Weekly Statewide Steward Meetings:
Contract Funding & Action Planning
Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30pm
May 6th
May 13th
May 20th
May 27th Click to Join on Tuesdays at 6:30pm
We’re kicking off weekly steward meetings starting next Tuesday, May 6th from 6:30–7:30 PM
These meetings will be focused on coordinating efforts to mobilize our members to contact the Governor and urge him not to sign the budget—unless it fully funds all union contracts.
We have until May 18th to get as many letters to the governor as possible.
Your leadership and involvement are critical in this moment. Please make every effort to attend and encourage fellow stewards to join as well.
Overview of Where We Are:
The legislation did not include WPEA in the budget.
RCW 41.80 says that if the contracts are not funded, they are not valid and either party can seek negotiations.
What this means is that if the governor signs the budget as it is currently written, WPEA Higher Education, General Government, and Highline College members will not have ratified/funded agreements on July 1, 2025. This means they will enter into a 3rd year of the terms of the current contract. Those terms and conditions will not include the COLAs or targeted class increases. There are a lot of questions unresolved about how agencies and institutions would implement this. TODAY we need still have an opportunity to get funding, if the Governor doesn’t sign this budget. We need Governor Ferguson to understand that he cannot sign any budget that does not include ALL union contracts.
We are being told that we were ‘too late’ to get funded –but we wouldn’t be here if OFM hadn’t dragged their feet and refused to bargain in good faith, delaying months! Their refusal to return to the table delayed negotiations by months, and they did not return until we sued them. The contracts that didn’t ratify in September but got right back to the table to bargain were funded, they were not negotiated with OFM. This delay in reaching agreement was created by OFM’s refusal to immediately return to the table and engage in good faith negotiations – OFM is the Governor’s designee for bargaining. He needs to know that this delay was created by his designee and not the Union’s team.
Ferguson has 20 days after session to review the budget, we have 17 days left to appeal to him. There is a lot of confusion and misinformation floating around out there. We are hearing from legislators and employers that think the contracts have been funded.
Actions 1. Attend Steward Meetings via Zoom on Tuesdays – 6:30-7:30 2. Sign the letter to the governor – and have others sign the letter to the governor. 3. Show up for May 7th – Rally at the Capitol to deliver the letter to the governor.
Join Link for Steward Meeting @ 6:30pm Sign the Letter to the Governor (https://www.wpea.org/sign.html )
May 7th: Rally in Olympia
We deliver the letter to the governor in person on May 7th at the OFM hosted celebration of state employees event.
Wear WPEA BLUE!
Day of Action: Rally at the Capitol
When: May 7th at 10:30am
Where: Washington State Capitol
Travel: WPEA will reimburse mileage and per diem for members who travel – contact julia@wpea.org for more information.
Let us know you are coming! RSVP when you sign the letter to the governor.
What Else:
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- Request time off now!
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- Consider organizing a group or carpooling!
NEED A SHIRT? Request yours here now!
LD 41 Community Town Hall:
May 3rd
THIS SATURDAY: May 3rd 9am-11am
Bellevue College
U Building
3000 Landerholm Cir SE
Bellevue, WA 98007
Legislative District 41 is hosting an in person town hall at Bellevue College. Wear Blue and join in solidarity with WPEA members to share our thoughts on issues impacting this district and help legislators set priorities for the 2026 legislative session.
