A letter from your WPEA president Amanda Hacker

I am writing to request that each of you write a letter about returning to the table for bargaining. To be clear this is a call to action – we have launched a letter writing campaign and it is having an impact on OFM and the local level management – but we need more members participating by writing a letter. OFM will not return to the table because I want them to, however if all of our members join together and make clear what their expectations are we can get them back to the table collectively.

What is at stake here is our ability to bargain a TA’ed agreement that our members are willing to ratify. We cannot reach agreement unless OFM is willing to bargain. Once we have a ratified contract, we can work toward getting that funded by the Legislature – however, once the session is over next year in June, we do not have the option to get any ratified agreement funded for the first year of the biennium. As a Union, we cannot accept this outcome and must demand better for ourselves, our coworkers, and the taxpayers in Washington State.

We have already wasted a month on OFM dragging their feet – WPEA’s bargaining teams have been ready to return to the table since October 1st, yet we do not have any sessions scheduled with OFM. We proposed a weekly 4 hour session starting early November until we reach agreement, but OFM has responded with:

• One four-hour session in December
• One four-hour session in January
• One four-hour session in February (proposing February 12 for general government and February 26 for higher education), and
• Then work together to find dates for commencing a reasonable schedule and duration for the months following through September 2025.

OFM is attempting to force us into a one-year agreement by avoiding bargaining until it is too late to get a contract funded– the only way that this is going to be successful is if we allow it. If you, or your coworkers, want to have any chance of getting a salary increase on July 1, 2025, please take ten minutes to write a letter and ask your fellow Union members, union supporting friends, family, and loved ones to do the same.

Amanda Hacker

WPEA President

How to Participate

All the details you need to join the campaign are available on our website. You can also find a link on our Bargaining 2024 page under the “Actions” section. Campaign Details

On the website, you’ll find:

• A letter-writing training video.
• 2 letter templates focused on the perspectives of both Union Members and Union Supporters.
• Key talking points for drafting your own letter.
• Instructions on setting up your email signature.
• A management contact list for sending your letter.

Every letter makes a difference.

We want to thank you for standing with your fellow members and let’s show OFM that we are ready to negotiate now!

In solidarity,

WPEA/UFCW 365