WVC workers join statewide cost of living rally
https://www.ncwlife.com/news/wvc-workers-join-statewide-cost-of-living-rally/article_06c7173e-6586-11ef-ab20-cf15720067d2.html
WENATCHEE — Wenatchee Valley College workers walked an informational picket line today outside the administration building, seeking a better cost of living increase under their next contract.
Ninety-eight WVC staff are among the thousands of state classified workers who must come to an agreement by Oct. 1 with Washington’s Office of Financial Management. The college is not directly involved in the negotiations.
The Washington Public Employees Association, which represents community college classified staff including WVC's, says contracts with the state system over the last 25 years have yielded an average cost of living increase of 1.67% per year. That has not kept pace with real price increases in goods, housing and services averaging 2.6% a year.
In the last year alone, consumer prices have risen 3% in western U.S. cities, according to July tables from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"So we've just been getting further and further behind," says Wendy Glenn, a data engineer at WVC and a member of the union’s bargaining committee. "... They're offering us 2% this year and 0% the next year. And we've seen how grocery prices have almost doubled, and housing prices have skyrocketed."
"Classified staff" includes custodians, financial aid assistants, administrative assistants, grounds maintenance and others — "sort of the backbone" of the college, Glenn says. The WPEA staged seven informational pickets at community colleges across the state.
In recent years, staffmembers have had to quit, take second jobs, or go on public assistance to make ends meet. An estimated 35 classified workers have departed WVC in the last year, she says.
Washington law provides regular cost of living increases for community college teaching faculty, through a formula based on the U.S. consumer price index. No such guarantee is in place for community college classified staff, although there is a similar provision for classified staff at technical colleges.
"The academic part is funded," Glenn says, "but that the staff that support the colleges, that support the teachers and support the facilities themselves — we'd like to see legislation that would show that we're tied to the cost of living also."
https://www.ncwlife.com/news/wvc-workers-join-statewide-cost-of-living-rally/article_06c7173e-6586-11ef-ab20-cf15720067d2.html
WENATCHEE — Wenatchee Valley College workers walked an informational picket line today outside the administration building, seeking a better cost of living increase under their next contract.
Ninety-eight WVC staff are among the thousands of state classified workers who must come to an agreement by Oct. 1 with Washington’s Office of Financial Management. The college is not directly involved in the negotiations.
The Washington Public Employees Association, which represents community college classified staff including WVC's, says contracts with the state system over the last 25 years have yielded an average cost of living increase of 1.67% per year. That has not kept pace with real price increases in goods, housing and services averaging 2.6% a year.
In the last year alone, consumer prices have risen 3% in western U.S. cities, according to July tables from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"So we've just been getting further and further behind," says Wendy Glenn, a data engineer at WVC and a member of the union’s bargaining committee. "... They're offering us 2% this year and 0% the next year. And we've seen how grocery prices have almost doubled, and housing prices have skyrocketed."
"Classified staff" includes custodians, financial aid assistants, administrative assistants, grounds maintenance and others — "sort of the backbone" of the college, Glenn says. The WPEA staged seven informational pickets at community colleges across the state.
In recent years, staffmembers have had to quit, take second jobs, or go on public assistance to make ends meet. An estimated 35 classified workers have departed WVC in the last year, she says.
Washington law provides regular cost of living increases for community college teaching faculty, through a formula based on the U.S. consumer price index. No such guarantee is in place for community college classified staff, although there is a similar provision for classified staff at technical colleges.
"The academic part is funded," Glenn says, "but that the staff that support the colleges, that support the teachers and support the facilities themselves — we'd like to see legislation that would show that we're tied to the cost of living also."
Public employees plan statewide walkout
https://www.thestand.org/2024/08/public-employees-plan-statewide-walkout/
OLYMPIA, WA (August 21, 2024) — At 12:00 pm on September 10, unionized public employees at state agencies, community colleges and four-year universities will Walkout for Washington to demand livable wages, safe staffing levels, and respect for the Washingtonians that depend on their services.
Negotiations have been underway since April between the 50,000 public workers represented by AFSCME Council 28 (the Washington Federation of State Employees) and the Office of Financial Management (OFM). At the conclusion of a 15-hour bargaining session on August 19th, the parties remained no closer to an agreement on critical matters like compensation.
In the midst of a staffing crisis in the public sector, OFM has proposed what accounts to a pay cut for WFSE members’ 2025-27 union contracts.
In the General Government contract, which includes most state agencies and some 40,000 employees, the state is proposing takeaways that include cuts at 24/7 institutions like Green Hill School and Western State Hospital that are suffering the most acute staffing shortages and assaults on the job.
40% of the state employee workforce has turned over in 8 years due to resignations alone.
Tom Cline, the senior systems administrator at Peninsula Community College and a bargaining team member for the Community College Coalition, sums up the experience at the bargaining table, “We’re given an impression that we were important, but then they’re treating us like we’re second members of society.”
The staffing crisis looks as varied as the different kinds of work WFSE members do.
At the Department of Transportation, it means more close calls, worksite injuries, and deaths. Andrew Stubblefield, a WFSE member and WSDOT highway maintenance worker was almost killed last week by a semi-truck.
“We have seven positions, and apparently we’re not going to fill our seventh slot this year,” Stubblefield says, “And that presents a safety hazard for us because we do a lot of mobile traffic control. And whenever we’re short, even one person, we can’t get a lot of that done. It shows in the number of very close call incursions we’ve had with motorists.”
WFSE members who work in trades jobs will deliver a petition to OFM’s office in Olympia that is signed by 1,300 public workers on August 28 at 9am. Another petition signed by over 2,000 public employees in administrative support positions will be delivered to OFM virtually on August 21.
“I have seen admins request time off during the workday to attend WIC appointments, a USDA nutrition program, because they are underpaid and qualify for the benefits,” said Mïlo Nicholas, a health services consultant at the Department of Health and a WFSE General Government bargaining team member. “These admins ensure that the agency runs smoothly with their high-pressure jobs and are the backbone of public health services, yet they can’t afford to feed their families.”
In DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation division, workers report that the rehabilitation isn’t being done. With insufficient staff to provide youth with therapeutic and recreational activities, workers at Green Hill School and Echo Glen Children’s Center have experienced an alarming rise in assaults.
In July 2024, DCYF halted youth intakes at Echo Glen and Green Hill School due to overcrowding and is looking to open a facility with more beds. WFSE protested the closing of Maple Lane in 2015 and Naselle Youth Camp in 2022.
Elsewhere in DCYF, child welfare workers are currently suffering under double, triple, and in some areas quadruple their “maximum caseload.” Over half of DCYF employees represented by WFSE called for the removal of DCYF Director Ross Hunter. The Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice has renewed that call.
“In DCYF, we have seen the Governor and the Legislature add more and more to our workloads, and we cannot continue to do more with less and expect good outcomes for children, youth and families,” said Jeanette Obelcz, a child welfare supervisor and WFSE bargaining team member.”
At the University of Washington and the UW Medical Center, employees have recently started a food bank to help their many coworkers, especially food service workers, who are suffering from food insecurity.
WFSE members in the Department of Corrections Community Corrections Division, who supervise around 18,000 individuals who are reintegrating into our communities, are moving to arbitration after they could not reach an agreement with the OFM.
“The Department of Corrections leadership and politicians take credit for Community Corrections being a progressive supervision model nationally,” said Community Corrections Officer Jim Furchert, who is a WFSE steward and a member of the bargaining team. “The reality of this is these reforms are unfunded mandates.”
https://www.thestand.org/2024/08/public-employees-plan-statewide-walkout/
OLYMPIA, WA (August 21, 2024) — At 12:00 pm on September 10, unionized public employees at state agencies, community colleges and four-year universities will Walkout for Washington to demand livable wages, safe staffing levels, and respect for the Washingtonians that depend on their services.
Negotiations have been underway since April between the 50,000 public workers represented by AFSCME Council 28 (the Washington Federation of State Employees) and the Office of Financial Management (OFM). At the conclusion of a 15-hour bargaining session on August 19th, the parties remained no closer to an agreement on critical matters like compensation.
In the midst of a staffing crisis in the public sector, OFM has proposed what accounts to a pay cut for WFSE members’ 2025-27 union contracts.
In the General Government contract, which includes most state agencies and some 40,000 employees, the state is proposing takeaways that include cuts at 24/7 institutions like Green Hill School and Western State Hospital that are suffering the most acute staffing shortages and assaults on the job.
40% of the state employee workforce has turned over in 8 years due to resignations alone.
Tom Cline, the senior systems administrator at Peninsula Community College and a bargaining team member for the Community College Coalition, sums up the experience at the bargaining table, “We’re given an impression that we were important, but then they’re treating us like we’re second members of society.”
The staffing crisis looks as varied as the different kinds of work WFSE members do.
At the Department of Transportation, it means more close calls, worksite injuries, and deaths. Andrew Stubblefield, a WFSE member and WSDOT highway maintenance worker was almost killed last week by a semi-truck.
“We have seven positions, and apparently we’re not going to fill our seventh slot this year,” Stubblefield says, “And that presents a safety hazard for us because we do a lot of mobile traffic control. And whenever we’re short, even one person, we can’t get a lot of that done. It shows in the number of very close call incursions we’ve had with motorists.”
WFSE members who work in trades jobs will deliver a petition to OFM’s office in Olympia that is signed by 1,300 public workers on August 28 at 9am. Another petition signed by over 2,000 public employees in administrative support positions will be delivered to OFM virtually on August 21.
“I have seen admins request time off during the workday to attend WIC appointments, a USDA nutrition program, because they are underpaid and qualify for the benefits,” said Mïlo Nicholas, a health services consultant at the Department of Health and a WFSE General Government bargaining team member. “These admins ensure that the agency runs smoothly with their high-pressure jobs and are the backbone of public health services, yet they can’t afford to feed their families.”
In DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation division, workers report that the rehabilitation isn’t being done. With insufficient staff to provide youth with therapeutic and recreational activities, workers at Green Hill School and Echo Glen Children’s Center have experienced an alarming rise in assaults.
In July 2024, DCYF halted youth intakes at Echo Glen and Green Hill School due to overcrowding and is looking to open a facility with more beds. WFSE protested the closing of Maple Lane in 2015 and Naselle Youth Camp in 2022.
Elsewhere in DCYF, child welfare workers are currently suffering under double, triple, and in some areas quadruple their “maximum caseload.” Over half of DCYF employees represented by WFSE called for the removal of DCYF Director Ross Hunter. The Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice has renewed that call.
“In DCYF, we have seen the Governor and the Legislature add more and more to our workloads, and we cannot continue to do more with less and expect good outcomes for children, youth and families,” said Jeanette Obelcz, a child welfare supervisor and WFSE bargaining team member.”
At the University of Washington and the UW Medical Center, employees have recently started a food bank to help their many coworkers, especially food service workers, who are suffering from food insecurity.
WFSE members in the Department of Corrections Community Corrections Division, who supervise around 18,000 individuals who are reintegrating into our communities, are moving to arbitration after they could not reach an agreement with the OFM.
“The Department of Corrections leadership and politicians take credit for Community Corrections being a progressive supervision model nationally,” said Community Corrections Officer Jim Furchert, who is a WFSE steward and a member of the bargaining team. “The reality of this is these reforms are unfunded mandates.”
“2% is milk, not a COLA”
Public workers organized with WPEA to hold informational pickets at seven colleges across Washington on August 28
OLYMPIA, WA (August 27, 2024) — Washington Public Employee Association (WPEA) members working in higher education will hold informational pickets on Wednesday, August 28 as negotiations for a new two-year contract continue to drag on. Workers are sounding the alarm on low pay; at some colleges, near 60% of workers make so little that they qualify for state assistance, per the union.
The WPEA Higher Education bargaining coalition has been negotiating with the state since May. Despite months at the table, the union has only secured tentative agreements on 3 out of 50 articles of the contract. With an October 1 deadline looming for an approved contract, the union is concerned the state may be looking to run down the clock instead of meaningfully engaging in bargaining.
The state isn’t moving on key issues like wages, working conditions, and benefits, per the WPEA. For the workers, the state’s current offer on wages — one 2% COLA over the span of the two year contract — just isn’t cutting it.
“2% is milk, not a COLA,” said Higher Education bargaining team member Manda Pelly, who works at Edmonds College. “We deserve fair pay.”
The union points out that with the sharp rise in the cost of living in Washington State, a one-time 2% COLA effectively amounts to a pay cut. The CPI in the Western US grew 2.6% in the last 12 months alone, and 3.8% in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area.
Subpar pay has lasting impacts on both public workers and the thousands of Washingtonian who rely on public services. Workers are stuck in an endless cycle of training new hires, as low wages fail to retain employees long-term. When this cycle is unsustainable, both the workers and the community members who use these services suffer.
TAKE A STAND — join WPEA members for pickets across Washington on Wednesday, August 28:
Bellevue College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Location(s): The free speak zone near the cafeteria.
Clark College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: North GHL entrance, outside in front of culinary
Edmonds College
Multiple dates, times, and locations.
Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/230wpea
Olympic College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 12:00 PM and 3:30 PM
Location: Main entrance by Warren Ave and in front of Building 5
Pierce College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM, 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Location(s): At the northeast and south entrances of the Cascade building
Skagit Valley College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: On the corner of North Laventure and East College Way
Wenatchee Valley College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: 5th Street in front of college by administration building
For more information, contact Julia Thurman-Lascurain at 360.490.8469 or [email protected]
From: https://www.thestand.org/2024/08/2-is-milk-not-a-cola/?link_id=3&can_id=c0d2771788ffc20e5ab8804c795f013b&source=email-paraeducators-may-strike-2-is-milk-not-a-cola-chipotle-stiffed-workers&email_referrer=email_2430977&email_subject=paraeducators-may-strike-2-is-milk-not-a-cola-chipotle-stiffed-workers
OLYMPIA, WA (August 27, 2024) — Washington Public Employee Association (WPEA) members working in higher education will hold informational pickets on Wednesday, August 28 as negotiations for a new two-year contract continue to drag on. Workers are sounding the alarm on low pay; at some colleges, near 60% of workers make so little that they qualify for state assistance, per the union.
The WPEA Higher Education bargaining coalition has been negotiating with the state since May. Despite months at the table, the union has only secured tentative agreements on 3 out of 50 articles of the contract. With an October 1 deadline looming for an approved contract, the union is concerned the state may be looking to run down the clock instead of meaningfully engaging in bargaining.
The state isn’t moving on key issues like wages, working conditions, and benefits, per the WPEA. For the workers, the state’s current offer on wages — one 2% COLA over the span of the two year contract — just isn’t cutting it.
“2% is milk, not a COLA,” said Higher Education bargaining team member Manda Pelly, who works at Edmonds College. “We deserve fair pay.”
The union points out that with the sharp rise in the cost of living in Washington State, a one-time 2% COLA effectively amounts to a pay cut. The CPI in the Western US grew 2.6% in the last 12 months alone, and 3.8% in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area.
Subpar pay has lasting impacts on both public workers and the thousands of Washingtonian who rely on public services. Workers are stuck in an endless cycle of training new hires, as low wages fail to retain employees long-term. When this cycle is unsustainable, both the workers and the community members who use these services suffer.
TAKE A STAND — join WPEA members for pickets across Washington on Wednesday, August 28:
Bellevue College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Location(s): The free speak zone near the cafeteria.
Clark College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: North GHL entrance, outside in front of culinary
Edmonds College
Multiple dates, times, and locations.
Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/230wpea
Olympic College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 12:00 PM and 3:30 PM
Location: Main entrance by Warren Ave and in front of Building 5
Pierce College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM, 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Location(s): At the northeast and south entrances of the Cascade building
Skagit Valley College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: On the corner of North Laventure and East College Way
Wenatchee Valley College
Date: 8/28/2024
Time(s): 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: 5th Street in front of college by administration building
For more information, contact Julia Thurman-Lascurain at 360.490.8469 or [email protected]
From: https://www.thestand.org/2024/08/2-is-milk-not-a-cola/?link_id=3&can_id=c0d2771788ffc20e5ab8804c795f013b&source=email-paraeducators-may-strike-2-is-milk-not-a-cola-chipotle-stiffed-workers&email_referrer=email_2430977&email_subject=paraeducators-may-strike-2-is-milk-not-a-cola-chipotle-stiffed-workers
From: SW Washington Central Labor Council
The WPEA Higher Education bargaining coalition has been bargaining since May and little movement has been made. Out of 50 articles, 3 have been tentatively agreed on with a 2% COLA proposal over the next 2-year contract cycle. One WPEA representative calls that "a slap in the face to our staff and a pattern the state has followed for years."
Clark College WPEA membership will host 2 informational pickets on Wednesday, August 28, at the Clark College campus from 12 pm-12:30 pm and 1 pm-1:30 pm. The picket will start outside by the green parking lot at the north end of the campus. WPEA is asking Southwest Washington union siblings to join them in solidarity - they are looking to make as much noise as possible!
WPEA encourages folks to wear blue (any blue will do!) A map of where the picket will start is attached and you can use this link to sign up. If you have any questions, please reach out to Courtney Braddock at [email protected].
Please join these workers and stand with them as they fight for a fair contract.
The WPEA Higher Education bargaining coalition has been bargaining since May and little movement has been made. Out of 50 articles, 3 have been tentatively agreed on with a 2% COLA proposal over the next 2-year contract cycle. One WPEA representative calls that "a slap in the face to our staff and a pattern the state has followed for years."
Clark College WPEA membership will host 2 informational pickets on Wednesday, August 28, at the Clark College campus from 12 pm-12:30 pm and 1 pm-1:30 pm. The picket will start outside by the green parking lot at the north end of the campus. WPEA is asking Southwest Washington union siblings to join them in solidarity - they are looking to make as much noise as possible!
WPEA encourages folks to wear blue (any blue will do!) A map of where the picket will start is attached and you can use this link to sign up. If you have any questions, please reach out to Courtney Braddock at [email protected].
Please join these workers and stand with them as they fight for a fair contract.
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