Middle Class Heroes for a Fair Contract

7/30/2019 Middle Class Heroes for a Fair Contract

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Middle Class Heroes

For a Fair Contract

ILCA CONTEST 2012

MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGN

2012 Contract Campaign for General Government and Higher Education Members

11x17 Call to Action and Campaign Story

Posters Promoting Middle Class Heroes for Bulletin Boards, Work Spaces

Buttons

Rally Signs for Job Actions and Work Spaces

Flickr.com Slideshow of Statewide Job Actions

Facebook Page Sharing Job Actions, Calls to Action, News Feeds

Washington State Employee (WSE) - ofcial newspaper - articles covering contract campaign.

Washington Federation of State Employees AFSCME Council 28 AFL-CIO www.wfse.org


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Middle Class HeroesFor a Fair Contract

Heroes like:

Working to keep our highways safe --

all just inches from speeding drivers.

Kathy Hatcher Patrick McDonough

Severely injured by a mental patient

while trying to keep others safe.

Maria Blackburn

Mother of the Year for caring for

at-risk children during the day while

caring for son Derryck (center) off-

shift and putting two children through

college, including Bryan.

Working hard for strong families, a secure middle classand a better world for our children.

Now its time to invest in fair contracts that preservevital services and bring economic growth.

Washington Federation of State Employees AFSCME Council 28 WFSE.org


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Brad Samples is a state worker whokeeps disabled citizens safe, sound andproductive members of society.

I didnt get into this work to get rich. I gotinto it to make a difference.

But I get angry when the selsh andprivileged few attack honest, hard-workingmiddle class state workers. We providevital services. Yet the state protects bigoil companies like BP with generous taxgiveaways.1

Ive made tremendous sacriceseconomically. Yet in recent years, the statecould still afford to give away more than$3 billion when they created more than 150new tax loopholes.2

Middle Class Heroes...

t

tJoyce Murphy is a state worker whoprotects vulnerable children from abuseand neglect. She sees things most of uscould never imagine.

Weve sacriced our fair share and takenon additional workload when the state cut10,000 positions.3

I want to leave behind a better world forthe at-risk children Ive dedicated my lifeto.

But cuts to vital services and attacks onstate workers have harmed the entire statesmiddle class and cost the loss of 45,000jobs in our economy.4

Judy Kuschelis a state worker whoprotects the public from domestic violenceoffenders and other dangerous offendersreleased from our prisons.

Were the rst line of defense keeping ourcommunities safe for hard-working middleclass families.

Middle class state workers didnt causethe states economic crisis. Yet state workerslike me have given up more than 10 percentof our pay to save the state.5

We need to pull together, not tear downmiddle class workers.

t

Kelly Graysonis a state worker who helpscollege students get the services they needto succeed in school.

Our pay has taken many hits over the lastfour years. A lot of people dont know that.Our health insurance costs and pensionscosts have gone up while our pay has gonedown.5

We provide vital services every day.Those vital services fuel economic growth.6

The public needs to know we make adifference. Lets stop the attacks on middleclass state workers.

t

PROTECTING

PUBLIC SAFETY

HELPING STUDENTSSUCCEED

SAFEGUARDING DIGNITY

FOR VULNERABLE CITIZENS

STANDING UP FOR ABUSEDAND NEGLECTED CHILDREN


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Middle Class Heroes for a Fair Contract

Wendy Irish is a state worker providing

services at one of our quality state colleges.

Tuition for students our kids is goingup 12 percent. State workers have taken a 3percent cut in pay alone. Yet at our college,the president is getting a 12 percent pay hikeand other administrators and managers aregetting $3,000 in raises.7

The rest of us are falling behind. Eighty-two percent of state workers make less than

market rate. So were not getting rich.8

Weve saved the state with our sacrices.Its time to invest in our contracts. Its aninvestment in our states future.

SOURCES: 1. Revenues to Rebuild Washingtons Economy: A Jobs and Economic Recovery Plan for Washington, Economic Opportunity Institute, October 2011; 2. Washington State Department of Revenue; 3. Shared Sacrices

of State Employees, Ofce of the Governor, November 2011; 4. Washington News Service, Nov. 21, 2011; 5. Shared Sacrice: Overall Compensation for Average State Employee is Falling, OFM, March 2011; 6. Three years into

recovery, just how much has state and local austerity hurt job growth? Economic Policy Institute, July 6, 2012, http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/; 7. College pay always low for select few, Spokane

Spokesman-Review, July 20, 2012; 8. 2010 Salary Survey Summary, Washington State Department of Personnel (now Washington State Human Resources), June 4, 2010, http://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspx

Call Gov. Gregoireat 1-800-562-6000 or (360) 902-4111.

(E-mail: http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp)

Hard-working Middle Class state workers andfair contracts preserve vital services and bringeconomic growth.

Tell the governor its time to invest in the states futurewith contracts for Middle Class Heroes -- her state workers-- that hold the line on health care costs and provide afair compensation package.

t

SACRIFICING FOR OUR

FUTURE

Now its time to invest in fair contracts.
http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspxhttp://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspxhttp://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspxhttp://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspxhttp://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/


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SOURCES: 1. Revenues to Rebuild Washingtons Economy: A Jobs and Economic Recovery Plan for Washington, Economic

Opportunity Institute, October 2011; 2. Washington State Department of Revenue

Brad Samples is a state worker whokeeps disabled citizens safe, soundand productive members of society.

I didnt get into this work to getrich. I got into it to make a difference.

But I get angry when the selsh andprivileged few attack honest, hard-working middle class state workers.We provide vital services. Yet thestate protects big oil companies likeBP with generous tax giveaways.1

Ive made tremendous sacriceseconomically. Yet in recent years,the state could still afford to giveaway more than $3 billion whenthey created more than 150 new taxloopholes.2


SAFEGUARDINGDIGNITY FOR

VULNERABLECITIZENS


6/27

SOURCES: 1. Shared Sacrices of State Employees, Ofce of the Governor, November 2011; 2. Washington News Service, Nov. 21, 2011

STANDING UP

FOR AT-RISKCHILDREN

Joyce Murphy is a state worker whoprotects vulnerable children fromabuse and neglect. She sees thingsmost of us could never imagine.

Weve sacriced our fair share andtaken on additional workload whenthe state cut 10,000 positions.1

I want to leave behind a better worldfor the at-risk children Ive dedicatedmy life to.

But cuts to vital services and attackson state workers have harmed theentire states middle class andcost the loss of 45,000 jobs in oureconomy.2



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SOURCE: 1. Shared Sacrice: Overall Compensation for Average State Employee is Falling, OFM, March 2011

Judy Kuschelis a state worker whoprotects the public from domesticviolence offenders and otherdangerous offenders released from

our prisons.

Were the rst line of defensekeeping our communities safe forhard-working middle class families.

Middle class state workers didntcause the states economic crisis. Yetstate workers like me have givenup more than 10 percent of our pay

to save the state.1 We need to pulltogether, not tear down middle classworkers.


PROTECTING

PUBLIC

SAFETY


8/27


Kelly Graysonis a state worker whohelps college students get the servicesthey need to succeed in school.

Our pay has taken a hit over the lastfour years ago. A lot of people dontknow that. Our health insurance costsand pensions costs have gone upwhile our pay has gone down.1

We provide vital services every day.Those vital services fuel economicgrowth.2

The public needs to know we makea difference. Lets stop the attacks onmiddle class state workers.

SOURCES: 1. Shared Sacrice: Overall Compensation for Average St ate Employee is Falling, OFM, March 2011; 2. Three years into

recovery, just how much has state and local austerity hurt job growth? Economic Policy Institute, July 6, 2012, http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/

HELPING

STUDENTSSUCCEED
http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/http://www.epi.org/blog/years-recovery-state-local-austerity-hurt/


9/27


Wendy Irish is a state worker providingservices at one of our quality statecolleges.

Tuition for students our kids is

going up 12 percent. State workershave taken a 3 percent cut in payalone. Yet at our college, the presidentis getting a 12 percent pay hike andother administrators and managers aregetting $3,000 in raises.1

The rest of us are falling behind.Eighty-two percent of state workersmake less than market rate. So were not

getting rich.2

Weve saved the state with oursacrices. Its time to invest in ourcontracts. Its an investment in ourstates future.

SACRIFICING

FOR OURFUTURE

SOURCES: 1. College pay always low for select few, Spokane Spokesman-Review, July 20, 2012;

2. 2010 Salary Survey Summary, Washington State Department of Personnel (now WashingtonState Human Resources), June 4, 2010, http://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/

TotalCompensationSurvey.aspx
http://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspxhttp://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspxhttp://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspxhttp://www.dop.wa.gov/CompClass/Compensation/Pages/TotalCompensationSurvey.aspx


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Page 8 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee May 2012

MEMBERS IN ACTION

A rst-ever collective bar-gaining agreement coveringsome 240 workers at Ameri-can Behavioral Health Sys-tems won member raticationMarch 30.

In voting at ABHS sitesin Spokane and Chehalis, em-ployees OKd their rst con-tract on a vote of 89-29. Therewere two challenged ballots.

The contract took effect

After the March 30 vote count in Chehalis (from left): Amy Achilles (WFSE

chief negotiator); Karen Seavey (election committee); Katie Enge (bargain-ing team member);Inti Tapia (WFSE/AFSCME council representative); and

James Shogreen (election committee).

First-ever contact ratied at ABHS

April 1. It will go throughMarch 31, 2014.

However, elections tookplace May 18 for a new bar-gaining team to negotiate awage re-opener in June.

ABHS is one of the Feder-ations newest public servicesector bargaining units. Theynegotiate under the umbrellaof the National Labor Rela-tions Act.

Members at RentonTechnical College May 1ratied their new three-year collective bargainingagreement on a vote of

23-1.The new contract, cov-

ering 42 RTC members,goes into effect July 1 andruns through June 30, 2015.

The new contractbrings improved vacationscheduling, no takeaways,improved schedule ex-ibility, ability to cash outpersonal convenience leaveand improved longevitystipend.

Balloting took place onthe RTC campus.

RTC raties

new contract

Bargaining on 2013-2015 contracts kicks off

The Evergreen State College Classied Bargaining Team for the 2013-2015

contract. Sitting (from left): Lana Brewsterand Laura Carpenter. Standing

(from left): Lin Crowley; Chief NegotiatorAmy Achilles;Doug Shanafelt;

Rachel Burke; Steve Johnson; Kirk Talmadge; and WFSE/AFSCME VP

Sue Henricksen. Not available for photo: Mike Kinley. They meet again May

31 in Olympia to continue preparations for bargaining; theyll review bargainingpriorities survey responses from members.

The 2013-2015 Central Washington University Bargaining Team (with WFSE/

AFSCME Council Rep. Phedra Quincey and Chief NegotiatorAmy Achilles).

From left: Phedra Quincey; Pat Devlin; Chris Stebbins; Laury Berner; Skip

Jensen; and Amy Achilles. They met again May 17 in Ellensburg to review

their bargaining priorities surveys and to continue preparations for negotiationswith management.

The Community College Coalition Bargaining Team during a break in their

April 20 pre-negotiations meeting. They meet again June 1 and negotiate with

management starting June 26. Their bargaining surveys are due June 8.

The General Government Bargaining Team began negotiations with the governors ofce May 2 at the Thurston County

Fairgrounds in Lacey. The team presented most of its initial contract proposal. They met again with management May 15

and 16.

Watch for news and photos

from all teams online at wfse.org > Bargaining.

Other bargaining teams:

Western Washington Uni-versity began negotiationsMay 7. Eastern Washington Uni-versity held its rst pre-nego-tiations meeting May 16. Bargaining team elections

for the new Kitsap TenantSupport Services unit tookplace May 10 and 11.

Washington State Univer-sity met for the rst time May3 and begins negotiationsMay 29.

University of Washington

negotiations began May 23after several productive team

meetings. The UW Bargain-

ing Team was doing an onlinebargaining priorities survey.

The Medical InterpretersBargaining Team holds its rst

team meeting May 31.

Commu-

nity College

Coalition team

members re-view contract

proposals

April 20.

SAFETY, from page 1LEFT: Eastern State Hospital mem-

bers rallied May 11. They dont wantthe same kind of recent tragedies

at Western State Hospital to repeat

at Eastern State Hospital. INSET:

Local 782 President Trevor Travers

(at right in photo) told reporters

workers need safe stafng levelsbefore someone dies.

NEAR RIGHT: WFSE/AFSCME President Carol

Dotlich leads solemn pocession past the 335 plac-ards on the lawn in front of Western State Hospital

April 27. Safety has to be part of the culture of this

hospital, part of the culture at every worksite, she

said.

FAR RIGHT: Local 782 members added an excla-

mation point at their May 11 ESH rally by displaying

binders with evidence of short-stafng hazards.

The rallies came in the wake of recent tragedies at

Western State Hospital near Tacoma, including a

murder, a patient suicide and a May 2 patient attackthat sent three staffers to the emergency room.

The Evergreen State Col-lege is the latest state highereducation institution to ab-sorb rather than impose thetemporary 3 percent pay cut.

The temporary salaryreduction would have takeneffect when the 1-year TESCClassied Staff takes effect

July 1.WFSE/AFSCME and

TESC signed a memorandumof understanding May 7.

It follows the lead of theUW, WSU, WWU and EWU.

TESC joins UW, WSU, WWU &EWU to absorb temporary pay cut


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Page 2 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee June 2012

UNION NEWS

StateEmployeeWashington State Employee(USPS 981-

200) is published monthly, except Februaryand July, for $5.08 per year by the Washing-ton Federation of State Employees/AFSCMECouncil 28 AFL-CIO, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E.Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Afliated withthe American Federation of State, Countyand Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and theWashington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Periodicals postage paid at Olympia, WAand at additional ofces. Circulation:42,000.

POSTMASTER:Send address changes toWashington State Employee, 1212 JeffersonSt SE Suite 300 Olympia WA 98501- 7501

Carol Dotlich, President

Greg Devereux, Executive Director

Editor Tim Welche-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.wfse.orgMember, ILCA

WASHINGTON

Local 1060 member Tracy Fosty, a so-cial worker 3 in Bellingham.

Some 256 attended this yearsevent.

Its awesome, Fosty said. Thisis a day that we all look forward

to every year. Our ofce staff looksforward to it, the foster parents lookforward to it.

Its a time that we can get to-gether and not talk shop and worktogether for a happy time.

We get to visit with the kids thatwe have in foster care and see themwhen theyre happy and playing andnot on a health and safety visit when

theres a problem.Fosty and her co-workers hold

fundraising events all year long to puton the annual appreciation celebra-tion. They put together gift baskets fordrawings, staff the games and conces-sions and some, like Bobbi Beckham,a secretary senior, don a happy clownoutt.

Joining them to put on the event

are Fostering Together, Foster AdoptParent Association of WhatcomCounty and Brigid Collins FamilySupport Center.

Similar events take place in othercounties. But anyone interested inhelping contribute to future What-com County events can contact ShalaCrow of Fostering Together, P.O. Box566, Custer, WA 98240

KIDS,from page 1

Court.The TV spots, lmed on

private property and on themembers off-work hours,encouraged members of thepublic to have their (legisla-tors) stop blaming publicservants for the states budgetwoes.

The two member plain-tiffs are: Brad Samples, Local

53, Tacoma, and Ginger Rich-ardson, Local 308, Seattle.

They volunteered for thespots and were not paid.

The ads carried a clearidentication that the unionhad paid for the spots and

making it clear the two mem-bers were clearly serving inrepresentative capacities forthe WFSE and the thousandsof employees of the State ofWashington it represents andspeaking on a matter on be-

half of the organization andits members, the Federationlawsuit says.

But the ethics watchdogscited and are determiningnes for the two membersfor alleged illegal use of stateresources for personal gain

because the commercials list-ed their state job titles undertheir names.

The ethics commissionsaid the state owns its em-ployees job titles.

That conduct infringes onFirst Amendment rights.The offending ads featuring Samples (left) and Richardson.

ETHICS?from page 1

The state June 1 formallyasked the state SupremeCourt to overturn a KingCounty Superior Courtjudges decision in favor ofthe Federation that reinstatedgainsharing.

That came the same dayKing County Superior CourtJudge Richard Eadie signedthe order of judgment in theFederations ongoing gain-sharing lawsuit.

No appeals could be leduntil Eadie signed the order.

The Federation and others

on the lawsuit will appeal thesecond part of the lawsuit --Eadies decision taking awaythe early retirement benetsfor PERS 2 members if gain-sharing is restored.

Gainsharing is the sharingof extraordinary investmentgains based on a set period oftime and exceeding a certainpercentage. The Legislaturerepealed it for PERS 3 andPERS 1 members in 2007, jus-tifying it by adding the age 62early retirement for eligiblePERS 2 members.

But it included a poisonpill to take away the earlyretirement if gainsharing were

ever restored.While these appeals are

pending, the early retirementremains available for PERS 2members.

The Federation won therst part of the suit to rein-state the gainsharing benet,but the judge later ruled forthe state on repealing theearly retirement factors fullretirement at age 62 for PERS2 members.

Those who have alreadyretired are not affected.

What if youre in PERS 2 and

will soon be eligible to retire at

age 62?

Its unclear how long the

appeals will take. It couldbe many months. But theunion advises those inPERS 2 close to 62 to callthe state Department ofRetirement Systems to dis-cuss options. DRS staff willrun benets estimates withand without the early retire-ment factors.

State appeals gainsharing

Local 53 member named Mother of YearMaria Blackburnstwo WashingtonState Universitychildren nominate

her -- for all shesdone for themwhile caring fortheir little brother

Every mother has atough job and TacomaLocal 53 member Maria

Blackburn is no different.But what makes Black-

burn a true Mother of theYear is a 24/7/365 commit-ment to caring that her three

children fully recognize.In doing so, shes helpingher children inherit a betterworld.

You see, unlike mostmoms, Blackburn is a DSHSChildrens Services socialworker.

She cares for abused andneglected children duringa full day at work, beforecoming home to care for heryoungest son, Derryck, 19.

Derryck has musculardystrophy and autism andrequires constant care.

Blackburn has help froma dedicated team of caregiversin her Puyallup home.

But clearly, for Derryck,his mom is the center of hislife.

When she arrived homefrom work on one recent eve-ning, Derryck sped throughhis living room in his electricwheelchair to greet Maria asshe came through the door.

She greeted him with aurry of kisses.

As a Childrens Servicessocial worker, We try tomake sure they (children) aresafe and that they have whatthey need, she says.

Social workers have somepretty tough days at work.They see things most of uscant even imagine.

But Maria Blackburn has

to leave that all behind whenshe heads home.

When I leave work, Ileave work, she says. WhenI step my foot in that door, Ihave to brush off everything.And I look at my son, helooks at me when I walk inand he says, Mommy, hug?

It might sound like aclich that his hug and thatsmile just wipe away every-thing, literally.

Maria wont admit it, but

shes sacriced much to carefor Derryck.

And also for her daugh-ter, Krystal Blackburn Funk,23, and older son, Bryan, 22.

Theyve made their waythrough Washington StateUniversity.

Bryan just graduatedfrom WSU with a degree in

organizational communica-tions; this fall, hell head tograduate school at DePaulUniversity in Chicago.

Krystal has one more se-mester to nish her bachelorsof science degree in nursing.

And because of her loveand dedication for her chil-dren, Maria Blackburn hasbeen voted Mother of theYear by WSU.

I just couldnt believe itwhen they told me that I waspicked, Maria says.

Krystal and Brian nomi-nated her with a moving es-say.

We talked about howmy mom has given up a lotfor us, Bryan said. And shealways tells me and my sister,Dont feel any regret goingoff and getting your degreesand accomplishing things foryour life.

And she always makesus feel safe in our decisionsto be in school and not to behome. And shes doing a re-ally great job with my brotherand taking really good careof him, doing a lot more thanany mom should.

Clockwise in this family photo: Maria

Blackburn and children Derryck,

Krystal and Bryan.Photo courtesy Blackburn family.

On an early June evening, Derryck Blackburn gets loving attention from his

Mother of the Year Maria Blackburn (right) and brother Bryan Blackburn.

NEW EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS ELECTED. Three WFSE/AFSCME

Policy Committees on June 9 held elections to ll vacancies on the unions

Statewide Executive Board: Employment Security--Rosanna Lugo, Local

396, Walla Walla; Higher Education--Lana Brewster, Local 443, The

Evergreen State College, Olympia, and Nicole Kennedy, Local 1488,

University of Washington, Seattle; Transportation--Roberto Guerrero, Local

1299, Othello.


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Page 2 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee August 2012

BARGAINING UPDATES Online: wfse.org>Bargaining

StateEmployeeWashington State Employee(USPS 981-

200) is published monthly, except Februaryand July, for $5.08 per year by the Washing-ton Federation of State Employees/AFSCMECouncil 28 AFL-CIO, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E.Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Afliated withthe American Federation of State, Countyand Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and theWashington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Periodicals postage paid at Olympia, WAand at additional ofces. Circulation:42,000.

POSTMASTER:Send address changes toWashington State Employee, 1212 JeffersonSt SE Suite 300 Olympia WA 98501- 7501

Carol Dotlich, President

Greg Devereux, Executive Director

Editor Tim Welche-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.wfse.orgMember, ILCA

WASHINGTON

ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OPTION. If youd like to save paper and postage, you can receive this newspaper electronically. Go to www.wfse.org and hoverover NEWS & INFO, located in the top menu bar. Select from the drop-down list: WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYEE - Newspaper. Use the formon this page to register for the electronic version. Or e-mail us at [email protected], or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300,Olympia, WA 98501. If youre a represented non-member fee payer and you dont wish to receive this publication in any format, e-mail us at [email protected], or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.

The EWU Bargaining Team June 19 in Cheney. From left: Craig Walker, Chief NegotiatorBanks Evans, Lance Walker,

Quincy Burns, Robert Schmitter, Eric Rux, Ken Reidt, Nita Holbert, Pat Terrell and David Sundstrom.

The bargaining team for WFSE/AFSCMEs new Kitsap Tenant Support Servic-

es (KTSS) Bargaining Unit kicked off negotiations on a rst-ever contract July

13 in Bremerton. From left: Al Quattrocchi, Ashley Klocke, Chief Negotiator

Sarah Clifthorne, Lisa Hennings, Gary Martell, WFSE/AFSCME Journey

OrganizerTim Tharp and Johnnie Driskell. Related story, page 5.

Three of the members of the WFSE/AFSCME

Health Care Coalition team (from left): Nicole

Kennedy, UW, Local 1488; Brett Clubbe,

WSU, Local 53; Jeff Paulsen, CTS, Local

443; and (standing) Chief NegotiatorSteve

Kreisberg,AFSCME. Also representing

WFSE/AFSCME on the coalition are: GabeHall, Green Hill School, Local 862; Craig

Gibelyou, Local 793, Western State Hospital;

Kirk Talmadge, TESC, Local 443; Josef

Bailey, WWU Police, Local 1381; Todd Hen-

derson, Green River CC, Local 304; David

Sundstrom, EWU, Local 931; and WFSE/AF-

SCME's ofcers President Carol Dotlich, Vice

President Sue Henricksen, Secretary Judy

Kuschel and TreasurerRosemary Sterling.

All of WFSE/AFSCMEsbargaining teams are churn-ing along on 2013-2015 con-tracts with revenues up inJune and health care negotia-tions on the table.

Its expected that com-pensation will occupy most ofeach teams time the next twomonths.

Heres a quick roundup(as of July 20):

The General GovernmentBargaining Team negotiatedJuly 10 and 11 and have nowwrapped up 32 of the 54 ar-ticles -- an amazing accom-plishment at this early stageof negotiations. The team re-turns to the table Aug. 14.

Teams that began negotia-tions since the last newspa-per: Central Washington Uni-versity; Kitsap Tenant Sup-port Services; The EvergreenState College Classied Staff;Eastern Washington Univer-sity; and the Community Col-

lege Coalition.

Teams continuing to makeprogress: Western Washing-ton University; Universityof Washington; WashingtonState University; AmericanBehavioral Health Systems(details, page 5); and MedicalInterpreters (related stories,page 5 and 6).

Away from the table, theCommunity College Coali-

tion continued its campaignagainst the 3 percent pay cutthat took effect July 1 theonly group of higher educa-tion workers facing such acut. Other campuses absorbedthe cut in other ways. Thecontinuing campaign in-cluded a June 14 appeal to theSeattle Community CollegesBoard of Trustees (above,members leave meeting).

The Evergreen State CollegeNon-Management ExemptStaff handed out hundreds ofstickers on the day of gradua-tion ceremonies June 15. Thestickers read Student for

Student Affairs Exempt StaffUnion and sent a clear mes-sage to graduation attendeesthat exempt support staff playa critical role in helping stu-dents succeed.

NEWS BRIEFS

DEMAND TO BARGAIN FILED

IN AGRICULTURE.WFSE/AFSCME on July 2 led ademand to bargain overthe Department of Agricul-tures proposed elimina-tion of Grain Division jobclasses in favor of theprogram specialist series.The agency proposes the

elimination to the Augustmeeting of the state per-sonnel director. The jobsproposed for eliminationare: Grain Storage Ex-aminer 1-3; Grain ProteinSpecialist; Grain Sampler;

Grain Sampler/Weigher;and Grain Inspectors A-C.The union wants to bar-gain over issues tied to theproposed changes, includ-ing impacts of allocating toa more generic classica-tion and compensation.

UW FOUND GUILTY OFANOTHER UNFAIR LABOR

PRACTICE. The ght to win

the simple, basic rightsof call center employeesformerly attached to Har-borview Medical Centerin Seattle saw anothervictory July 11. In the

unions latest unfair la-bor practice ght, a statehearing examiner foundthe UW guilty for refusingto bargain when it refusedto meet with the union and

provide relevant collectivebargaining information to

the union. The examinersaid the UW unlawfullyinterfered with employeerights when it refused to

acknowledge the employ-ees bargaining unit andrepresentation rights. TheUW had until July 31 toappeal.

L&I employees in

Tumwater ock to

union hotdog lunch

n learn event July

11.

At press time July 20,health benets were takingcenter stage at the bargain-ing table, in a grievance andat the Public Employees Ben-ets Board:

The WFSE/AFSCME-led Health Care Coali-tion of all state employeeunions wrapped up its rsttwo days of negotiationson health care premiumamounts July 18. This is thearticle that would go in all2013-2015 contracts.

The teams goal LOUDAND CLEAR: Hold the lineon health care!

Negotiations will contin-

ue, but no date has been set.

Stand by for any calls toaction that may be needed.

WFSE/AFSCME on July19 led a group grievance on

behalf of all its coalition part-

ners to recoup funds divertedby the Legislature equal toemployees 15 percent shareof premiums. The grievanceasks for that $17.7 million,

plus interest, diverted when

the Legislature earlier thisyear cut its share of premiumcosts from $850 a month to$800 a month.

The PEBB was set to vote

July 25 on premium costsand other benet plans forcalendar year 2013. Itd begood news for those in theUniform Plan premiumswould go down at all levelsand thered be no increasesin co-pays.

But for those in GroupHealth, premiums would goup for all levels in all threeGroup Health plans. Co-pays for emergency visitswould go up for both GHC-Classic and Value.

Premiums for KaiserClassic would go up, buttheyd go down for KaiserCDHP. Kaiser Classic wouldalso have increases in out-of-pocket maximums anddeductibles.

Holding the line on health care!


23/27

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State EmployeePage 4 August 2012

An injury to one

is an injury to all!

The Legislature directed the com-mittee to study whether more high-risk job classes should be included inthe Public Safety Employees Retire-ment System (PSERS). PSERS allowsearlier retirement and fewer penalties,but its restricted to law-enforcementjob classes in such agencies as Correc-tions, Parks and Recreation and Natu-ral Resources.

McDonough told the committee hes

been injured severely enough fvetimes in his six years at the hospital torequire L&I claims. Two of the injuriesrequired major surgery and hospitalstays.

His latest injury came when apatient bit and clawed him and then

With cast and cane,

injured member urgeslegislative action on

high-risk job classes

Patrick McDonough limped his way to a hearing roomin Olympia June 27 to urge lawmakers to allowworkers like him in high-risk job classes many of

whom have already been severely injured -- to retire early.McDonough, with his right leg and foot in a cast,

needed a cane to walk the few painful steps to deliver histestimony to the Select Committee on Pension Policy. Hesa psychiatric security attendant at Western State Hospitalin Lakewood and a member of Local 793.

stomped on the bridge of his rightfoot. He now has the cast, the cane andsix screws in his foot.

Eventually, these injuries are go-ing to take a toll on my body and myability to do my job, McDonough toldthe committee. I see this happen tomy co-workers and I know it will hap-pen to me as well. I like my job and Ifeel I am doing something important,but make no mistake, its dangerouswork.

It isnt right that with the mod-est salary I take home that I should beforced to work until I am 65 years oldbecause I cant afford to retire.

WFSE/AFSCME Lobbyist MattZuvich said there should be the sameconcern about workers in high-risk job

classes in institutions, juvenile reha-bilitation and transportation.

There is a higher business cost

in these public safety job classes tokeeping somebody into age 65 thanit would be to consider early retire-ment, Zuvich told the committee.

I have seen workers in their 60snext to me separating patients whohave attacked someone, grimacingin pain while trying to protect them-selves and their co-workers, Mc-

Donough said. Being attacked by a20-year-old patient in excellent healthwho is agitated and intending to hurtanyone in their proximity is not un-

common.The exclusion of other dangerous

job classes wasnt fair when PSERSwas created in 2004, he said.

We hope you see the need to fx itnow, McDonough said.

The select committee includeslegislators and representatives fromaffected pension system enrollees.WFSE/AFSCMEs Bob Keller and AF-SCME Council 2s J. Pat Thompson siton the committee.

The panel will study the high-risk

job classes through the summer andfall. Any recommendations wouldcome in November, followed by anyrecommended legislation.

Listening to testimony from

McDonough and Zuvich are

(from left) SCPP members:

Randy Davis (represent-

ing active TRS employees);

WFSE/AFSCMEs Bob Keller

(PERS actives); Steve Hill,

state retirement director; andAFSCME Council 2s J. Pat

Thompson (PERS actives).

McDonough (left) and Zuvich after

testimony on high-risk job classes.

Other dangerous jobs in the study

Transportation:Inches away from speeding drivers

KathyHatch-

er hasone of the

dangerousDepartmentof Transporta-tion jobs now

being studiedfor possibleinclusion in

the PublicSafety Employees Retirement System(PSERS).

Shes a maintenance lead tech-nician working out of the Alder nearMount Rainier. The Local 53 member

has 31 years with DOT.Routine tasks this time of year

include cleaning up from winterstorms, clearing the ditches, patching

the pavement, cleaning the drainagesystems and repairing guardrails, shesaid.

Many times trafc has to bestopped for short times while someof this work is being done and that iswhen some drivers let their emotions

get out of hand....Under the best of circumstances,

we often work within a few feet of mov-

ing vehicles, and we need all the helpwe can get to stay safe.

Juvenile Rehabilitation:Violence spikes at Green Hill

Juvenile Rehabilitation is anotherarea of dangerous work thatWFSE/AFSCME wants studied

for possible inclusion in PSERS.

The recent spike in violenceagainst staff at Green Hill School in

Chehalis is just one example of thecrying need for help for the workerswatching over youthful offenders.

In June alone there were 17assaults on staff, ranging from urineand feces hurled at workers to

counselors being shanked and head-butted.

By the end of April, there were

as many assaults on staff as for all oflast year, said Green Hill School Local862 member Gabe Hall.

The state, media and union pointto the closure of Maple Lane School

and the mixingof those mentalhealth youth with

the generally

older and moresophisticated

population atGreen Hill.

Its a

much tougherpopulation to dealwith, Green Hill

School AssociateSuperintendent

Lori Nesmith told the Centralia

Chronicle July 6.The union and management

have formed a joint work group to ndsolutions to the growing violence.

Hall


24/27

The ofcial newspaper of the

WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE

EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28AFL-CIO

VOL. 40 NO. 8

OCTOBER 2012

WASHINGTON

StateEmployee

VOTE!

www.d

iscoverpass.w

a.g

ov

GENERAL ELECTION 2012

Now good on either

of two vehicles!

Seattle Times millionaires attack Jay Inslee for vow to trim

Washington Management Service, other mid-management

Meanwhile, Obama,Clinton endorse In-slee as authentic,independent leader

that middle classfamilies need

The millionaires who ownthe Seattle Times recentlyattacked Jay Inslee for hisproposal to shrink the ranksof middle management instate government, includingthe Washington ManagementService. Inslee is WFSE/AF-SCMEs endorsed candidatefor governor.

The Times said Inslee hadexaggerated the growth ofWMS, when he fact he hadnt.

It grew from 445 in 1994 to itspeak of 5,300 in 2005 -- a 1,191percent increase.

The truth is, the Wash-ington Management Servicereally has grown by about

1,000 percent, WFSE/AFSC-

ME said in responding to theTimes attack on Inslees plansto trim WMS.

The Seattle Times shouldput aside its bias for RobMcKenna and concede thatJay Inslee is actually right.

Regardless, the Wash-

ington Management Service istoo big and too wrong. Insleeis in the mainstream of themany continuing efforts totrim the size and scope of thisbehemoth that is a demoraliz-ing and costly embarrassment

for the state.

President Barack Obama (left) and

former President (and AFSCME

member) Bill Clinton (above) have

endorsed Jay Inslee for governor.

Clinton has maintained his strong

ties to his former union.

I

P

T

T

E

E

F

F

E

ON PAGE 3:

Is McKenna for real?

General Election ballots going in

the mail by Oct. 19

AT PRESS TIME: Negotiations to HOLD THE LINE ON HEALTH CARE continueAt press time Sept. 19, most

WFSE/AFSCME contracts were

out for ratication by members.

Meanwhile, separate talks on

health care continue. Those

would not affect ratication of

your respective contract.

Stay up to date at

www.wfse.orgThe Community College Coalition Bargaining Team at recent team caucus. The General Government Bargaining Team prepares counterproposals to

management in one of its nal bargaining sessions in Lacey.

Local 53 members at Washington State University Extension in Puyallupsend a strong message at Sept. 13 Fair Contract event. Walla Walla Local 396 members Peggy Dennis and Kraig Horlacher, both maintenance technician 2s with the De-partment of Transportation, tell governor state workers and their contracts are part of the economic recovery.

From all corners of the state, you stood for FAIR CONTRACTS!Were all in this together.The Fair Contract Campaign brought agreements with no pay cuts, some economic gains, other pluses. More photos, pages 4-6.


25/27

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State EmployeePage 4 October 2012

From all corners of the state...

The Fair Contract Campaign was the largestmember grassroots mobilization since the 2001

strike.

FROM LEFT: Local 443, Lacey; Yakima DSHS, Local 1326; Bellingham CSO (DSHS), Local 1060; Local 1020, Everett

Local 1291,

Pasco DOT Everett Community College, Local 1020

Central Washington University, Local 330

Lakeland Village Local 573, Medical Lake

Goldendale DSHS, Local 716

Oakridge Group Home (JRA), Local 793, Lakewood

Washington State University, Local 1066, Pullman

Whatcom Community College, Local 1381, Bellingham

Mount Vernon DSHS, Local 1060

Ofce of the Insur-ance Commissioner,

Local 443, Tumwater


26/27

October 2012 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee Page 5

...you stood for FAIR CONTRACTS!

Local 843 members John Lindsey, Kristina James and Latrice Wilson at 8/10/12 Capitol

Hill CSO event.

Community

Colleges of

Spokane, Local

1221

ABOVE: Western State Hospital, Local 783, Lakewood

RIGHT: Mount Vernon DVR, Local 1060

Signing the big

Fair Contract peti-

tion:

LEFT: Ian Linton,

Local 843, at 8/10/12

Capitol Hill CSO

event, Seattle.

RIGHT: Bouzekri

Achak, HMC Cus-

todian, after sign-

ing Fair Contract

petition at Local

1488 picnic, 8/18/12,

Seattle.

Yakima Valley School, Local 1326, Selah

Olympia, Local 443

Kennewick Employment Security (left), Local 1253 Kennewick, Local 1253 (right).

Enterprise Services, Local 476, Sedro Woolley

Yakima Local

1326 shop stew-

ardsMedical Interpreters, Local 1671

(contract settled and ratied!)


27/27

From all corners of the state, you stood for FAIR CONTRACTS!

Labor & Industries,

Local 443, Tumwater

Tacoma DSHS, Local 53

Columbia River CSO (DSHS), Local 313, Vancouver

At Spokane Local 1221 picnicMount Vernon DSHS,Local 1060

DSHS CIBS

Columbia Basin Work-

source

Bellingham DDD, Local

1060

Yakima DSHS, Local

1326

Mount Vernon Childrens Administration (DSHS),

Local 1060

Mount Vernon Department

of Corrections, Local 1060

Bellingham DCFS, Local 1060

Stevenson CSO (DSHS), Local 716 The Evergreen State College Non-Management

Exempt Staff, Local 443

Toppenish DCFS,

Local 1326

Yakima Employment

Security, Local 1326

Middle Class Heroes for a Fair Contract

Documents

Transcript of Middle Class Heroes for a Fair Contract