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Dear Represented Staff at Department of Revenue,

You are receiving this email because you work at the Department of Revenue, and you are represented by the Washington Public Employees Association. We are fighting to get the best contract and workplace protections for the people we represent at DOR. To be the best possible advocates for our members, we’re making some changes to how we communicate. This message is part of that change. If you’d prefer not to receive communications from your union, please update your subscriptions preference at the bottom of this email.

After the Supreme Court’s Janus v. AFSCME decision, every public sector union in this country faced unprecedented challenges. The Court ruled that public employees could no longer be required to contribute financially to the unions legally obligated to represent them. The result was a significant blow to collective bargaining nationwide—weakening unions’ resources, capacity, and stability almost overnight.

Some units weathered that storm more easily than others. Others, including Department of Revenue, were left more vulnerable.

But what we continue to hear from DOR employees—members and non-members alike—is not opposition to unions. It is a lack of clarity about what the union does and how to engage with it.

This message is part of changing that.

Before I was elected President, I briefly served as the statewide representative for DOR. I quickly realized that experiences within this agency are not uniform. In some offices, employees described respectful relationships with management, valued their pension and retirement benefits, and felt their overall working conditions were solid. I am genuinely glad to hear that. Every public servant deserves to feel respected.

At the same time, we heard troubling reports from others—accounts of intimidation, retaliation, and conduct that should never be normalized. We heard stories of managers locking employees in rooms to “prove” they worked until 4:30. We heard reports of threats to contact immigration authorities. We had to represent employees who almost lost their jobs because they needed to take protected leave for chemotherapy. What struck me most was how often difficult treatment was described as though it were simply “how things are” at DOR.

That contrast raised important questions: How do we protect what is working well while ensuring no employee is left without recourse when things are not?

If you feel satisfied with your current conditions, I hope that continues. I also hope you never find yourself needing union advocacy in a moment of crisis. But if that day ever comes, it will matter whether the union materially still exists.

What is less visible—especially when things are going well—is the work required to maintain those conditions. Bargaining the contract is only one step. Every day, representatives enforce it, defend it, and respond to member concerns. Caseloads are full. Staff routinely work evenings, weekends, and holidays to ensure protections are not quietly eroded.

Strong working conditions do not sustain themselves. They are maintained through constant vigilance.

Just as importantly, that same standard applies to us at WPEA, not just your employer.

Over the years, I heard frustration from members who felt they were not receiving the level of support they deserved from WPEA. When I became President, addressing those concerns became a priority. We made staffing changes, increased on-site presence, invested in internal systems, and hired a DOR employee to help us better understand the unique realities of this agency.

WPEA has eight field staff supporting 28 bargaining units statewide. Half of that capacity is directed, at least in part, toward the Department of Revenue—and one staff member is assigned here full time.

That level of investment reflects how seriously we take this unit. It also reflects a deliberate effort to increase visibility and rebuild trust.

This unit has fierce advocates among WPEA staff who have pushed for greater presence, visibility, and access to information. They convinced me that engagement can make a meaningful difference in strengthening this unit. I chose to invest in that approach. I hope you will take that commitment seriously and respond accordingly.

Union membership at DOR remains at historic lows. That reality matters—not only for day-to-day representation, but for our ability to bargain effectively.

One of the core concepts in collective bargaining is understanding what it takes to influence outcomes. Ask yourselves: What would truly pressure the Office of Financial Management to offer a substantial pay increase? What would compel the state to make a costly investment in your wages when it has a fiduciary responsibility to minimize expenses?

Historically, leverage comes from collective action—when employees are organized, visible, and prepared to act together. That can take many forms: coordinated participation, strict adherence to policy, collective use of leave, or other actions that demonstrate how essential your labor is to the agency’s functioning.

At DOR, many employees are understandably reluctant to take such steps because you care deeply about the people you serve. Choosing not to go above and beyond—even temporarily—can feel uncomfortable when you take pride in your work. I respect that integrity. It reflects the professionalism of this workforce.

But it creates a difficult tension.

When participation in the union remains low and employees are not visibly organized, it becomes harder to demonstrate collective power at the bargaining table. Without that unity, even strong arguments for fair compensation carry limited weight.

Last year provides a clear example. After members voted down a tentative agreement that included cost-of-living adjustments, OFM disengaged from negotiations. WPEA pursued legal action to compel the state to return to the table. The eventual agreement to provide back pay was not automatic. It resulted from sustained pressure and visible member engagement.

For the first time, large numbers of members observed bargaining in real time. That visibility mattered. When members are present and organized, the state’s calculation changes. The back pay agreement emerged because members showed they were watching and prepared to stand behind their bargaining team.

That is what leverage looks like in practice.

WPEA continues to invest in Department of Revenue because we believe this unit can be strong, engaged, and respected. But that future cannot be built by staff alone.

It depends on you.

If you are not currently a member and the only thing standing in your way is that no one ever asked you to sign up or showed you how — I can fix that. Go to www.wpea.com/join and complete the one-page authorization form.

This is a moment of choice for this unit.

We can continue as we are—or we can decide, together, that DOR employees deserve better.

WPEA is committed to doing our part.

I am asking you to do yours.

In solidarity,

Amanda Hacker WPEA President http://www.wpea.org