Washington State Employee, May 2011

8/6/2019 Washington State Employee, May 2011

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The ofcial newspaper of the

WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE

EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28AFL-CIO

VOL. 39 NO. 5

MAY 2011

WASHINGTON

State

Employee

Childrens members take trio of actions to defend services. See page 4.

NOMINATE YOUR HEROES.See pages 6 & 7.

INSIDE:

Workers Memorial Day 2011

At L&Is observancein Tumwater.

A hundred or so Western StateHospital members and members ofother WFSE/AFSCME locals and otherunions marched past a grove of 313signs marking each worker assaultedin the past year at the mental hospital

in Lakewood during the annual obser-vance of Workers Memorial Day.

Led by visiting Ohio CongressmanDennis Kucinich, the marchers re-dedicated themselves to rememberingthose whove died on the job and toght for the living.

We need to be able to do ourwork in a safety-conscious environ-ment, WFSE/AFSCME President

Observances shed light onworker safety

Carol Dotlich said.There are changesthat need to bemade. So we de-mand a culture ofsafety in this place.

Managementhas crowed that theoverall rate of as-saults has declined,

but they gloss overthe most recent of-cial state report thatshowed that the se-

verity of the injuries has increased. Thelower rate of assaults is also due to thestate moving more patients into thecommunity and restricting admissions.

See MEMORIAL, page 8

The solemn Workers Memorial Day procession past the 313 markers, one for every Western State

Hospital member injured in assaults in the past year. Leading the march, from left: WFSE/AFSCME

President Carol Dotlich; Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich; WFSE/AFSCME Vice PresidentSue

Henricksen; Local 793 Western State Hospital memberRobert Devlin; and Local 793 President

James Robinson.

Tax loophole fght hits critical mass in special sessionThe ght to close bil-

lions in corporate tax loop-holes hit critical mass dur-

ing the special legislativesession that started April26.

(At press time, it wasntknown if lawmakers wouldwrap up business by May 25,the 30-day limit of the specialsession.)

After WFSE/AF-SCMEs coalition partnersstaged a 45-mile PeoplesWalk for Our Future, 14gutsy Senate Democrats un-veiled a package of propos-als to close tax loopholes.

Manywould goto voters in

November,includ-ing SenateWays andMeansCommit-tee ChairSen. EdMurrays

SB 5944. That bill asks votersto allow a simple majorityvote of legislators to close taxloopholes (or reinstating taxes

Local 443 member

Steve Segall testi-

es at House hear-

ing on bills to close

tax loopholes.

See LOOPHOLES, page 3

WFSE/AFSCME members and coalition partners storm a Bank of America

branch in downtown Olympia April 18 on one stop of the Peoples March for

Our Future to shed light on the billions in corporate tax loopholes.

Blowing the whistleon contracting out

By the time you read this, the Legislature mayhave adjourned its special session. But evenif legislators left for home, the ght over

contracting out will continue between now and the2012 session.

Its a disturbing trend the union will continue toght. Legislators can expect to hear more in their

home districts in the interim between legislative sessions.It became clear in the special session that lawmakers were

looking at widespread privatization even if it didnt savetaxpayers any money.

See CONTRACTING, page 5DSHS employees at May 10 Centennial Building event in Ta-

coma. FROM LEFT: Jerry Weible, Ken Blair, Steve Carpenter,

Rick Hertzog, A. Arnaud and Reidun Inman.


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Page 2 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee May 2011

UNION NEWS

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 with

the American Federation of State, Countyand Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and theWashington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Periodicals postage paid at Olympia, WA

and 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

IN MEMORIAM

ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OPTION. If youd like to save paper and postage, you can receive this newspaper electronically. Go towww.wfse.org and hover over NEWS & INFO, located in the top menu bar. Select from the drop-down list: WASHINGTON

STATE EMPLOYEE - Newspaper. Use the form on 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.

SHARED LEAVEREQUESTS

If youve been approved to receive sharedleave by your agency or institution, youcan place a notice here. Once youve beenapproved by your agency or institution,WFSE/AFSCME can place your sharedleave request here and online. Pleaseinclude a contact in your agency, usually inhuman resources, for donors to call. E-mailthe editor at [email protected]. Or call 1-800-562-6002.

The following could use a donation ofeligible unused annual leave or sick leaveor all or part of your personal holiday:

Renee Miller, a nancial services spe-cialist 3 in Colfax and a member of Local1300, has been approved for shared leavebecause of a serious medical condition.Contact: Your human resource ofce.

Susan Elliott, a nancial services special-ist 3 with the Working Connections ChildCare in Clarkston and a member of Local1300, is in need of shared leave because

wsecu.org | 800.562.0999

Sign up your work group or

FREE FINANCIALWELLNESS COURSES

WSECU oers one-hour programs to help address common fnancialissues. Access this ree fnancial resource or Federation members.

Course Oerings:

Financial Stress Management

Identity Theft When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name

Money Matters How to Keep Yours Secure

Credit Reporting 101

To schedule a workshop with one o our trained inancial wellnesseducators or your local or public agency, call 800.562.0999 x10101.WSECU membership is not required all WFSE/AFSCME membersand retirees are welcome!

A MEMBERS ONLY BENEFIT for

WFSE/AFSCME members and their families!

Financial

Wellness

IN MEMORIAM: University ofWashington Local 1488 member

Trung Ngo, 36, of Covington, amaintenance mechanic 1, died April 23in a car crash near Tiger Mountain onHighway 18 as he and his wife went

to get Easter candy for their children.A car apparently driving recklesslyalongside another reckless driver hit

his car. Arrests were made.

of an incapacitating health condition that

severely impacts her ability to work fulltime. Shes exhausted all leave. Contact:Your human resource ofce.

Denny Kesterson, a cook 3 at RainierSchool in Buckley and a member of Local491, has been approved for shared leave.Contact: Brenda Moen at (360) 829-3002.

Tammie Rounds, a WorkFirst programspecialist in Colfax and a member of Local1300, has been approved for shared leavebecause of a serious medical condition.Contact: Nancy Cornwall, (509) 685-5604or [email protected].

Diana Kelly, a nancial services special-ist 3 with DSHS in Federal Way, has beenapproved for shared leave. Contact: your

human resource ofce.

Cherilyn Tate, a nancial analyst 3 at Fir-

crest School in Shoreline and a member ofLocal 341, has been approved for sharedleave. Contact: Your human resource of-ce.

Frances Woody-Smith, a nancial ser-vices specialist 2 with DSHS in Vancouverand a member of Local 313, is in need ofshared leave because of pancreatic cystsurgery and recovery. Contact: Steve Fet-tig, (360) 725-4810.

Carol Deshner, a tax service representa-tive 2 with the Employment Security De-partment in Tacoma and a member of Lo-cal 53, is in need of shared leave becauseof surgery and recovery. Contact: PhyllisEvans, (253) 593-7334.

Denise Jones, a nancial services spe-cialist 3 with DSHS in Smokey Point and a

member of Local 948, has been approved

for shared leave. Contact: Your human re-source ofce.

Kristelle DeAnda, a nancial servicesspecialist 3 with DSHS in Kent and amember of Local 843, has been approvedfor shared leave. Contact: Your human re-source ofce.

Nancy Eichenberger, a social worker 2with DSHS in Aberdeen and a member ofLocal 970, has been approved for sharedleave because of a serious medical condi-tion. Contact: Your human resource ofce.

Connie Gurske, a nancial services spe-cialist 3 with DSHS in Bremerton and amember of Local 1181, has been approvedfor shared leave to care for a family mem-ber with a serious medical condition. Con-tact: Your human resource ofce.

Christine Sandstrom, a customer ser-vices specialist 2 with the Department ofLabor and Industries in Port Angeles anda member of Local 1463, is going throughbiopsies and testing for cancer. She hasexhausted all leave. Shes undergonesurgery and may have further surgery.She has been approved for shared leavethrough at least June 22. Contact: Yourhuman resource ofce.

Scott Cummings, a custodian 1 at theSpokane Veterans Home and a member ofLocal 1221, has been approved for sharedleave for medical reasons. Contact: Sandie

Wollan, (509) 344-5777.

Melanie Knudsen-Leahy, a social worker2 in Kelso and a member of Local 1400,has been approved for shared leave tocare for her seriously ill father. Contact:Your human resource ofce.

Brian Thomas, a custodian 1 at EasternState Hospital in Medical Lake and a mem-ber of Local 782, is recovering from necksurgery and is expected to be off workabout four months. Contact: Your humanresource ofce.

Natalie Maneno, a support enforcementofcer 2 with DSHS in Tacoma and amember of Local 53, will be off work for an

extended time because of severe injuriessuffered in a car accident April 1. Contact:Your human resource ofce.

Robin Hicks, a social worker 2 with DSHSin Olympia and a member of Local 443,has exhausted all leave because of a seri-ous medical condition. Contact: Your hu-man resource ofce.

No one correctly guessed the mystery worksite in last months newspa-

per. So were running a different angle of the same worksite, the location

blacked out. We dont want to make it too easy! Tell us where this

worksite is and which WFSE/AFSCME members work there. Send your

guesses by e-mail to [email protected] or regular mail: Editor, 1212 Jef-

ferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Include your name and

mailing address. Deadline: June 10. The frst 10 readers with the correct

answer who include their name and mailing address will receive a prize.

Wheres this

worksite?

A judge May 6 upheld thefurloughs mandated by the2010 Legislature, ending theunions court challenge fornow.

An appeal is permitted.The unions two challengesin other venues remain alive.The unions unfair laborpractice complaint goes tofour days of hearing at thePublic Employment RelationsCommission in June. Andthe separate grievance is onhold pending the outcome ofthe ULP proceedings and thecourt case.

On the court case, Thur-ston County Superior Court

Judge Christine Pomeroygranted the states motion fora summary judgment and dis-missed the Federations basisfor the lawsuit.

Pomeroy said there wasno violation of the equal pro-tection clause of the UnitedStates Constitution becausethere was a rational rela-tionship between the Leg-islatures policy bill callingfor the 10 furlough days andbudget language calling forsavings from compensationthrough the furloughs, ortemporary layoffs.

The judge also said thestates actions did not impair

the unions General Govern-ment contract. She said takenas a whole, the contracts ar-ticle dealing with temporarylayoffs did allow the state toimpose the 10 furlough daysbecause of a revenue short-fall. The union had arguedthat the contract provisionallowed furloughs only foremergency nancial situationsand that the state knew since2008 it had a budget problem.The state could have made upthe $73.3 million in targetedsavings by using a myriadof other options, the unionargued.

The court decision affects

only the furloughs that runthrough next month. It doesnot affect the negotiated ex-ible furloughs, or temporary

salary reduction plan, in the2011-2013 contract that isawaiting legislative ratica-tion.

Judge upholds furloughs; unionsULP, grievance challenges continue

T E T E

T E T E


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WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee Page 3May 2011

STAY UPDATED:

that should be paid). Anti-tax gady Tim Eyman calledsenators stupid for sug-gesting voters should decidethe issue.

Jeff Johnson, presidentof the Washington State La-bor Council, said after his45-mile trek that they werewalking for those whocouldnt walk but whosevoices really need to beheard.

The bottom line is build-ing a moral budget, onethat takes responsibility togovern for the good of thepeople and not just for for-prot entities, said WFSE/AFSCME Local 443 memberSteve Segall, a member ofthe General GovernmentBargaining Team at an April21 House hearing on closingtax loopholes.

LOOPHOLES,from page 1

Local 793 members welcome Peoples Walk with an impromptu rally during the April 15 stop at Western State

Hospital in Lakewood.

At April 21 tax loophole hearing.

From left: Barb Hangartner, Local

313; Steve Segall, Local 443; and

Katie Nelson, Local 443.

WFSE/AFSCME Executive Board member

Yousef Fahoum (left) was part of Local 443

delegation welcoming marchers to Olympia

Farmers Market April 17.

Washington State Labor Council President Jeff Johnson (right)

leading marchers into Olympia April 17. The Peoples Walk

stretched 45 miles over ve days.

SAFETY OVERSAVINGS. A WFSE/

AFSCME CommunityCorrections activist told aSenate committee during

a special session budgethearing not to put savingsbefore safety.

Local 53 memberDonald Feist (above), aCommunity Corrections

ofcer 3 in Tacoma, April28 urged senators toreject parts of SB 5891

affecting early release ofdangerous offenders.

The savings that

may be realized bythis bill will come withsignicant risk, Feist

told the Senate Waysand Means Committee.Were now at the point

of jeopardizing ourneighbors and loved ones

by releasing dangerous,high-risk offenders backon the streets withouttreatment, resources or

supervision.

Members from Yakima Valley School, Rainier School and other locals outside

April 13 Senate budget hearing. They came to oppose closure of RHCs.

Members from Frances Haddon Morgan Center and other locals on the last day of

regular session April 24 to lobby against closure of residential habilitation centers.

May 5 Cinco de Mayo hotline event at

Rainier School in Buckley (Local 491).

LEFT: Local 491 members

gathered along Highway 410 in

Buckley April 29 to build public

support to save residential

habilitation centers from thebudget ax. Rainier has been

explicitly targeted by some bud-

get proposals for closure.

Members ooded the Capitol with AFSCME green on the last day of theregular session April 22.

At press time, itwasnt clear if the

Legislature wouldnish its business bythe end of its special

session, which cantgo past 30 days,which is May 25.

WFSE/AFSCMEmembers steppedup the pressure with

a statewide seriesof Hotdogs andHotlines or Take

Action events togenerate phone callsto legislators.

The biggest threat inthe special session:Contracting out.

If the Legislatureis still in sessionwhen you get

this, call 1-800-562-6000. Tellyour legislators to

respect and retainthe current law onyour contracting

out rights. Dontprivatize. Its acop out to the

corporations withtheir billions in taxbreaks.

A new poll by KING

TV in Seattle shows

55 percent of voterswould be willing to

remove the requiredtwo-thirds majority voteof the Legislature to end

corporate tax breaks.

The KING 5 poll

also showed that 61percent of voters thinkthe Legislature should

consider reducing orending tax breaks.

Voters support

ending tax breaks

for corporations

WFSE/AFSCME Hotline: 1-800-562-6102Website: wfse.org (with links to Facebook, Flickr, YouTube & Twitter)


4/8


MEMBERS IN ACTION

Members defend childrens

services with trio of actionsMembers concerned about maintaining qualityservices for abused and neglected children havesparked a trio of actions over the management of

the Childrens Administration in the Department of Socialand Health Services.

The union has led a lawsuit and unfair labor practice complaintover what it contends is the illegal statewide expansion of contract-ing out of Child Welfare Services case management.

And on May 13, Childrens Administration members began vot-ing on whether to declare no condence in the job being done byDenise Revels Robinson, the DSHS assistant secretary for Childrens

Administration.Recent reports show that your hard work over many years has

resulted in signicant improvements to outcomes for children and

families (but the) actions of the assistant secretary are systematicallyundermining these improvements, said a letter to members fromthe unions Task Force for Management Accountability in ChildrensAdministration.

The task force is a group of concerned members authorized to re-search and conduct the no condence vote by the WFSE/AFSCMEStatewide Executive Board.

Desperately needed resources have been diverted to the imple-mentation of new processes that are premature, ill-conceived orimpediments to the mission of the agency, the task force said in theletter sent to Childrens Administration members May 13.

One of those new processes is the lead agency model that the

union has challenged in court and the Public Employment RelationsCommission.

Lawsuit aims to block illegal

contracting out by Childrens

Administration

On the same day the vote of no condenceballots went out, the union asked a court toblock the planned statewide contracting out

of child welfare case management services in DSHS

Childrens Administration.The May 13 court date came after this newspa-per went to press. The union went before a ThurstonCounty Superior Court judge to ask for an injunc-tion to block the contracting out until the unionsfull lawsuit and unfair labor practice complaint ledApril 20 are resolved.

The Federation asked the court to simply call atime out to let its administrative and legal challengesplay out. If DSHS is allowed to proceed, irreparableharm will be done, the union lawsuit says.

Even if the injunction was not granted, the unionwill proceed to full trial on its entire lawsuit.

The union argues it would be costly for taxpay-ers, detrimental to young children receiving childwelfare services and unfair to employees if DSHSmoves forward with its contracting out and later isordered to rescind it.

The Legislature in 2009 authorized two regionalpilot projects to test the effectiveness of privatizingthe Child Welfare Services case management. The re-sults were to be evaluated in 2015. Only then wouldthe state determine if statewide contracting out madesense.

But since then, DSHS has proposed fast-track ex-pansion. The Federation contends thats an end runaround the law, bargaining rights and civil servicerules.

Civil service employees represented by theWFSE who are laid off will suffer the loss of theirlivelihood, at least temporarily, during tough eco-nomic times, the unions lawsuit says.

Homes or automobiles lost because payments

are not made cannot be recovered when the em-ployee eventually receives back pay as a result of theillegal layoff.

Contractors with illegal contracts that are setaside on the basis DSHS violated (the civil serviceand bargaining laws) may have legal redress at thetaxpayers expense.

Recipients of child welfare services, youngchildren particularly, may suffer as a result of certaininconsistent child welfare services case management,if not management of less quality. It is also likely thata loss of vital services for the children and familiesDSHS serves will be experienced due to the require-ment in the RFP (request for proposals) for addition-al administrative functions within the private agen-

cies awarded such contracts that are to be funded

within the existing limited service budget.The union argues the statewide privatization

scheme is not justied by savings or efciencies asrequired by law.

Neither the affected employees nor the WFSE,their representative, have been afforded the opportu-nity to offer alternatives to the purchase of case man-ager services as required by law.

The affected employees have not been affordedthe opportunity to compete for the contract for suchservices also as required by law.

Unfair labor practice complaint

led over similar issues

The unions separate unfair labor practice com-plaint was led April 20 with the Public Em-ployment Relations Commission.

The ULP complaint centers on the states fast-track contracting out of child welfare services casemanagement and in part giving the impression theunion had agreed to it.

In fact, the union contends in the ULP complaint,it faced months of incomplete bargaining brought onby management delays in the Childrens Administra-tion of the Department of Social and Health Services.

The agency has delayed bargaining by feinting,in bad faith, the lack of knowledge that its proposedactions involve bargaining unit work and a lack of

knowledge of its own actions or proposed actions,the unions complaint says.

Starting in January 2010, the union protestedover a series of actions by the Childrens Administra-tion that promoted the contracting out without re-quired bargaining. That culminated in February 2011when DSHS basically solicited bids to contract outthe case management statewide, not just in the twopilot areas. More required bargaining was delayedby the agency for various reasons.

Meanwhile, management sent an e-mail to bar-gaining unit members in March 2011 to the effectthat the decision to contract out case managementservices had already been made and further thatthe RFP (request for proposal) was the product ofbargaining with WFSE, the union complaint says.Implying that was untrue and amounted to illegalinterference with employee rights, the Federationcomplaint says.

The union asks PERC to order the ChildrensAdministration to stop the contracting out until itfullls its good-faith bargaining obligations with theFederation.

Vote of no condence a very

serious matter

Avote of no condence is always a last resort.And in the Childrens Administrations votethats the case.

It isnt just the issues in the lawsuit and ULPcomplaint, but a series of morale-busting actions thatChildrens Administration workers fear is a race tothe bottom in terms of quality services for vulnerablechildren.

Among those issues: Workload.Workload concerns remain unaddressed, the

task force said. In these times of extreme economicdownturn, the assistant secretary has reduced, oreliminated completely, resources necessary to keepchildren safe and preserve families.

Failure to address workload has resulted inworkload levels that are oppressive, puts children atrisk and has created an environment of managementhostility toward employees and fear of retaliation.

Other actions prompting the no condence votein Revels Robinson:

Targeting employees who ask legitimate ques-tions

Unnecessary and frequent changes to policiesand procedures related to work practices and childsafety

Reductions in resources available to success-fully re-unite families

A rush to permanency

See CHILDRENS, page 5


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WFSE/AFSCME Washington State EmployeeMay 2011 Page 5

BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON CONTRACTING OUT

Gov. Chris Gregoire caps the pen shed just used to sign into law House Bill 1179 allowing leg-

islators and state employees to hold informational and educational meetings at the worksite. Onhand for the April 14 bill signing were (from left): Brandon Anderson, WFSE/AFSCME legislativeassistant; Local 443 member Jeremy Taylor-Sparks; bill sponsor Rep. Sam Hunt of the 22nd Dis-

trict; Barb Hangartner, Vancouver Local 313; and WFSE/AFSCME Lobbyist Matt Zuvich. Huntintroduced the bill after Taylor-Sparks and his Health Care Authority members had invited Hunt to aworksite meeting and the agency threatened to escort the legislator off the premises for fear such

a meeting would violate state ethics laws.

New law allows legislators to meet with state employees

Local 443 memberDeFrance Clarke at localsPublic Service Recognition Week booth May 4

that generated hotline calls to blow the whistle on

contracting out.

Coercion to return chil-dren to homes based on cost-saving instead of safety

Taken together, theseadd up to a dangerous hin-drance that adversely affectsthe child welfare system thatexists to preserve, providesafety and serve the needs ofchildren and families, thetask force said.

Its about the children,Childrens Administrationmembers say.

We have been very vocalabout your concerns, warningthe assistant secretary that thepositive results we are nowseeing will be lost due to deci-sions being made by the cur-rent management, the taskforce said.

The no condence voteballots are to be postmarkedby May 27. The ballots will becounted June 6.

CHILDRENS,from page 4

The Department of Socialand Health Services commit-ted an unfair labor practicewhen Washington State Patroldetectives under contract toperform investigations threat-ened or coerced employees

over their refusal to have theirinterrogations tape recorded.

Thats what a Public Em-ployment Relations Commis-sion hearings examiner ruledApril 6. DSHS accepted thedecision and did not appeal.

PERC also ruled thatDSHS violated union mem-bers rights by not providingofcial policies referred to byinvestigators.

This amounted to DSHSinterference with employeesrights and a refusal to bar-

gain.DSHS called in the State

Patrol during an investigationinto the escape of an EasternState Hospital patient at theSpokane County Fair in 2009.

When the three employ-

ees took their union represen-tatives advice and declined

to be recorded, the detectiveswrongfully discredited theunion advice, an interferencein the collective bargainingrelationship.

In one case, the PERCexaminer determined, a detec-tive told union steward GregDavis to shut up when of-fering advice to the member.

In one interview, WFSE/AFSCME Council Representa-tive Kandys Dygert requested

copies of DSHS policies thedetectives cited in the interro-gation. The detectives did not

provide the policies, whichthe PERC examiner said vio-lated the unions right to en-

force the collective bargainingagreement.

DSHS guilty of unfair labor practice over investigations

WFSE/AFSCME members pushedback in a series of statewide Hotdogsand Hotlines or other Take Actionevents that ooded lawmakers withphone calls and e-mails against thecontracting out cop out.

Then the press exposed the

legislative maneuvering.The Tacoma News Tribune and

The Olympian May 10 ran front-pagestories exposing the contracting outschemes of some legislators as theyrush to reach a budget deal.

The Senate would privatize themotor pool and consolidated mailservices in the Department of General

Administration. The ght over residential

habilitation centers is a battle overwhether to keep state employeesproviding those services todevelopmentally disabled citizens orcontract them out to lower-trained andless-paid private workers.

Other plans would cherry pickcollective bargaining rights for thoseinformation technology and otherworkers moving into the proposednew Consolidated Technology Agency including the ability to invoke theirrights on contracting out.

And several proposals would

expand contracting out of ChildWelfare Services case management,which the union has challenged witha lawsuit and unfair labor practicecomplaint (see story, page 4).

These are things thatgovernments doing that there are100-plus people in the private marketthat are capable of doing those kindsof services, the paper quoted Sen. JoeZarelli, the lead Republican budgetnegotiator. Governments not in thebusiness to deliver services that arecommonplace in the market.

Under state law and the contract,Federation members have 90 days tocompete for work the state proposes

to contract out. Zarellis team wouldexempt back-ofce services fromthat provision.

What is the harm of using thisprocess where employees have an

option to present their thoughtsand suggestions? the paper quotedFederation Contracting ComplianceManager Jeanine Livingston. Withoutengaging in the dialogue withfront-line staff, youre cutting out asignicant stakeholder that has theeyes and ears on the ground, so tospeak.

The newspaper noted the seriesof hotline events now going on togenerate phone calls and e-mails to

legislators against the privatizationschemes.

Meanwhile, the Federation has

sent a strongly worded letter to all

legislators urging them to honor thecompetitive contracting law, rules andcontract language.

The competitive contractingstatute is designed to benettaxpayers, not labor or management,wrote Dennis Eagle, the Federationsdirector of legislative and politicalaction.

If proponents really want whatsbest for taxpayers, they should bewilling to prove that contracting will

save money or improve effectiveness,he added. Proponents should bewilling to let employees do the workif we can do it cheaper or better, if costsavings is the real goal.

CONTRACTING,from page 1

Making calls

outside Spokane

DOC ofce at May

11 Hotdogs and

Hotlines event.

These members

also called to

oppose SB 5891

(story, page 3).

Tacoma DSHS members get

information on the legislative

proposals to contract out at

May 10 event.


6/8


WFSE/AFSCME Job Action of the Year Award Nomination Form

STATEMENT OF FACTS

I, , nominatePerson submitting nomination Name of nominee

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 2009 (attach additional sheets if needed):

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

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 must be received by Aug. 5, 2011.

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 2009.

The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 5,2011.

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 2009.

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, 2011(The award will be presented at the WFSE/AF-SCME Convention Oct. 7-9 in Spokane. 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. 7-9 in Spokane.

Person submitting nomination

Signature:

MEDAL OF VALOR AWARD

WFSE/AFSCME Medal of Valor Award Nomination Form

STATEMENT OF FACTS


for the Medal of Valor 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) ofbravery and valor between Sept. 1, 2009 and Aug. 5, 2011 (attach additional sheets if needed):

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

Date:

Send completed nomination forms to: WFSE/AFSCME Medal of Valor Award Committee,

1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.Nominations must be received by Aug. 5, 2011.

Nominations are now being accepted for theMedal of Valor Awards to recognize WFSE/AFSCMEmembers who have demonstrated bravery and valor.

The Medal of Valor Award is conferred everytwo years at the unions biennial state convention.This years awards will be handed out at the WFSE/AFSCME Convention Oct. 7-9 in Spokane.

The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 5,2011.

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

ELIGIBILITY: Locals, individual members and staffmay nominate union members. Two Medal of ValorAwards will be conferred. One award is earmarkedfor a Public Safety Ofcer member of Council 28 andone is open for a non-Public Safety Ofcer memberof Council 28. Nominees must have demonstrated

bravery and valor in a specic situation or situationsbetween Sept. 1, 2009 and Aug. 5, 2011.

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: TheMedal of Valor Award Committee, 1212 JeffersonStreet S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.

Nominations must be received by Aug. 5, 2011(The award will be presented at the WFSE/AFSCMEConvention Oct. 7-9 in Spokane). All written nomi-nations must include a statement of the required factslisted on the nomination form at right.

REVIEW: The Medal of Valor Award Committee,made up of public safety members appointed by theWFSE/AFSCME president, will review the nomina-tions and select the recipient of the Medal of ValorAward.


AWARD: The award will be presented at the WFSE/AFSCME Convention Oct. 7-9 in Spokane.


Nominators phone: ( )Phone number of personsubmitting nomination


Signature:


7/8

HOWARD JORGENSON ORGANIZING AWARD

Page 7WFSE/AFSCME Washington State EmployeeMay 2011

ELIGIBILITY:

Locals and individual members may nominateunion members, shop stewards, statewide and localofcers, staff and other activists. Nominees musthave 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, 2011.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. 7-9 in Spokane.

ROSELLA CHARVET

LEADERSHIP AWARDWashington Federation of State Employees/

AFSCME Council 28 AFL/CIO

WFSE/AFSCME Rosella Charvet Leadership Award Nomination Form

STATEMENT OF FACTS


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 unionparticipation building consensus; unity and solidarity; teamwork; inspirational acts; improving

unions community image; encouraging other members to participate; defending workers rights;working for group welfare and unions goals, etc. (attach additional sheets if needed):


Date:Signature:


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


Nominations are now being accepted for theHoward 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. 7-9 in Spokane.The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 5,2011.

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.

Nominations must be received by Aug. 5, 2011(The award will be presented at the WFSE/AFSCMEConvention Oct. 7-9 in Spokane. 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.


AWARD:The award will be presented at the WFSE/

AFSCME Convention, Oct. 7-9, in Spokane.

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):


Date:

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



Signature: Nominators phone: ( )Phone number of personsubmitting nomination


8/8


MEMBERS IN ACTION

Ironically, no managementrepresentatives appeared atthe commemoration.

The number we want tosee is not 313, Dotlich said.The number we want to seeis zero.

One of those 313 is LarryThompson, a psychology as-sociate in the hospitals Foren-sics Unit.

He suffered injuriesMarch 28 by a patient whoassaulted him with a cup ofscalding hot water, four min-utes in a microwave, Thomp-son said.

(He) threw it in my face,second-degree burns, partialvisual problems of the left eyefor a few days.

Thompson led chargesagainst the worker.

Kucinich, the keynote

speaker, told of his relativesworksite injuries and the ap-preciation of mental healthworkers who have cared forhis brother, who suffers fromthe disease.

This is a moment in thehistory of the country whenits never been more impor-tant for workers to come tothe defense of their rights,Kucinich said. We are send-ing out a message acrossthis county, across this state,

across this country, that weremember, we will not forget,and we will keep working toinsure that workplace safetyis held uppermost in theminds of everyone.

Later, families of the 92

Washington workers killed onthe job in 2010 gathered forthe states ofcial observanceat Labor and Industries head-quarters in Tumwater.

Little can take away thedisbelief or the pain, but com-ing together today to honor

the lives of your loved onesin a room lled with peopleof good faith, many of whomhave dedicated their workinglives to creating safer work-places, and helping thoseinjured at work, I hope willprovide some small measureof solace to you, Jeff Johnson,president of the WashingtonState Labor Council, said. Ihope this will be a part of thehealing process.

Observances were alsoheld in Spokane, Everett andBellingham.

Local 793 memberLarry Thompson with his marker (and photo of his injury)

indicating hes one of the 313 injured by employee assaults at Western State

Hospital in the past year. With him: WFSE/AFSCME VP Sue Henricksen (left)

and WFSE/AFSCME President Carol Dotlich (right).

Local 793 mem-

bers and members

of other unions at

April 28 obser-

vance at Western

State Hospital.

MEMORIAL,from page 1

Corrections members

win two key laws

Gov. Chris Gregoire May 3 signed into law ESHB 1041,the WFSE/AFSCME-backed bill that aims to protect

Community Corrections ofcers when they are off-duty. Itallows CCOs with proper training and with some excep-tions to carry rearms when theyre off the clock. Its to

protect themselves from offenders who may recognizethem and want to do them or their loved ones harm.On hand for the bill signing were (from left): the bills

sponsor, Rep. Tami Green of the 28th District; TacomaLocal 53 member and CCO Don Feist; and WFSE/AF-SCME Lobbyist Matt Zuvich.

LEFT: The governor

on May 5 also signedthe omnibus Correc-tions safety bill (ESB

5907) that includes anew Statewide SecurityAdvisory Committee that

must include a seniorranking Community Cor-rections ofcer. And the

new law mandates thatthe Department of Cor-

rections report back to the governor and the Legislature

by Nov. 1 on issues related to safety in Community Cor-rections.On hand for the bill signing were ESB 5907s prime

sponsor, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles of the 36th District andone of the bills co-sponsors, Sen. Steve Conway of the29th District.

Presidents Council

Presidents of 31 WFSE/AFSCME locals gathered April 16 in SeaTac for the annual Presidents Council to brainstorm and

share strategies for running effective locals. They got updates on legislation, bargaining and training.

Members of four Higher Education groups haveratied their respective contracts:

University of Washington Police Management membersratied their contract April 13 on a vote of 9-0.

Western Washington University members OKd theiragreement April 20 on a vote of 180-18. Washington State University members ratied April 22,on a vote of 73-2.

Central Washington University members also ratiedApril 22, on a vote of 66-5.

At press time, University of Washington/HarborviewMedical Center members were in the mail ballot period.The ballot count there is May 24.

No agreements had been reached yet at TheEvergreen State College and the Community CollegeCoalition. An unfair labor practice hearing is pending

over the Eastern Washington University contract thatmembers ratied but which the state later disallowed.

4 Higher Ed contracts ratifed

WFSE/AFSCME YES! Severalgroups of state employeesrecently said WFSE/AFSCME

YES! They all submittedenough signed authorizationcards to win representation bythe Washington Federation ofState Employees.

Exempt employees at TheEvergreen State Colleges stu-dent services, with 56 employ-

ees, May 9. Employees in the Ofce ofEqual Opportunity External Civil

Rights of the state Departmentof Transportation, with sixemployees, March 4. Fish hatchery technicians inthe Department of Fish and

Wildlife, 44 employees, Dec. 17. Environmental specialistsin the Building and Grounds

Division in the Department ofGeneral Administration, twoemployees, March 2.

At the University ofWashington Tacomacampus, a grounds andnursery service specialist 1,mail carrier and utility worker,

Dec. 17.

Washington State Employee, May 2011

Documents

Transcript of Washington State Employee, May 2011