WMSEA Union FAQ

Welcome! Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the new
WMSEA union:

What's new? 

We have great news to share! On November
22, 2024, non-supervisory WMS Staff in DSHS’s Developmental Disabilities
Administration (DDA) filed to form a union bargaining unit with AFSCME Council
28/WFSE!

This 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.

When did this become and option for WMS?

With the help of AFSCME Council 28/WFSE, our WMS collective bargaining bill
(HB 1122) passed the legislature in 2023. WMS Band 1 and Band 2 staff now have
the right to organize and form a union within their respective state
departments. Since then, hundreds upon hundreds have signed union cards across
the state, with organizing efforts advancing in agencies across the state.

What is WMSEA?

WMS staff have formed WMSEA as a distinct movement within AFSCME Council
28/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. By standing with
the 50,000+ represented by AFSCME Council 28/WFSE, we can bring their power
along with us to the negotiating table and continue to build the most powerful
voice for state employees in the Pacific Northwest.

What's next?

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 department. Several larger agencies, like DSHS, can form smaller
units by Division/Administration, but staff in the overwhelming majority of
agencies will need to build their units agency-wide, along these supervisory
and non-supervisory lines.

The first day that we can file to form a union is on January 1, 2024, but the
timeline to get a contract funded is very tight.

Maybe later. I'm busy. Why the hurry?

The sooner we organize and certify our union the sooner we can secure the
rights, benifits, power, and voice that comes with a union contract, and start
building a real campaign to raise the wages of MMS staff.

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

At the same time, the legislature has never appropriated the funds necessary
to sufficiently address our pay or establish a salary grid. 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 on ly accomplish so much, with many
staff reduce to hopping positions to address wages and workplace concerns.

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

What is 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 wages – applying our
    collective power to win a progressive salary schedule and across the board
    raises.
  • 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
  • Power in numbers. Several thousand WMS staff joining 50,000+ state workers
    means real power and support when we are at the bargaining table with a
    specific agency or the Governor’s office.
  • Healthcare costs are negotiated with all unions at one table, but AFSCME
    Council 28/WFSE, given its depth, has the largest voice at that table. WFSE
    also has a representative on the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB)
    which determines healthcare policy changes. No union has the legal right to
    negotiate over our Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) retirement,
    but WFSE has a member leader on the State Investment Board and the
    Legislators Joint Committee on Pension Policy. AFSCME Council 28 advocates
    strongly in the state legislature to fight to maintain our retirement
    security.

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

No. 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.

Units which are formed ahead of the first day of our Collective Bargaining
Agreement's implementation on July 1st, 2025 will remain status quo until the
CBA goes into effect.

What have other professional staff
accomplished by joining WFSE and collective bargaining?

The Assistant Attorneys General (AAGs) at the Attorney General’s office (AGO)
are a great and timely example.

In 2019, the Assistant Attorneys General (AAGs) formed a union with WFSE,
and, since then, have won significant improvements:

  • An 18 step progressive salary grid
  • A five percent retention premium for staff with five or more years of
    cumulative service
  • Multiple across the board raises, on top of COLAs
  • A binding contractual agreement
    to maintain working conditions that AAGs currently like and enjoy,
    including Affinity Groups, flexible work schedules, children in the
    workplace, and telecommuting – with any and all changes subject to
    bargaining with WFSE.
  • Expanded Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Non-Discrimination
    agreements
  • Improvements to personal leave exchange time policies
  • A mutual commitment by the AGO and WFSE to collaboratively work on achieving
    manageable workloads for AAGs, and to attempt to
    secure funding to reduce workloads.
  • A new Union-Management Communication Committee structure, which allows AAGs
    and WFSE to regularly meet with the AGO’s leadership, for the purpose of
    sharing information, raising concerns, and
    discussing resolutions in a collaborative manner.

That is just one example. In every union contract, WFSE regularly negotiates
for, and wins, job class-specific raises for thousands of behind-market union
members. We can do the same for WMS Band 1 and 2.

Right now, there is no united voice that is pushing the state to bring WMS
staff up to market rates. If we don’t seize the opportunity to build that voice, we will only
continue to fall further behind.

How much are dues?

Remember: Dues only start after AFSCME Council 28 is our exclusive
union representative and we are covered by a contract.
Your bargaining team is certain to consider the impact of dues, so they
will be covered in that CBA. Dues are 1.5% of gross pay, capped at a maximum of $125.66 per month. 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

Before you hit $101,000 you have reached the dues cap.

The amount of dues is set in the bylaws of the union, which are readopted
every two years by vote of elected representatives of the membership.

A majority of the membership must approve
the supplemental CBA for it to go into effect. Members will be able to do the
math and see what’s in the CBA before you vote and ever pay any dues.

Because WFSE’s bargaining power is directly dependent on our membership
strength, a strong super-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 AFSCME Council 28/WFSE
member pays dues to collectively pool lots of small amounts of money together,
in order to create one powerful union that is advocating for state employees
24/7, all year round. If there were another organization whose purpose was to
protect and promote the interests of state employees, we wouldn’t need a
union. But there isn’t, which is why we formed WFSE and are forming WMSEA
within it today. 

Our dues fund negotiations and contract enforcement and also ensure
that we can continue to advocate to protect and
improve the healthcare, retirement, wages, professional development,
and support 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.

Why WMSEA and AFSCME Council
28/WFSE?

WMSEA formed to advocate for salaries, benefits, and workplace policies that
will foster job satisfaction and the highest standards of professional
competence among WMS staff. By joining with AFSCME Council 28/WFSE, we were
able to draw on the solidarity and power of 50,000+ other union members to
pass our legislation. Now, WFSE members and staff are helping with outreach
and organization to secure certification.

AFSCME Council 28/WFSE is the same union that many of us promoted out of, and
the union with the best understanding of our departments, our roles, and our
needs.

AFSCME Council 28/WFSE already represents thousands of Classified/WGS
supervisors and subject matter experts. They are the only union with far
ranging experience and expertise.

AFSCME Council 28/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 third largest labor union in the United States and
represents over 1.6 million state, county, and municipal employees.

AFSCME Council 28/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 state employees.

Becoming part of the ASFCME family is a logical choice given that it has been
instrumental in helping us get the law changed 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.

Is there a conflict of interest if I’m a
supervisor?

WFSE members have been advocating for public sector employees for eighty
years, and we have been representing supervisors from the very day collective
bargaining rights were won.

When there is an issue that involves multiple members, be it supervisor versus
non-supervisor, two non-supervisors, or two supervisors, we create a firewall.
One staff member or steward represents the first person to reach out, and the
other party or parties have the right to request representation from a
different staff member or steward. These union representatives or stewards are
present to make sure that every member gets their legally required fair
representation under the contract. They do not interact with each other, and
they provide the best available advice to staff where the contract applies.

WFSE does not protect bad employees, nor does it prioritize one class of
workers over another. We enforce the contract for everyone. It is both our
requirement under the law and our mission to ensure that everyone’s rights are
respected.

What does the Legislature think about this?

The Legislature agreed – a union for WMS Band 1 and 2 staff is best for
everyone. The nature of the WMS structure has delivered some of the
flexibility that executives wanted prior to its creation, but the ability of
every agency to utilize it largely as they see fit has led to much
inconsistency and great inequities across the bands. It has also limited our
ability to successfully advocate for ourselves. This has 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 to see us secure a union, for ourselves and
for the people we serve.

What will our executive management teams think about
this?

While this is a natural concern, there’s no need to fear: WFSE already
represents thousands of Classified supervisors and subject matter experts.
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.

In the rare cases where a manager may feel opposed, such feelings are
absolutely not representative of executive leadership as a whole.

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

Where can I get more information?

If you know someone who is already having conversations in your
department, you can reach out to them. You can also reach out to a staff
member at [email protected].

How do I get involved?

Being active in WMSEA is easy. There is a
role for everyone, no matter how great or small, to help build a strong
unified voice.

The first step for every supporter is to
sign a union card.

The next step is 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. If you’re
interested, please reach out to an organizer you’ve spoken with or email
[email protected].

In WMSEA and WFSE, you and your coworkers are our union.