Washington State Employee, April 2013

7/30/2019 Washington State Employee, April 2013

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The ofcial newspaper of theWASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE

EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28AFL-CIO

VOL. 41 NO. 3

APRIL 2013

WASHINGTON

StateEmployee

Womens Summer School apps due 5/1!. See 2.

More scholarships, awards apps. See 3, 6, 7.

www.d

iscoverpass.w

a.g

ov

Now good on either

of two vehicles!

The unions CommunityCollege Coalition BargainingTeam never gave up its ght

Part-time Hourly Community College employees air

issues at landmark union-management meeting

From left: Rodolfo Franco, Local 304, Seattle CC; Rod Palmquist, WFSE/AFSCME Higher Ed. strategic coordinator;Joe Andersen, Local 1400, Lower Columbia College; Amber Sexton, Local 53, Tacoma CC; Jerry Machenheimer,Local 1463, Peninsula College; Vicki Echerd, Local 1400, Lower Columbia College; Debbie Brookman, WFSE/AFSCME labor advocate and chief negotiator; Patty Gentile, Local 1381, Whatcom CC; Banks Evans, WFSE/AFSCMElabor advocate; Alanna Gehr, Local 443, South Puget Sound CC; Paul Fernandez, Shoreline CC, Local 304; PamelaMortensen, Local 53, Tacoma CC; Angie Simpson, Local 53, Tacoma CC; Leslie Jordan, Local 304, Shoreline CC;Max Phipps, Local 1020, Everett CC; Rick Halverson, Local 1221, Community Colleges of Spokane; Robin Ledbetter,WFSE/AFSCME council rep.; and Amy LaZerte, Local 304, North Seattle CC.

Its coming down to the

wire as legislators rush

to nish by April 28.

to support members in part-time hourly positions.

When management re-buffed several bargainingproposals last year, the unionwon a special union-manage-ment meeting to begin airingtheir issues.

That landmark meet-ing took place March 21 atTacoma Community Collegewhere a dozen bargainingteam members and part-timehourly members met withrepresentatives from theircolleges and the State Boardfor Community and TechnicalColleges.

They delved into such is-sues as when part-time hour-ly workers should be used,recruitment and retention,leave, benets and adequatepay.

See PART-TIME, page 7

Happy Birthday, Parks! Now, dont cut funding!

On the 100thbirthday of state parksMarch 19, Local 1466members fanned outacross the CapitolCampus deliveringbirthday cupcakes to

each legislator alongwith a special FederationState Parks Supportthe legacy for the next100 years buttons.

Were hoping theLegislature at least will

match Discover Passfunds with General Fundmonies to keep us alive,said Local 1466 memberGreg Kennedy, fromBlake Island State Park.

OUR

CONTRACTS

CLOSING TAX

LOOPHOLES

SAVING

SERVICES

HEALTH

CAREPENSIONS

Your power will make the differenceThe nal budget mustput kids and communi-

ties before tax breaks

Watch our website atwfse.org to TAKE ACTION!

More information in-side on pages 4 & 5.

Rainier SchoolLocal 491 mem-bers (joined bymembers of otherlocals) during abreak from grass-roots lobbying inOlympia 3/22/13.


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Page 2 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee April 2013

WOMENS SUMMER SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP APPS DUE 5/1/13!

StateEmployeeWashington State Employee(USPS 981-

200) is published monthly, except Februaryand July, for $5.08 per year by the Washing-ton Federation of State Employees/AFSCMECouncil 28 AFL-CIO, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E.Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Afliated withthe American Federation of State, Countyand Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and theWashington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Periodicals postage paid at Olympia, WAand at additional ofces. Circulation:42,000.

POSTMASTER:Send address changes toWashington State Employee, 1212 JeffersonSt SE Suite 300 Olympia WA 98501- 7501

Carol Dotlich, President

Greg Devereux, Executive Director

Editor Tim Welche-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.wfse.orgMember, ILCA

WASHINGTON

ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OPTION. If youd like to save paper and postage, you can receive this newspaper electronically. Go to www.wfse.org and hoverover NEWS & INFO, located in the top menu bar. Select from the drop-down list: WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYEE - Newspaper. Use the formon this page to register for the electronic version. Or e-mail us at [email protected], or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300,Olympia, WA 98501. If youre a represented non-member fee payer and you dont wish to receive this publication in any format, e-mail us at [email protected], or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.

May 1 is the deadline to applyfor the 2013 Summer School forTrade Union Women Scholarships.

Applications are now being ac-cepted for the scholarships to payfor registration (up to $650) andtravel costs. The WFSE/AFSCMEWomens/Equal Partners Commit-tee offers two of the awards -- onefor Western Washington and onefor Eastern Washington (if enoughapplications come in). An applica-tion form is at right.

This is the Summer Institute forUnion Women. It takes place June25-29, 2013, at the University ofWashington in Seattle. It is spon-sored by the Washington StateLabor Education and ResearchCenter.

The conference centers on thetheme, Women Work for Justice.

For questions on the scholar-ship, call 1-800-562-6002.

Applications now

being accepted

for Womens

Summer School

Scholarships

Application

SUMMER SCHOOL FOR TRADE UNION WOMEN SCHOLARSHIPS 2013Offered by the WFSE/AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners Committee

Offers two scholarships for registration fee (up to $650) and travel costs. One scholarship will be awarded forWestern Washington and one for Eastern Washington (if enough applications come in). Recipients will attendthe summer school June 25-29, 2013, at the University of Washington in Seattle.Please complete the following questions:

1. Are you a member in good standing of WFSE/AFSCME?Yes Length of membership Local No.No How long have you been a state employee?

2. Have you previously attended a Womens Summer School? Yes No

3. Do you hold a leadership position in your local? Yes No

4. Ethnic heritage (optional)

5. Reason for wanting to attend

Name

Address

City State Zip

Telephone: (Daytime) (Evening)

Home e-mail address:

Signature of Applicant

Signature of Local Union Ofcer (optional)Application deadline: May 1, 2013.

For more information, call 1-800-562-6002 or (360) 352-7603. Online: www.wfse.org, click on Member Resources >

Scholarship Information. Return this application to: WFSE/AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners Committee, 1212 Jef-ferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Or FAX to (360) 352-7079.

Have you had a memberor his/her family memberin your ofce deal with anillness, injury, domestic vio-lence, Labor and Industriesclaim, or reasonable accom-

modation issue?When medical issues

arise, our members can begreatly affected physically,emotionally and nancially.

As a shop steward, youhave resources that may beused to really help our mem-bership dealing with theseissues.

Your contract has provi-

Helping members when an injury or illness is an issuesions for shared leave, rea-sonable accommodation, theFamily Medical Leave Act,Family Care Act, DomesticViolence Leave Act, as wellas Labor and Industries laws.

Consider sharing this infor-mation with members youknow of who are having thesetypes of issues.

Oftentimes employeeswho are using a lot of leave orare forced to take leave with-out pay are targeted by man-agement as having perfor-mance issues when in realityit is an illness or injury issue.

By helping our membersexercise their federal and statelaw rights as well as contrac-tual rights, we protect ourmembership from possiblediscipline, corrective action,termination and nancialhardship.

As a steward, one thing

you may doto help yourmember isto contactTim Welchat WFSE

HQ whenshared leaveis needed.

Once management has ap-proved the members requestto apply for shared leave,contact Tim and he will postthe request on the statewideHotline that is distributedstatewide, posted online andin this newspaper. Shared

leave allows members withexcess leave to donate thatleave to members in need ofsick leave.

Shop stewards are a val-ued resource for our mem-

bership with these typesof issues. Imagine the painand stress that comes witha serious illness/injury andthen imagine yourself in thatsituation.

Use the contractualrights our members haveand protect them from ad-ditional stress and actionstaken by management.

STEWARD

CENTERwfse

.org

SHOP STEWARD CORNER

STEWARDS IN AC-

TION. Enrique Castro

of Local 1381 at West-ern Washington Uni-

versity (right) in Bell-ingham was one of thegraduates of the March10 Stewards in ActionTraining at the WFSE/AFSCME SmokeyPoint Field Ofce inArlington. Council Repinstructors Phyllis Jean Alexander(left) and Robin Ledbetter(center) led training for members fromWestern Washington University, Whatcom Community College and DSHS.

In Olympia, more stewards were trained March 23-24.


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WFSE/AFSCME Washington State EmployeeApril 2013 Page 3

SHARED LEAVE

REQUESTSLynette Rablin, a food serviceworker at Eastern StateHospital in Medical Lake anda member of Local 782, hasbeen caring for her seriouslyill signicant other, who, sadly,passed away March 28. Lynetteis still in need of leave to makeup for all the time she took off.Contact: your human resourceofce.

Tim Volker, a licensed practicalnurse 4 at the WashingtonVeterans Home in Retsil and amember of Local 482, is caring

for an ill relative. Contact:Melody Donohue, (360) 895-4721, or your human resourceofce.

Kimberly Pierce, an

investigator 2 with the stateHuman Rights Commissionin Spokane and a memberof Local 1221. She has beenapproved for shared leave tocover time she will miss whilecaring for her 20-year-olddaughter, who is recoveringfrom a traumatic brain injury.She has exhausted all leave.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Contact: Debbie Thompson at(360) 359-4925, or your humanresource ofce.

Wilfredo Ortiz, a securityguard 2 at Western StateHospital in Lakewood and amember of Local 793, is inneed of shared leave whilehe recovers from open-heartsurgery. He has exhausted allleave. Contact: the WesternState Hospital HumanResource Department at (253)756-2503, or your humanresource ofce.

Sue Johnson, an occupationalnurse consultant with the state

Department of Labor andIndustries and a member of

Local 443, is still in need ofshared leave as she deals withcomplications from surgery.She now faces a third surgery.Contact: Nancy Caldwell, (360)902-5705.

Jackie Hilton, an ofceassistant 1 for DSHS in Kelsoand a member of Local 1400,is in need of shared leavebecause of a serious medicalcondition. Contact: your humanresource ofce.

Angela Briggs, a nancial

Application-Statement of Required Facts

ALTHEA LUTE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 20131. Applicants name:

2. Address: (Street) (City) (Zip)

Home or cell phone: Home e-mail address:

3. Date of Birth: 4. School choice:

5. SUBMIT OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF HIGH SCHOOL, VOCATIONAL SCHOOL OR COLLEGE RECORD. Your appli -cation will not be considered unless your transcripts are submitted.

6. Are you now the recipient of a scholarship or other nancial award? If Yes, list amount of the otheraward(s)

7. Are you working now? Hours per week:

8. Do you plan to work part-time?

9. Give pertinent information concerning your earnings or other nancial assets and obligations that would be helpful in as-sessing your nancial need. (Attach any additional data.)

10. Attach a written statement of Educational and Career Goals.

11. Do you have credits earned toward degree requirements?

12. Provide a detailed description of any community service you have performed and length of time. Please include anyspecial awards or certicates you may have received:

13. WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Members name:

Relation to Applicant: WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Local Union Number

Date of Afliation with WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME:

Occupation: Spouse Occupation:

Net monthly income (combine members & spouses incomes if appropriate):

Number of Dependents: Ages:

In applying for the scholarship described on this form, I certify that all of the facts contained herein are correct.

Date: Signature of Applicant:

Return no later than July 31 to: WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Workforce Diversity Committee1212 Jefferson Street S. E., Suite 300Olympia, WA 98501

Althea Lute

Scholarship

information

This $5,000 scholarship is available.

It allows eligible members or members oftheir families to pursue studies in a degreeprogram at a public college or university inWashington state.

Applicant must be a WFSE/AFSCMEmember (membership beginning at leasta year before application) OR an immedi-ate family member (including domesticpartners) of a WFSE/AFSCME member(membership beginning at least a yearbefore application).

The applicant must be a graduatingsenior, or a high school graduate (GED ac-cepted) from an accredited public, privateor parochial high school.

Applicants must have a satisfactoryscholastic standing, be in need of nancialassistance and have participated in com-

munity service. An ofcial transcript of high school

or vocational school or college must besubmitted to the committee.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Rules governing recipient award and

use of funds:(1) Recipient must provide evidence

of acceptance into a degree program at aPublic College or University in WashingtonState of his or her choice during the aca-demic year following the award.

(2) The $5,000 award will be heldin a sinking fund in a WFSE/Council 28AFSCME account and drawn on by thestudent for registration fees, books andincidental direct costs to education. Anybalance at the end of the rst academicyear following the award will be availableto recipient on entering school the secondyear, conditional upon maintenance ofsatisfactory standing.

The WFSE/Council 28 AFSCMEWorkforce Diversity Committee will evalu-ate the applications and determine therecipient of the award no later than Augustof each year. The decision of the Commit-tee will be nal.

July 31, 2013, is the applicationdeadline.

All envelopes should be clearly marked To the WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Workforce Diversity Committee.

https://www.facebook.com/wfsec28

services specialist 3 with theDSHS Customer ServiceContact Center, Child Care

Subsidy Program, is in needof shared leave to care for herhusband, who suffers from livercancer and a sudden kidneycondition that will requiresurgery and ongoing medicaltreatment. Contact: your humanresource ofce.

Maryellen Perez-Gomez, a

WorkFirst program specialist1 at the DSHS SunnysideCommunity Service Ofce anda member of Local 1326, hasundergone neck surgery andis in need of shared leave formedical coverage. Contact:your human resource ofce.

Betty Weiss, a nancialservices specialist 3 withthe DSHS Statewide CCSC/WASHCAP has been approvedfor shared leave because ofa serious medical condition.She has exhausted all leave.Contact: your human resourceofce.

Lori Hawley, a nancialservices specialist 3 with theDSHS Statewide CSC Triage BUnit and a member of Local 53,has been approved for shared

leave because of a seriousmedical condition. She hasexhausted all leave. Contact:

your human resource ofce.

Samuel Salama, a physician2 with the state Health CareAuthority in Olympia and amember of Local 443, has beenapproved for shared leave tohelp cover time he has missedduring his re-occurring illness

and the continuing care of arelative with cancer. Contact:Tracey Wynder at (360) 725-1938, or your human resourceofce.

Linda Chapman, a medical

assistance specialist 2 withDSHS in Tumwater and a

member of Local 443, has beenapproved for shared leave. Shehas a serious post-traumatichead injury caused by an ATVaccident this past September.Contact: your human resourceofce.

Willie Peoples, a nancialservices specialist 3 at theDSHS Customer ContactCenter in Renton, is in urgentneed of shared leave becauseof a serious health conditionthat limits her ability to workfull time. Contact: your human

resource ofce.Gayle Chamberlain-Smith,

a nancial services specialist

3 for DSHS in Yakima and amember of Local 1326, is inneed of shared leave: Hi, ImGayle Chamberlain-Smith & Iam in the horrible position ofbegging for shared leave, eventhough leave is such a preciouscommodity. If I could dosomething/anything else, I sowould. I have an internal painpump that delivers medicationto my fused spinal column, scartissue & damaged nerves. Lastweek I was told the pain pumpslife cycle is at end & withoutemergency surgery, I would berisking my survival. The newpump is a new & improved

version so Future Gayle will beso much better! If you can help,I am so beholden. If not, pleasesend the good thought & thanksfor reading this. Contact: yourhuman resource ofce.

Cindy Hernandez, a nancialservices specialist 3 withDSHS in Kelso and a memberof Local 1400 is in need ofshared leave while recoveringfrom a serious illness. Contact:Clarissa Cretella at [email protected], or your humanresource ofce.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Your power will make the difference

Members in the spotlight

The Pierce County Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU)honored WFSE/AFSCME President Carol Dotlich (center) at its banquetApril 5. Dotlich, who retired last year, is nishing out her nal term as unionpresident. With her are CBTU members (from left): Jacquie Jones-Walsh,Local 843; Paulette Thompson, Local 53; James Robinson, Local 793; JohnMiller, Local 1488; Loretta Gutierrez, Local 435; and Kevin Allen, Local 843.

The WFSE/AFSCME organizing andcontract campaign at Kitsap TenantSupport Services uncovered lapsesin such private community Sup-ported Living programs.At a special March 7 hearing in theHouse Early Learning and HumanServices Committee, the Fed-erations Sarah Clifthorne, raised

alarms about the current state ofwhat we believe are inadequateoversight and accountability of howthese dollars are used. Theyre justthrowing more money at the problem(and) without signicant reforms,wouldnt guarantee that these fundsare actually spent on better clientcare and services.

More online at: http://www.wfse.org/

partial-victory-on-abuse-investiga-

tions-but-more-needs-to-be-done/ Clifthorne (left) with WFSE/

AFSCMEs Tim Tharp and KTSS

retiree Jack Hopkins.

At press time April 9, the Senate had passed a budget and alleyes were on the House to do better.

The Senate budget funds all state employee contracts, butcuts benets for part-timers and makes severe cuts in vitalservices instead of closing tax loopholes.

The Senate budget couldve been much worse. But the nalbudget needs to be much better.

Contact your legislators at 1-800-562-6000. Or go to wfse.org> Take Action. Urge them to support a nal budget (SSB 5034)that says:

YES! to funding all state employee contracts.

YES! to closing tax loopholes (The Inslee plan). Choose kids,our communities, Higher Education, public services, publicsafety and natural resources over outdated and ineffective

tax breaks. We all benet by closing tax loopholes instead offurther eroding the safety net.

NO! to stripping any state employees, part-time or otherwise, of

their state health benets. Its wrong to move part-timers tothe untested and risky federal Health Benets Exchange.

Thats a Walmart-style plan!

NO! to all attacks on pensions. Even voluntary 401k-typeplans (SB 5851) in the budget debate harm us all becausethey harm funding for all pensions.

We can do the hard things to put kids and communities rst. State

employees sure have with all the sacrices theyve made thesepast four years!

What you can

do --- and why

Why we can do better than the Senates budget

Heres a sober analysis ofthe Senate Majority Coalitionbudget passed April 5 andwhy all eyes are on the Houseand Gov. Jay Inslee to move a

nal budget that puts publicservices, public safety andnatural resources before taxloopholes.

The analysis is based on awhite paper to state senatorsfrom Dennis Eagle, the Fed-erations respected director oflegislative and political action.

We continue to believemore people would benetby closing tax loopholes thanby further eroding the safetynet, Eagle said.

Positive parts of the Senate bud-

get (there were a few): Raties and fully funds allnegotiated contracts for stateemployees, higher education,and medical interpreters. The3% temporary salary reduc-tions for state and highereducation employees wouldend, and interpreters wouldreceive a $0.50/hour increase. Funds state employeehealth care and pensions atthe actuarially recommendedlevel, preventing a furthererosion of employee benets.

Provides almost $10 million(all funds) for safety enhance-ments at the state hospitals. Provides $4 million (allfunds) to Developmental Dis-abilities for community crisisstabilization, and adds twonew SOLAs. Provides funding to Chil-dren & Family Services toimplement Family AssistanceResponse services.

Avoids institutional or hos-pital ward closures.

Eagle testifying April 3.

Spokane Local 1221

members were just

some of the hundreds

of WFSE/AFSCME

members whove lob-

bied their legislators

this session.

Signicant concerns:

Eliminates health care cov-erage eligibility for part-timepublic employees, requiringthese workers to purchasetheir health care as individu-als through the Health Bene-ts Exchange. The concern iswe dont know the design orcost of these plans, or whetherthis would result in a signi-cant compensation reductionfor thousands of workers. Assumes $131 million inadministrative efciencies

and savings across all ofstate government. We areconcerned that after $10 bil-lion in budget cuts over thepast four years that this willonly result in higher work-loads, diminished customerservice, further erosion ofpublic safety, and the closureof parks and hatcheries.

Assumes all future expen-diture increases for non-education spending will belimited to an ination-plus-population growth formula,with any excess revenue dedi-cated to education. The con-cern is the general populationis aging, and some caseloadsare growing in excess of theproposed formula. The likelyresult is increased educationfunding would come at theexpense of the safety net. Slashes Economic Servicesfunding by more than $230million (all funds), including

the elimination of incapacityevaluations and signicantreductions in programs affect-ing the neediest among us.

Fails to provide enoughfunding to prevent signi-cant state park closures andreductions. The Governorrecommended $24 millionfor state parks, but the Sen-ate budget provides only $17million. Assumes passage of leg-islation to create a 401(k)retirement account, addingneedless risk to one of thebest-managed state pensionsystems in the nation.

Additional concerns include: Cuts $21.6 million from re-tiree health benet subsidies. Cuts total funding for theDepartment of Commerce by20% (all funds). Fails to provide a workloadstudy for DOC CommunityCorrections. Fails to provide desper-ately needed caseload reduc-tions for Child ProtectiveServices, Adult Protective

Services, and residential careinvestigators. Budget cutsover the past several yearshave undermined the safetyof children and vulnerableadults and the Governor hasproposed additional fundingto address these critical priori-ties. Assumes the creation orextension of 13 differenttax loopholes resulting inanother $11 million in lostrevenue in 2013-15 and over$12 million in lost revenue in

2015-17.


5/8


Lots more photos and details

online @ wfse.org > GET INFORMED >

WSE > WSE LINKS

Local 1253 memberBill Copland ofKennewick (second from right) wasnamed a Department of Correc-tions Employee of the Year for hiswork reducing inter-generationalincarceration -- or keeping childrenof prisoners from following their par-ents to jail. With him are other DOCmembers of the WFSE/AFSCME

Executive Board. From left: TimFoley, Local 1221; WFSE/AFSCMESecretary Judy Kuschel, Local 313;Copland; and Alice Rogers, Local1253.

WFSE/AFSCME VP Sue Henrick-

sen swears in the newest membersof the union Statewide ExecutiveBoard April 6 in Seatac: Bob Over-turf, Local 573, DSHS ConsolidatedSupport Services, Medical Lake;and Sarah C Wilson, Local 443,Employment Security Department,Olympia.

WFSE/AFSCME members from Locals 313, 2559 and 1671 turned outat a rally March 8 in support of locked-out Longshore Workers (ILWU) atMitsui Grain in Vancouver. The rally started at 9 a.m. at Esther Short Park indowntown Vancouver, followed by a march to the Mitsui headquarters building.

Health

care

matters

The bad wellness bill(ESSB 5811) that the SenateMajority Coalition wantsto write into the nal statebudget, discriminates againstthose who arent physicallyable to take part in incentivesto potentially lower theirhealth costs.

And it would take away

your bargaining rights to doit.I feel that 5811 takes a

cookie cutter, one-program-ts-all type of approach tothis and I feel that the incen-tives are things that I will notbe able to engage in (and) will

form to discriminate against

me, David Thompson told aHouse committee April 2.

Thompson is a supportenforcement ofcer 2 withDSHS in Olympia and mem-ber of Local 443.

Thompson sat in hismotorized wheelchair as headdressed the legislators.Colleague Katie Nelson, an-other Local 443 member, helda wireless microphone so hecould be heard.

I already have to dealwith several other discrimina-tions, Thompson said. So

this just stacks on one morearea that I have to deal with.Thompson and most oth-

er speakers urged lawmakersto rely on the ongoing collec-tive bargaining process wherethe Federation can serve asa voice for persons like my-

Wellness billtargets disabled,chronically ill fordiscrimination

Why the bad wellness bill

will make you very sick

Local 443 memberKatie Nelson (right) holds wireless microphone so colleague David Thompson can be heard at April2 hearing on the bad wellness bill in the House Labor and Workforce Development Committee.

self. Thats better than legis-lative mandates, he said.

Its a lot more collab-orative effort in my opinion,Thompson said. Its notsomething that some legisla-tors are going to try to cramdown everybodys throats.

And this approach will be cre-ative, collaborative and willbe able to still come up witha wellness approach that wecan all live with.

Wellness is a good con-cept encouraging healthyactivities in exchange for

some incentive, such as lowerhealth premiums. But ESSB5811 isnt the model to follow.

State employees must bepart of the development of awellness plan if its to be suc-cessful, Nelson said.

The words on the page in ESSB 5811 serveto do real harm to employees, the employerand the whole concept of wellness.

Thats what Federation Executive DirectorGreg Devereux told a House committee April 2. The bill takes away bargaining rights over

The wellness bill does real harm the dollar amount spent for employee healthcare benets. That means we can no longerbargain over dental, optical, long-term careand disability benets, Devereux said. Unionscould bargain only over medical premiums, hesaid.

The bills rigid premium methodology freez-

es innovative ideas for potential options and/or savings, and that lack of exibility in theend might cost the employer more, Devereuxexplained.

The bill mandates outcomes on premiumincreases or decreases, further stiing the bar-

See BAD WELLNESS, page 7

The proposed new 401k-typepension plan the Senate Majority Co-alition wants to write into any nalbudget is voluntary but dont letthat fool you.

The proposal in SB 5851 wouldoffer the voluntary plan for state em-ployees hired after July 1, 2014. Thosewho chose the 401k option couldnever change their minds and moveinto PERS 2 or 3.

But this plan affects all futureand current retirees because it throws

Why we should retire the bad pension bill

(PERS 3). By the states own admission, veryfew employees are interested in join-ing this proposed plan. The creation of this new plan would

require funds be held from invest-ments to account for the new plan

members right to withdraw theirmoney at any time. This need forliquidity will cost the other plansin investment returns. Every newmember joining this new plan wouldincrease the risk to the State Invest-ment Boards ability to make sound,long-term investments. That willharm the entire system. SB 5851 will increase Plan 2 andPlan 3 member rates. Why shouldmembers of other plans subsidizethe rates for a plan they dont even

want?Tell legislators to vote NO! on SB 5851.

the whole system out of whack.Here are ve quick facts from the

Public Employees for Pension Re-sponsibility:

Plans 2 and 3 are fully funded, andamong the best managed in the coun-try. The state of Washington already pro-vides a 100% employee contribution,Deferred Compensation program and

a plan that combines a deferred con-tribution with a dened benet plan


6/8

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State EmployeePage 6 April 2013

ELIGIBILITY:

Locals and individual members may nominateunion members, shop stewards, statewide and localofcers, staff and other activists. Nominees must

have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills.

NOMINATION:

Submit written nomination (you may use theprinted nomination form at right) with the informa-tion listed on the nomination form printed at right.

Send completed nomination forms to: TheRosella Charvet Leadership Award Selection Com-mittee, 1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia,WA 98501.

Nominations must be received by Aug. 5, 2013.All written nominations must include a state-

ment of the required facts listed on the nominationform at right.

REVIEW:

A committee, appointed by the WFSE/AFSCMEpresident and approved by the Executive Board willreview the nominations and select the recipient ofthe Rosella Charvet Leadership Award.

If the nomination form is not completed in itsentirety, the nomination may not be considered.

AWARD:

The award will be presented to the recipients atWFSE/AFSCMEs Convention Oct. 4-6 in Seatac.

ROSELLA CHARVET

LEADERSHIP AWARDWashington Federation of State Employees/

AFSCME Council 28 AFL/CIO

WFSE/AFSCME Rosella Charvet Leadership Award Nomination Form

STATEMENT OF FACTS

I, , nominatePerson submitting nomination Name of nominee

for the Rosella Charvet Leadership Award.Nominees address:

Work phone: ( ) Home phone: ( )Local union number: How long a member:

Agency:

Current job class:Union ofces held:

Description of why nominee should be considered for the award. Include examples of: active union

participation building consensus; unity and solidarity; teamwork; inspirational acts; improvingunions community image; encouraging other members to participate; defending workers rights;working for group welfare and unions goals, etc. (attach additional sheets if needed):

If this form is not completed in its entirety, the nomination may not be considered.

Date: Nominators name:

Send completed nomination forms to: The Rosella Charvet Leadership AwardSelection Committee, 1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.

Nominations must be received by Aug. 5, 2013.

Nominators best contact information: PHONE E-MAIL

HOWARD JORGENSON ORGANIZING AWARDNominations are now being accepted for the

Howard Jorgenson Organizing Award to recognizea WFSE/AFSCME member who has demonstratedoutstanding skills in the area of organizing.

The award is named after its rst recipient, How-ard Jorgenson, WFSE/AFSCME president from 1972to 1997.

The Jorgenson Award is conferred every twoyears at the unions biennial state convention. Thisyears award will be handed out at the WFSE/AF-

SCME Convention Oct. 4-6 in Seatac.The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 5,2013.

For more, see the details below and in the nomi-nation form at right.

ELIGIBILITY: Locals, individual members and staffmay nominate union members, shop stewards,statewide and local ofcers, staff and other activists.Nominees must have demonstrated outstandingskills in the area of organizing.

NOMINATION: Submit written nomination (you mayuse the printed nomination form at right) with theinformation listed on the nomination form printed atright.

Send completed nomination forms to: The How-

ard Jorgenson Organizing Award Selection Commit-tee, 1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA98501. Online: wfse.org.

Nominations must be received by Aug. 5, 2013(The award will be presented at the WFSE/AFSCMEConvention Oct. 4-6 in Seatac. All written nomina-tions must include a statement of the required factslisted on the nomination form at right.

REVIEW: A committee, appointed by the WFSE/AFSCME president, will review the nominations andselect the recipient of the Howard Jorgenson Orga-nizing Award.

If this form is not completed in its entirety, thenomination may not be considered.

AWARD:The award will be presented at the WFSE/

AFSCME Convention, Oct. 4-6 in Seatac.

WFSE/AFSCME Howard Jorgenson Organizing Award Nomination Form

STATEMENT OF FACTS


for the Howard Jorgenson Organizing Award.Nominees address:

Work phone: ( ) Home phone: ( )Number of local: How long a member:

Agency:Current job class:Union ofces held:

Description of why nominee should be considered for the award. Include example(s) of: organizing

activities; building unity within a bargaining unit or Local Union; improving the unions communityimage; encouraging other members to participate; working for group welfare and unions goals, etc.(attach additional sheets if needed):



Send completed nomination forms to: WFSE/AFSCME Award Committee,1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.




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MEMBERS ONLY BENEFITS UPDATES

WFSE/AFSCME Job Action of the Year Award Nomination Form

STATEMENT OF FACTS


for the Job Action of the Year Award.Nominees address:

Work phone: ( ) Home phone: ( )Number of local: How long a member:

Agency:Current job class:

Description of why nominee should be considered for the award. Include specic example(s) ofcreative and effective job actions organized by the nominee (or nominees) since the last conventionin October 2011 (attach additional sheets if needed):



JOB ACTION OF THE YEAR AWARDWashington Federation of State

Employees/AFSCME Council 28 AFL/CIO

Send completed nomination forms to: WFSE/AFSCME Job Action of the Year Award Selec -tion Committee, 1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.


Nominations are now being accepted for theJob Action of the Year Award to recognize aWFSE/AFSCME member or members who orga-nized the most creative and effective job action sincethe last convention in October 2011.

The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 5,2013.

For more, see the details below and in the nomi-nation form at right.

ELIGIBILITY:

Locals, individual members and staff maynominate a WFSE/AFSCME member or memberswho who organized the most creative and effectivejob action since the last convention in October 2011.

NOMINATION:

Submit written nomination (you may use theprinted nomination form at right) with the informa-tion listed on the nomination form printed at right.

Send completed nomination forms to: Job Ac-

tion of the Year Award Selection Committee, 1212Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.Nominations must be received by Aug. 5, 2013

(The award will be presented at the WFSE/AF-SCME Convention Oct. 4-6 in Seatac. All writtennominations must include a statement of the re-quired facts listed on the nomination form at right.

REVIEW:The selection committee will review the nomi-

nations and select the recipient or recipients of theJob Action of the Year Award.

If this form is not completed in its entirety, thenomination may not be considered.

AWARD:

The award will be presented at the WFSE/AF-SCME Convention Oct. 4-6 in Seatac.


The special union-management meeting wasactually the latest in a seriesof gains negotiated for part-time hourly workers in re-cent years, including:

The right to le griev-ances (in 2005), which nowincludes all steps throughpre-arbitration (negotiated in2009) and, for non-disciplin-ary grievances, arbitration(won in 2011).

Pay for suspended opera-tions and college closures.

That includes time and a halffor hours worked during sus-pended operations and forhours worked on a holiday.Both came this year.

Mandatory Subjects bar-gaining rights (negotiated in2009).

Requiring written appoint-ment notices, including antici-pated duration (2012).

Union-management commit-

tee participation (2005).

Non-discrimination protec-tions (2005).

Safety and Health, includ-ing participation on Safetyand Health committees(2005).

Coverage under the UnionActivities article (2005).

Uniforms, Tools and Equip-ment (2005).

PART-TIME,from page 1

gaining process, he said.

(ESSB) 5811 is built on the premise that bargaining isa barrier and, in our view, 5811 eliminates the attributes ofcollective bargaining exibility and innovation that arethe very tools needed to make wellness concepts work, De-vereux said.

In short, we dont think ESSB 5811 is necessary, be-cause the administration and the State Employee HealthCare Coalition are already engaged in the bargaining pro-cess regarding wellness and we anticipate developing cre-ative contractual language around the subject.

BAD WELLNESS, from page 5


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LOCALS IN ACTION!

LOCAL 793LOCAL 843

WFSE/AFSCME Howard Ocobock Memorial

FAMILY CAMPOUTSept. 13-15, 2013

Cornet Bay Environmental Learning/Retreat Center

at Deception Pass State Park

Cornet Bay at Deception Pass is set onsaltwater bay, offers access to hiking trailsand freshwater lakes nearby.

The park is outstanding for breath-takingviews, old-growth forests and abundantwildlife. http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/

The WFSE/AFSCME Members Only Ben-ets Committee and the WFSE/AFSCMEStatewide Executive Board invite all WFSE/

AFSCME members and their families tocome to this fun, overnight get-together atone of the most beautiful state parks main-tained by members of Parks Local 1466.

Check-in begins on Friday at 1pm.

Cabins have been reserved. WFSE/AFSCME will pay the $11 per night camp fee for mem-bers; members pay for any family or guests. Cornet Bay has 14 cabins that sleep 10, onethat sleeps four, one that sleeps nine, the duplex that sleeps 28.

Lodge and recreation hall with fully equipped kitchen available for meals. Bring your ownfood for breakfast and lunch.

Saturday night BBQ with hotdogs, hamburgers, condiments and chips provided. Eachfamily should bring one main dish to serve eight, plus a salad or dessert.

What is not provided: sleeping bags or bedding materials; kitchen linens and dishwashingsupplies; rewood; rst aid equipment; recreational equipment.

Activities: shing on lakes; kayaking and canoeing; hiking; horseshoes; golf course andrie range nearby; interpretive center; lighthouse and gun batteries at Fort Casey StatePark located 15 miles away; sail the San Juans on a Washington State Ferry from nearby

Anacortes. No pets are permitted.

Boat ramps: The park provides ve saltwater and two freshwater boat ramps, plus 710feet of saltwater dock and 450 feet of freshwater dock. All motors are prohibited on PassLake, and only electric motors allowed on Cranberry Lake. Watercraft launching permitsfor $7 and a trailer dumping permit for $5 may be purchased at the park.

QUESTIONS?Contact Tavie Smith at 1-800-562-6002 [email protected]

Register online at WFSE.org > Member Resources > Family Campouts

Hiking

Fishing on lakes

Horseshoes

Street City State Zip( ) ( )

Home phone Cell Phone Home e-mail address

LOCAL#:

Deadline to register: Aug. 30, 2013This campout requires a minimum number of campers. In the event the minimum isnt reached, you will be refunded your money.

NAME

How many family members or guests will yoube bringing? ____________I just wish to attend the BBQ Saturday night,Sept. 14 ______________ How many?______

What activities are you interested in?

Birdwatching

Interpretive Center

Kayaking and canoeing

Please enclose $11 for each family member or guest youll be bringing. Make checks out to WFSE/AFSCME.

Mail this form to: WFSE/AFSCME Campouts, 1212 Jefferson St SE #300, Olympia WA 98501

Deadline to register:Aug. 30, 2013

Washington Federation of State Employees AFSCME Council 28 AFL-CIO www.wfse.org

opeiu8/acio

Snohomish County Human Services StateEmployees Local 948 swore in its new slateof ofcers April 2 in Everett. From left toright: Kathryn Pierce, recording secretary;John Randolph, president; Terry Ludwick,

secretary-treasurer; Rhonda Riggles, vicepresident; and Julie Johnson, local executiveboard member.

Psychiatric social workers at Western State Hospital got the backing of the WFSE/AFSCME Statewide Executive Board April 6 to look at options to address the payinequities they face compared to similar job classications. The disparity harmsour patients, our families and our brothers and sisters in this job class, PSW DaleWright told the board. From left: Rick Hertzog (an executive board member from

Local 793), Deborah Rustin, Brian Stevens, Dale Wright, Christine Cobb, KarenRussell, Esseme Essang-Ekpo, and Local 793 President James Robinson.

Local 843 (Human Services State Workers in King County) are empowering mem-bers one Lunch n Learn at a time. The successful program, which any local andofce can use, brings the union and key issues to the workplace at lunchtime. Atthe DSHS Disability Determination Services ofce in downtown Seattle, Local 843memberKevin Allen and his colleagues, with the help of WFSE/AFSCME CouncilRepresentative Britt Kauffman, hold lunch n learns the last Thursday of everymonth (including this one on March 28). The lunch n learns inform members, re-

cruit new leaders and activists, and increase the visibility of the union movement.If you want people to get behind you, you have to get in front of them, Allen says.Its time for green to be seen in 2013.

Also at Local 843:

WFSE/AFSCME Council Rep Gabe Hargrove(right) administers the oath of ofce to the newelected leaders of Local 843, state Human Ser-vices workers in King County, March 13. Theofcers and Local 843 members committed to

their continued leadership in ghting to savethe safety net.

LOCAL 948

LOCAL 1326

Local 1326 members at the Department of Cor-rections West Ofce in Yakima held their noon-time Lunch n Learn event March 13.

LOCAL 1671Local 1671PresidentLeroy

Mould (left)and WFSE/AFSCMEsDennis

Eagle tes-tify 4/1/13at Senatehearingon bill to expand the successful Interpreters

Services program to other parts of state govern-ment. The bill will come back up in 2014.

Washington State Employee, April 2013

Documents

Transcript of Washington State Employee, April 2013