Washington Management Service (WMS) employees are leaders in agencies across the state. We are experts in our roles, making valuable contributions to crucial public services. But we do face challenges in our jobs, like wage compression, a lack of transparency in decisions that affect us, and the absence of a progressive salary schedule.

In the 2023 legislative session, the state legislature passed HB 1122, allowing WMS employees to unionize.

As members of the WMS Employees Association, we can work together to constructively address the issues that challenge us.

Why should all WMS organize together in one union?

If WMS employees at each department go their own way, securing union rights and a contract at each agency could take years—and our bargaining power would be considerably weakened. As a united front of 3,000 WMSEA members, we will have a strong voice at the bargaining table to work for the changes we need to see. Let's all organize together.

Why do WMS workers want a union?

The state won’t prioritize WMS staff until we have a united voice for change, in our agencies and across the state. Though we are doing different kinds of work, we face the same issues and can join together to overcome them.

Unions are a powerful way for public employees to have a voice in their workplaces and to collaborate for positive change. Many WMS employees share common problems:

• Wages
  • More and more WMS employees are experiencing wage compression as the years pass.
  • We need for a progressive salary schedule so we can plan our lives and our families’ futures.
  • Without a union, we have no real ability to negotiate around pay concerns.
• Transparency 
  • Many WMS employees aren’t party to decisions are made by the state that affect our work. We don’t have a voice in systemic changes that impact WMS staff.
• Equity
  • Individual state agencies have no interest in or obligation to work together with other state agencies to extend benefits or possible work/life perks consistently across agencies.
  • WFSE members have won greater protections and benefits, like just cause protections. 

Why is WFSE the right choice for WMS employees?

WFSE represents over 45,000 public employees in agencies across the state. Through contract negotiation, union-management communication committees, and member action teams, WFSE members are winning raises, solving problems, growing our union, and protecting our rights at work.

WFSE led the charge in the legislature to win the right for WMS employees to join a union.

WFSE has the necessary experience negotiating large contracts in state government and representing public employees in agencies across Washington. WFSE members include many professional workers such as the Assistant Attorneys General—another group that WFSE helped to win the legal right to join a union.

WFSE represents more public employees and more supervisors than any other union in the state. Together, we’re making real, positive change. Join today!