Respect Our Agreement: Stop Misusing the Law to Undermine Classified Staff

At Highline College, classified staff and the administration came together in good faith to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). That agreement included two key components: 1. Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to be funded through the state budget process; and 2. A one-time bonus to be paid from local college funds, with no state budget dependency.

This agreement was approved by our WPEA bargaining team, ratified by Highline’s Board of Trustees, and sent to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) for legislative submission.

But the State failed to meet its obligation: The Governor’s office did not include the CBA in the proposed budget, effectively blocking legislative ratification. This has already harmed classified staff by withholding the 3% and 2% COLAs negotiated over two years.

Now, to make matters worse, the Attorney General’s office is advising that even the locally funded bonus—which has no connection to legislative funding—cannot be paid. This legal position is not only unjust, it is in direct conflict with an established PERC legal precedent.

In PERC Decision 10608-A, a nearly identical situation occurred at the University of Washington. A wage increase agreed to and implemented by the university was later suspended after OFM refused to certify similar contracts. The Public Employment Relations Commission ruled clearly:

“It is legally impossible for a bargained-for term or condition of employment to be both tentative and implemented at the same time.” – PERC Decision 10608-A, p.6

Further, PERC concluded that OFM oversight under RCW 41.80.010(3) only applies to state-funded agreements, and does not extend to provisions paid from local funds.

This ruling makes clear:

• Local colleges retain authority to fulfill obligations funded from their own budgets; and
• The AG’s current “advice” contradicts PERC’s binding legal precedent.

Highline College has the moral and legal authority to honor its agreement to pay the one-time bonus. To renege now—based on a misinterpretation of RCW 41.80—would be not only legally flawed, but a betrayal of the college’s own ratified commitment.

We, the classified staff, respectfully demand:

• Highline College honor its local bonus agreement.
• The AG and OFM cease obstructing agreements not requiring their oversight.
• The state rectify the broken budget process that invalidated the COLAs.

We are not asking for favors—we are asking for fairness, honesty, and respect for agreements made in good faith.

We call on our community and our leadership to stand with us.