50,000 state employees to walk off the job, demanding better pay & staffing

Today negotiators with the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) are urging their 50,000 members to walk off the job at noon, to demand better wages and staffing levels.

The union has been at the bargaining table with the Office of Financial Management since April, with reportedly little movement, according to a release from AFSCME Council 28/WFSE.

Union leaders argue that lack of pay and benefits are contributing to a staffing crisis that impacts critical public services such as behavioral health, transportation, juvenile rehabilitation, and education.

“Nearly 40 percent of the state workforce has turned over in the last eight years due to resignations alone,” the news release reads.

Disruptions to the public are expected to be minimal.

The walkout will be happening during lunch breaks.

Walkouts are scheduled at nearly every major city in Washington.

KIRO 7 reached out to the Office of Financial Management for a statement regarding the walkouts.

Here is what they sent:

“Bargaining is currently ongoing with approximately 30 groups of represented state workers. Because bargaining is ongoing, we are not able to comment on specifics, but we continue to have confidence in the bargaining process and that we will come to a successful resolution.

OFM understands the concerns of our state employees and deeply values their essential contributions. The parties continue to engage in meaningful dialogue that balances the fiscal realities with the state’s needs, policy priorities, and the critical role our employees fill in serving the public. We are facing challenging fiscal choices as we anticipate limited revenue in the upcoming biennium. Just as we’ve asked state agencies to limit new programs and request only essential funding, we are applying the same principle to our negotiations.”

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