC and a member of Vancouver Local 313, said the bill is not about good research but “simply to reduce the average daily population in prison by eliminating the hearing officer’s ability to return an offender to prison who is on supervision in the community.”
SB 6511 “is not predicated on research, best practice or even promising practice,” Kuschel added. “It’s predicated on not having enough beds in prisons.
“I would propose to members of this committee that there are other solutions to reduce the population in prison that would support the mission of the department, the deliberate and thoughtful intent of previous legislation pertaining to corrections policy and our collective interest in research as a determinant measure in developing sound correctional practice.
“Ways that don’t jeopardize public safety, fail to hold offenders accountable, undermine the very essence of the basic behavioral management research, or reduce the amount of Community Corrections officers who are Washington state’s first line of defense between felony offenders and our communities.”
Affordable housing effort moves to Senate
Our priority effort on affordable housing moved to the Senate Tuesday (Jan. 30).
Alex Bacon, a Seattle Central College member and president of Seattle Local 304, said all SB 6400 does would be to allow local governments to consider rent controls as one tool to cap housing costs that are pricing many state employees out of their communities.
“Housing in Washington is unaffordable for state employees and other workers,” Bacon told the Senate Financial Institutions Committee.
“It’s not just Seattle, it’s Bellingham, Vancouver, Spokane, even Ellensburg....
“The rent problem creates recruitment and retention problems for agencies like the Seattle College District.”
The high cost of housing “threatens the very viability of institutions like the Seattle district with all the turnover that we have,” Bacon said.
Juvenile rehab investments needed if institutions keep older residents
It might increase success to keep young offenders in state juvenile rehabilitation facilities until their age 25 ½ , but success needs investment in those institutions.
That’s what AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Lobbyist Matt Zuvich told the House Early Learning and Human Service Committee Tuesday (Jan. 30) on HB 2907.
HB 2907 would allow those convicted in juvenile court for serious violent offenses to stay at Green Hill School, Naselle Youth Camp and Echo Glen Children’s Center until age 25 ½. Research shows that increases rehabilitation and reduces recidivism.
“This policy has a good chance to work but you’ve got some investments that you’ve got to make in juvenile rehabilitation to implement it,” Zuvich told the committee, noting he worked in juvenile rehab for many years.
“One thing I learned there is to make good decisions and policy, you have to go slow to go fast,” Zuvich said.
A committee vote is set for Friday (Feb. 2). HB 2907 is similar but not identical to SB 6160.
Outsourcing accountability bill passes House committee
Our priority bill to increase transparency and accountability for dollars spent on government contracts (SHB 1851) cleared the House State Government Committee Tuesday (Jan. 30) on a vote of 5-4.
The Taxpayer Protection Act would increase the evaluation of costs, require more robust contract monitoring and mandate contract closeout procedures and reports.
That’s it for now.
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