State Employee

VOL. 38 NO. 4
MAY 2010
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR CAMPING. The official newspaper of the
WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE
See page 7. EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28•AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON

Our turn!
The determined response by targeted Maple
Lane members is just one example where
WFSE/AFSCME members refuse to back
down from attacks on programs, public safety
and communities.
IN THIS ISSUE: Salary survey • Endorsements push
back • Furlough fight • Health care • Supplemental
bargaining • Step increases • Bargaining updates

State salary survey shows 82% lag behind in pay

They say numbers
don’t lie.
And the numbers say
state employees still earn
less, according to the state
salary survey released
May 6.
The numbers also say
the state as an employer
lags behind the 59 percent
of public employers who
pay 100 percent of their
employees’ health premi-
ums.
The salary survey is
done every two years as
required by law. It aims to
show how big or small the
pay gap is between state
employees and their coun-
terparts in the public and
private sector.
And the latest salary
survey shows a still-unac-
ceptable pay gap. terparts.
Some 82 percent of This time around,
state workers still earn the state Department of
below market rate, accord- Personnel hired an outside
ing to the salary survey. consultant to do the salary
Nearly a third – 30 percent survey.
– fall more than 25 percent
behind comparable coun- See SALARY SURVEY,
page 2

‘Tired of being under constant attack,’ WFSE/AFSCME delegates deny

endorsements for all but one state senator, all but 17 House members
WFSE/AFSCME dele-
gates elected by their locals to
the union’s biennial Endorse-
ments Conference April 17
sent a message to incumbent
legislators that they may need
to look elsewhere for support
in 2010.
The delegates, meet-
ing in Seattle, evaluated the
performance of state sena-
tors and representatives and
concluded most of them have
waged a systematic campaign
to dismantle human services
and inflict extraordinary and
unnecessary sacrifices on state
employees.
Only one incumbent state
senator – Sen. Pam Roach,
R-31st Dist. – and 17 House
incumbents received the seal
Endorsements Conference delegates applaud their tough stand as they voted April 17 to deny backing to most incum-
See ENDORSEMENTS, page 3 bent legislators.

NEW ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OPTION. If you’d like to save paper and postage, you can receive this newspaper electronically. Log onto
www.wfse.org and click on the newspaper icon in the upper right corner; then register for the electronic version. Or e-mail us at
info@wfse.org, or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. If you’re a represented non-
member fee payer and you don’t wish to receive this publication in any format, e-mail us at info@wfse.org, or write: WFSE/AFSC-
ME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.

SALARY
SURVEY,
from page 1
You can view the com-
plete salary survey and other
summaries at: http://www.
dop.wa.gov/CompClass/
Compensation/Pages/Total-
CompensationSurvey.aspx
DOP has opened a public
comment period through May
28. The Federation will scour
the voluminous data to find
any out-of-whack calculations
and the like. Feedback can be
sent to ServiceCenter@dop.
wa.gov. The DOP director will
adopt the final salary survey
results June 4.
The salary survey along with
the June revenue forecast are
two prime measures used in
contract negotiations over
your economic issues.
The state has signaled
there will be tough bargaining
on economics in these down
economic times.
But even state negotiators
have to concede the numbers
show a smoldering problem
that has to be acknowledged.
When the economy tanked in
late 2008, the just-concluded
OUR TURN!
2009-2011 contracts had to be
re-opened. One of the sacri-
fices exacted was a provision
to bring those more than 25
percent behind on the salary
survey up to no more than
25 percent behind during the
July 2009-June 2011 biennium.
The salary survey also re-
futes attacks on your benefits
and leave.
According to the survey,
most employers, public and
private, pay 100 percent of
employee health premiums –
59 percent in the public sector
and 51 percent in the private
sector. Washington pays 88
percent.
Most other public em-
ployers also pay more than
80 percent for family cover-
age—57 percent in the public
sector.
The survey found only
26 percent of private-sector
employers did.
That latter finding could
open the door to new at-
tacks on state employees as
many lawmakers are fond of
making the apples-oranges
comparison between state
workers and private-sector
employees.
As late as May 5, Sen. Joe
Zarelli, the Senate’s top
critic of the state employee
compensation system, told a
group of Rotarians in Vancou-
ver that private-sector em-
ployers pay an average of 23
percent of health premiums
for workers, according to the
Vancouver Columbian.
It’s unclear where Zarelli
gets his numbers, but they are
not backed up by the salary
survey.
And most employers
grant the same amount of (or
possibly a little more) sick
leave, vacation and holidays.
Most public employers grant
similar pension benefits.

Oops! How state math goof set off wave of attacks on your step increases
Shhh!! You might have
missed it.
Way back in January,
the state budget office re-
did its figures and found
that it was an earlier (whop-
ping) math error that gave
Sen. Joe Zarelli and others
a soapbox to attack state
employee step increases.
But we now know that
the $83 million price tag
provided by the state Office
of Financial Management
($38 million from the state
General Fund) in December
was a back-of-the-envelope
calculation that was way
off.
In January, after Zarelli
and others in the GOP used
step increases as a convenient
scapegoat in guest editorials
and floor speeches, OFM said,
“Oops!”
It turns out the cost to the
state of step increases is about
$6.5 million in the next fiscal
year from the General Fund.
In all, according to Crosscut.
com, the cost was “a whop-
ping 0.2 percent” of the bud-
get deficit.
No one except Crosscut
paid attention to the OFM
mistake and recalculation
because by then Zarelli and
company had moved on to
other targets that were less
easy to refute with numbers.
A more recent story on
washingtonwire.com shed
more background.
“What happened is that
the governor’s budget office
made a boo-boo—a big one,”
WashingtonWire reports.
OFM made a quick
calculation at the request of a
legislative staffer.
“The numbers were never
intended for public dissemi-
nation…,” the report said.
“But the numbers got out.
They showed up in a Republi-
can press release and soon the
entire state was talking about
them.”
Except when the error
was quietly corrected.
But the incident backed up
what WFSE/AFSCME mem-
bers have said all along. The
bottom line is step increases
are a standard actuarial tool
to save the state money.
The alternative is paying
all new hires their full salary
from the day they walk in the
door.
Step increases allow the
state to offset compensa-
tion costs. When a top-step
employee leaves state ser-
vice, a replacement is hired
at a lower salary that will be
phased in over about six years
or so.
Critics used the faulty step
increase figures to attack your
contracts and criticize the
governor for not strip-
ping them out. The truth is
step increases, like shared
leave and a number of
other statutory benefits, are
added to the contracts for
consistency. Step increases
came into being long before
collective bargaining.
Step increases in fact
cost far less than the money
the state would spend to
close Maple Lane School
or Pine Lodge Corrections
Center for Women to sup-
posedly “save” money.
You can read the story
at http://www.washington-
statewire.com/home/2764-as_
taxes_go_up_state_employ-
ees_get_pay_raise.htm#

SHARED LEAVE
REQUESTS
If you’ve been approved to receive
shared leave by your agency or insti-
tution, you can place a notice here.
Once you’ve been approved by your
agency or institution, WFSE/AFSCME
can place your shared leave request
here and online. Please include a con-
tact in your agency, usually in human
resources, for donors to call. E-mail
the editor at tim@wfse.org. Or call
1-800-562-6002.
• The following could use a donation
of eligible unused annual leave or sick
leave or all or part of your personal
holiday:
Donald Flanagan, a financial services
specialist 3 in Tacoma and a member
of Local 53, is in need of shared leave
because of a serious medical condi-
tion. Contact: Your human resource
office.
Barbara Maasch, an unemployment
insurance specialist 4 at the Spokane
Telecenter (Employment Security
Department) and a member of Local
1221, has been approved for shared
leave for a serious medical condition.
Contact: Kathleen Young, (360) 902-
9413.
Roberta “Bert” Reynolds, a financial
services specialist 4 with DSHS in
Aberdeen and a member of Local 970,
is undergoing treatment for a serious
medical condition. Contact: Your hu-
man resource office.
for an extended period because of an
emergent medical reason. Contact:
Your human resource office.
Jerry Magallan, a psychiatric security
attendant at Eastern State Hospital in
Medical Lake and a member of Local
782, underwent surgery April 30 and
will be off work at least two weeks.
Contact: Laura Farley, (509) 565-4464.
Esther Freeman, a recreation thera-
pist 2 at Western State Hospital in
Lakewood and a member of Local
793, is recovering from shoulder sur-
gery and will be off the job at least two
months. Contact: Dave Wiggen, (253)
761-3366.
Marci McGhee, a medical assistance
specialist 3 with the DSHS Health and
Recovery Administration in Olympia
Lue Larson, a program manager A
at Green River Community College in
Auburn and a member of Local 304,
has been approved for shared leave.
Contact: Cheryl Gordon, (253) 833-
9111, Ext. 2600.
Linda Navarro, a financial services
specialist 1 with DSHS in Tacoma
and a member of Local 53, has been
approved for shared leave. Contact:
Linette Davis (253) 476-7002.
Cindy Nelson, a financial services
specialist 4 with DSHS in Lakewood,
is in need of shared leave because of
a serious medical condition. Contact:
Cindy Hernandez, (509) 225-7924.
Kendra Hogenson, a medical as-
sistance specialist 3 with DSHS in
Olympia and a member of Local 443,

State Employee
WASHINGTON

LaVinia Jordan, a financial services

specialist 3 in Newport and a member
and a member of Local 443, is re-
covering from surgery and will need
shared leave for six to eight weeks.
is facing a serious medical condition
and is in need of share leave. Contact:
Jennifer McCaslin, (360) 725-2058.
of Local 1054, will be out of the office Contact: Kate Trickle, (360) 725-1412.
Washington State Employee (USPS 981-
200) is published monthly, except February
7 20

and July, for $5.08 per year by the Washing-

OTHER OTHER

lissa, held a remem- IN MEMORIAM: Ray Hood, the

21 22

ton Federation of State Employees/AFSCME

IN MEMORIAM
OTHER OTHER

Council 28 • AFL-CIO, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E.
Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Affiliated with
the American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Periodicals postage paid at Olympia, WA
and at additional offices. Circulation:
40,000.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Washington State Employee, 1212 Jefferson
St SE Suite 300 Olympia WA 98501-7501
Carol Dotlich, President
brance for Mike May former president of Spokane Trans-
8. “Mike was a great portation Local 504 who retired in
IN MEMORIAM: Mike Holm, a retired guy and friend and 1990, died April 22. He was 82. He
longtime activist with Statewide Fish will be missed by is survived by his wife of 60 years,
Hatcheries Local 2964 and a mem- all who knew him,” Eleanor Hood, six children, 11 grand-
ber of the first General Government said Ace Trump of children and 14 great-grandchildren.
Bargaining Team in 2004, died April 25 the Spokane Hatch- A memorial service was held April 30
in Spokane after a battle with cancer. ery Complex, on in Spokane. In lieu of flowers, memo-
He was 58. Mike spent 33 years with the WDFW retirees rial contributions can be made to: The
the Department of Fish and Wildlife. website. Alzheimer’s Association, Inland North-
He retired in the fall of 2009 as a fish west Chapter, 910 W. 5th Ave., Suite
hatchery specialist 3. His wife, Me- 256, Spokane, WA 99204.

Greg Devereux, Executive Director REMINDER for those covered by the 2009-2011 General Government or Higher Education contract: the personal holiday for calendar year
Editor Tim Welch 2010 must be used by 12/31/10; your personal leave day for this fiscal year must by used by June 30, 2010, and for 7/1/10-6/30/11, by June 30,
e-mail: tim@wfse.org • Internet: www.wfse.org
Member, ILCA 2011. Some limitations apply (see GG Article 17.8 and HE Article 18.5).

Page 2 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee May 2010


ENDORSEMENTS, from page 1
of approval from the En-
dorsements Conference. Rep.
Sharon Nelson, D-34th Dist.,
received the endorsement in
the race for the open 34th Dis-
trict Senate seat being vacated
by Sen. Joe McDermott.
(Rep. Maralyn Chase,
D-32nd Dist., got the nod of
local presidents in her district
April 28 in her race for the
Senate seat being vacated by
the incumbent, Sen. Darlene
Fairley.)
Only 17 incumbent House
members won endorsement.
In federal races, the del-
egates endorsed state Sen.
Craig Pridemore, D-49th Dist.,
for the open U.S. 3rd District
Congressional seat being va-
cated by Rep. Brian Baird.
They also backed Demo-
crat and former Microsoft
executive Suzan DelBene,
who is challenging incumbent
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert in the
8th Congressional District.
And incumbent U.S. Sen.
Patty Murray once again won
the unanimous approval for
her re-election bid.
No candidates in the three
HOLDING LEGISLATORS ACCOUNTABLE
Endorsements Conference delegates Kevin Hamel (Fircrest School Local
341) and Lin Crowley (The Evergreen State College, Local 443).
state Supreme Court seats up
for election received endorse-
ments. The screening process
will continue and endorse-
ments may be made later.
The Endorsements Confer-
ence also weighed in on four
statewide ballot issues, voting
to oppose Tim Eyman’s I-1053
to reinstate supermajority
requirements for votes on
revenue. They also opposed
I-1082 to privatize the state
workers’ compensation
program and the expected
initiative to privatize state
liquor stores (which was filed
May 7).
Delegates endorsed the
Williams Gates Sr.-backed Ini-
tiative 1098 to raise $1 billion
with a tax on “adjusted gross
income” for couples earning
more than $400,000 a year
and individuals earning more
than $200,000.
But it was the discussion
of the legislative races that
generated the most discussion
and anger. The Endorsements Confer-
“We’re tired of being ence delegates blamed state
under constant attack,” said senators, and particularly
Dennis Eagle, the Federation’s the majority Democrats, for
director of legislative and waging an attack on human
political action. services, including support-
The delegates endorsed ing privatizing or shuttering
House incumbents they Child Welfare Services, Sup-
concluded had gone the extra plemental Security Income
mile to delay and mitigate (SSI) eligibility services, juve-
the furlough bill, who fought nile rehabilitation, residential
for the $65 million needed habilitation services and big
to keep out-of-pocket health chunks of Corrections, like
costs level and who support- Pine Lodge Corrections Cen-
ed vital institutions and safety ter for Women.
net programs. “Virtually every member
“Our lunchbox depends of the Senate is responsible,”
on decisions made by elected Eagle said.
officials,” Eagle said. Those incumbents and
And with 25 percent of other candidates aren’t totally
the state budget wiped out denied an endorsement. But
by the global economic crisis, without the blessing of the
that lunchbox is much lighter. Endorsements Conference,
State employees had already they now face a grueling run
given up $1 billion in wages, of local interviews where they
benefits, pension funding will face tough questioning
and layoffs before the 2010 from members.
session. The unendorsed face an
So delegates weren’t in- uphill battle, starting with
terested in endorsing incum- the Washington State Labor
bents who pooh-poohed state Council’s COPE Endorse-
employee concerns about ments Conference held May
saving the safety net or who 15. The Federation is the
seemed to relish finding new largest WSLC-affiliate, so it
ways to make state employees brought clout to support or
sacrifice. deny endorsements.

Here are the 28 who earned WFSE/AFSCME’s hard-won endorsement

Murray Inslee Larsen Pridemore Dicks McDermott DelBene Smith Roach Chase Nelson

Campbell Ormsby Hasegawa Roberts Hunt Appleton Green Conway Miloscia Priest Upthegrove

Dist. 44 (Pos. 1)–Hans Dunshee, D* I-1082 (Privatizing workers’ comp.):

Dist. 46 (Pos. 1) – Scott White, D* OPPOSE
Dist. 47 (Pos. 1)–Geoff Simpson, D* I-1098 (Tax on high adjusted gross
Dist. 47 (Pos. 2) – Pat Sullivan, D* incomes): SUPPORT
Dist. 49 (Pos. 2) – Jim Moeller, D* I-???? (Privatizing state liquor stores):
OPPOSE
Sells Dunshee White Simpson Sullivan Moeller STATEWIDE INITIATIVES

Here is the list of candidates endorsed
by the WFSE/AFSCME Endorse-
ments Conference April 17 (*indicates
incumbent; ^=state senator running
for Congress; #=state House member
running for state Senate):
STATE LEGISLATURE I-1053 (Tim Eyman/revenue superma-
jorities): OPPOSE
STATE SENATE
VOTING RECORD CORRECTION. The correct Vote No. 9 in the voting record published last month
Dist. 31 – Pam Roach, R* should have been from the vote on ESSB 6726 from 2/15/10, not 3/9/10. That changes the voting
Dist. 32 -- Maralyn Chase, D# (en- record of two senators. Here is their correct tally:
dorsed April 28)
WFSE/AFSCME
ESSB 5288: DOC supervision of offenders

Dist. 34 – Sharon Nelson, D#

ESHB 1244: 2009-2011 Operating Budget

U.S. SENATE Voting Record

ESSB 6503: State employee furloughs
SHB 2339: ‘Opt-out’ funding for parks

STATE HOUSE OF 2009-2010

SENATE
Patty Murray, D* REPRESENTATIVES
ESSB 6130: Suspension of I-960
ESHB 2049: WMS Transparency

E2SSB 5943: CWS Privatization

U.S. CONGRESS Dist. 2 (Pos. 2) – Tom Campbell, R*

Explanation of
2ESSB 6143: Revenue Bill

Dist. 3 (Pos. 2) – Timm Ormsby, D*

ESSB 6726: Interpreters

votes at left.
2009-2010 % RECORD

Congressional District 1 – Dist. 11 (Pos. 2)–Bob Hasegawa, D*

Jay Inslee, D* Dist. 21 (Pos. 1) – Mary Helen
CD 2 – Rick Larsen, D* Roberts, D* VOTING RECORD KEY:
CD 3 – Craig Pridemore, D^ Dist. 22 (Pos. 2) – Sam Hunt, D* + = RIGHT vote
- = WRONG vote
CD 6 – Norm Dicks, D* Dist.23(Pos. 1)–Sherry Appleton, D*
E = Excused A = Absent
WRONG

CD 7 – Jim McDermott, D* Dist. 28 (Pos. 2) – Tami Green, D*

RIGHT

NM= Not in Senate at that

CD 8 – Suzan DelBene, D Dist. 29 (Pos. 1)– Steve Conway, D* time
CD 9 – Adam Smith, D* Dist. 30 (Pos. 1) – Mark Miloscia, D*
Dist. 30 (Pos. 2) – Skip Priest, R* VOTE #: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + - %
Dist. 33 (Pos. 2)–Dave Upthegrove,
Mary Margaret HAUGEN (D-10th)- + - + - + + - - 4 5 44%
D*
Pam ROACH (R-31st) + A + + + - - E + 5 2 71%
Dist. 38 (Pos. 2) – Mike Sells, D*

May 2010 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee Page 3

 Our turn!
Furlough fight heats up
as WFSE/AFSCME files
demands to bargain
The fight over the new
furlough law kicked into
even higher gear May 11 as
the Federation filed formal
demands to bargain with the
state.
Two demands to bargain-
-one for General Government
and the other for Higher
Education--were filed with
Diane Leigh, director of the
Office of Labor Relations, the
governor’s negotiating office.
In them, union Executive
Director Greg Devereux said
that furloughs are a mandato-
ry subject of bargaining under
the contract and the 2002 col-
lective bargaining law.
“The Washington Fed-
eration of State Employees,
as the exclusive bargaining
Continue to for-
ward tips about
what your agency
is saying about
furloughs. E-mail
us at info@wfse.
org.
representative of specific state
employees, has not been ad- The General Government Bargaining Team shows solidarity in their last team meeting May 11 before the formal start of
vised of, nor negotiated over, face-to-face negotiations with the state May 19 and 20. Along with WFSE/AFSCME’s other teams, the General Govern-
any and all actions the state ment team is taking a strong stand against furloughs, for health care and for supplemental bargaining on agency-specific
intends to take, or has taken, issues.
as a result of the passage of
ESSB 6503 (the furlough bill). The demands to bargain lough plans without negotia- could save money with other
With this letter, the WFSE is come as word continues to tions. Some apparently are compensation-reducing op-
invoking the right to demand leak out that several agencies being pressured to furlough tions.
negotiations on this matter.” have already prepared fur- employees even when they See FURLOUGHS, page 6

Facts about the

furlough law
State employee furloughs
e a d y s a crificed
lr
(Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill We’ve a n in pay
,
C’mon! io

5
1 b il l
an $ tions
6503)
Passed the Senate 30-11 on 3/16/10 more th ension contribu
, p
and the House 50-38 on 4/2/10. The
benefits
jobs!
and lost
governor signed it into law 4/27/10.

• ESSB 6503 directs agencies to re-

duce compensation costs by a total of
$45 million.

• The governor vetoed the provision

problems with the furlough law...

that $10 million should come from
exempt and Washington Management
Service staff.

• Options include: mandatory and 1. It’s about politics, not economics. There may be pressure to furlough at any cost,
voluntary furloughs, leave without pay, even if state agencies come up with alternative plans to save compensation. In the end,
reduced work hours, voluntary retire- the furlough bill is about politics and symbolism, not saving money.
ments and separations, layoffs, and
other methods.
2. It will lead to “disparate” treatment (a legal word for unequal treatment). The truth
• Agencies that fail to submit an ap- is, nearly 80% of all state employees couldn’t be furloughed. But the 20% who can be
proved compensation reduction plan may be in job classes doing the same work as those in classes exempt from furloughs.
will be subject to ten specified agency This sets up the potential for lawsuits (California’s furlough law was overturned this way)
closure dates beginning in July 2010. and grievances. The Washington Federation of State Employees alone has a very good
The 10 mandatory furlough days track record of fighting and winning pay equity, including on gender-based pay equity
would be: (comparable worth) and against disparities in pay between Higher Education and General
Government (Shroll lawsuit).
Monday, July 12, 2010
Friday, Aug. 6, 2010
Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010 3. It won’t save money. It didn’t work in Oregon. There, lawmakers passed a furlough bill
Monday, Oct. 11, 2010 for the 2009-2011 budget to save $40.8 million. But in just one Oregon agency –Human
Monday, Dec. 27, 2010 Services – overtime costs for the last three months of 2009 ended up costing $3.4 million.
Friday, Jan. 28, 2011
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
4. It will disrupt services. The governor even wants mandatory closures on the same
Friday, April 22, 2011 day everywhere--even in agencies devising alternative ways to save money.
Friday, June 10, 2011
• The cost reduction plans submitted 5. It protects management. The governor vetoed out the provision calling for $10
by institutions of higher education may million of the savings to come from Washington Management Service and other exempt
provide for reductions to operations, management classes.
as well as compensation.

• Agencies are encouraged to preserve

family wage jobs.
...and what you can do about it.
1. Call the governor at (360) 902-4111 or 1-800-562-6000. Tell
• Employees earning less than her to honor the furlough law and allow agencies full flexibility to
$30,000 per year are allowed to use find alternatives to furloughs/layoffs.
annual leave or shared leave in lieu
of temporary layoffs during agency
2. Let us know of all furlough plans you hear in your agency.
See FACTS, page 7 They must bargain. E-mail us at info@wfse.org.

Page 4 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee May 2010

 Our turn!
Politics, not economics, charged as governor ignores
pleas to veto closures of Maple Lane, Pine Lodge

Maple Lane Local 1926 members picketed outside the governor’s office April 30 (left) then met with Gov. Gregoire’s
Deputy Chief of Staff Jill Satran (right) where Local 1926 President Bradley Williamson presented petition signed by the
100 who crammed into the executive conference room.
Maple Lane members hold first of many strategy sessions May 7 in Rochester.
It came in the wake of the governor’s refusal to veto the phased closure of the
juvenile rehabilitation facility in south Thurston County. On hand to help the
local included: Tim Welch, WFSE/AFSCME director of public affairs (second
from left); WFSE/AFSCME Vice President Sue Henricksen (third from left);
22nd Dist. House candidate Stew Henderson (in doorway); and Danielle
Westbrook, assistant to Thurston County Commissioner Karen Valenzuela (far
right).

The governor on May 4
signed the state supplemental
budgets and rebuffed pleas
from members to save two
institutions.
She left intact the three-
year phased closure of Maple
Lane School in south Thur-
ston County and the closure
of Pine Lodge Corrections
Center for Women in Medical
Lake this month.
There’s still time to fight
the Maple Lane closure. Ac-
tivists held the first of several
strategy meetings May 7 in
Rochester.
About 100 Local 1926
members and supporters had
picketed the Capitol April 30
and then descended on the
governor’s office to plead
their case.
They asked the gover-
nor’s Deputy Chief of Staff Jill
Satran to urge the governor
to stop the phased three-year
closure of Maple Lane.
The closure was inserted
in the budget in the final
hours of the legislative session
and contradicted the conclu-
sions of the Legislature’s own
consultant who said closing
Maple Lane “would be a bad
idea.”
Yet the governor left
the phased-in closure in the
budget.
There’s been fallout.
KPLU, a National Pub-
lic Radio affiliate, reported
there’s growing suspicion
the Maple Lane closure was
politically, not fiscally, moti-
vated.
“Last year, Democrats
commissioned a new study
to recommend which state
institutions to close,” KPLU
reported. “But the study’s
authors were told to focus on
Green Hill and Maple Lane….
Maple Lane is in a Republican
legislative district….
“A key architect behind
the closure of Maple Lane was
See BUDGET, page 6

Tough bargaining on supplemental issues, health care expected

All bargaining teams start negotia-
tions soon. WSU and General Govern-
ment have already started.
There are now nine bargaining
teams. A new law allows the four
four-year higher education institutions
that had bargained in coalition to now
bargain separately. Those are Cen-
tral Washington University, Eastern
Washington University, The Evergreen
State College and Western Washington
University.
Most are planning or have con-
ducted surveys of affected members to
help determine priority issues.
Here’s a quick rundown:
GENERAL GOVERNMENT. The Gen-
eral Government team started formal
negotiations May 19 and 20 at the
Thurston County Fairgrounds in Lacey.
Other bargaining dates have been
set through July. Supplemental teams
have been elected.
For more bargaining
updates and informa-
tion, go to wfse.org
and click on Bargaining
Center.
The Community College Coalition Bargaining Team met May 4 at SeaTac.
tentative agreement was reached on WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVER- take place May 20. They tentatively
the Preamble and Article 2--Non-Dis- SITY. The WWU Bargaining Team held set May 25 and 26 as pre-bargaining
crimination. its first pre-bargaining meeting May 19 team meetings.
and 20.
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVER-
The UW Bargaining Team met for the THE EVERGREEN STATE COL- SITY. The CWU team will hold a pre-
first time April 21 and was scheduled LEGE. TESC, like WWU, CWU and bargaining meeting June 8.
to meet again May 25 to prepare for EWU, is now bargaining separately.
negotiations. Nomination forms for the six addi- EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSI-
tional team members allowed under TY. The EWU team is making its plans
UW POLICE MANAGEMENT. The the union’s bargaining structure were for pre-bargaining meetings.
UW Police Management Bargaining mailed out April 30 and were due back
Team met May 4 to prepare for its May 14. If there are more than six
negotiations. nominees, an onsite election was to

COMMUNITY COLLEGE COALI-

TION. The coalition of 12 Community
Colleges heads into their negotiations
Two key messages to send to management:
on June 2 and 3. They have other bar- FOLLOW THE LAW
gaining dates set for: June 23, 24, 29
DON’T TRY TO BARGAIN
and 30; July 20 and 21; Aug. 9, 10, 17 AWAY OUR HEALTH CARE! AND PROMISES ON
HANDS OFF MY
and 18; and Sept. 1, 2, 15 and 16. HEALTH CARE! We already pay more for SUPPLEMENTAL
deductibles and co-pays. BARGAINING!
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY.
We also pay 12% of our Supplemental bar-
The WSU Bargaining team started
negotiations in April. Already, the team premiums--when em- gaining allows em-
raised a number of issues identified by ployees in some states ployees in an agency
WSU members as priorities, includ- and companies pay to negotiate on is-
ing extra holidays and personal days, nothing. Management
holiday pay equivalent to scheduled sues specific to their
should not come to the interests. Manage-
shift (8 or 10 hours), return to former
vacation days and having all hours bargaining table asking ment should not fight
worked and all paid leave (including us to pay 20% or 30% of this legal, economi-
sick leave) count toward overtime. our premium costs. cal and fair way to
Both sides agreed to existing language
in Article 7 (Seniority) and Article 10 resolve differences.
(Union/Management Meetings). And

May 2010 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee Page 5

 UNION NEWS
BUDGET,
from page 5
WFSE/AFSCME Members-Only Benefits update
State Senator Jim Hargrove, (a
Democrat) chair of the Senate

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œÕ«œ˜ f£xä°ää
Human Services and Correc-
tions committee. He did not

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respond to requests for an !-%-"%23/.,9"%.%&)4FOR7&3%!&3#-%MEMBERSANDTHEIRFAMILIES

interview.” -iÀۈ˜}Ê՘ˆœ˜Ê“i“LiÀÃÊ>˜`Ê̅iˆÀÊv>“ˆˆiÃÊvœÀʜÛiÀÊÎäÊÞi>Àð
Maple Lane is in the 20th

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District.
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“Another person who

Eve y thin

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-
 Êi“LiÀÃ
r
thinks it was a political deci-
sion is Republican state Rep.
Gary Alexander,” KPLU re-
ported. “Maple Lane is in his
district. He doesn’t like the
idea of walking away from
"ÕÀÊ-«iVˆ>ˆÌއÌÀ>ˆ˜i`Ê`i˜ÌˆÃÌÃÊ«iÀvœÀ“Ê
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spent $35 million to upgrade
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costs at Green Hill School, this
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On Pine Lodge, the governor

and legislators left few op- Spec
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f
tions.
Some had hoped a part- +ÕiÃ̈œ˜Ã¶Ê
nership with Spokane County
and City would have given it

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a reprieve, but that apparently £ÓÊ7>ň˜}̜˜Ê £‡nnn‡ ,/Ê "7ÊÊÜÜÜ°LÀˆ}…̘œÜ°Vœ“ Àˆ}…ÌÊ œÜtÊi˜Ì>Ê
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is now no longer in the cards. Óx·{äx‡{x{Ç

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raised by former Spokane

County Sheriff and state rep- SBI_WFSE_ad_may_b.indd 1 5/7/10 3:44:18 PM

resentative Mark Sterk, who

Financial Wellness
may seek election to oust his
successor.
“I think the taxpayers
of this county deserve some

A MEMBERS ONLY BENEFIT for WFSE/AFSCME members and their families!

answers,” Sterk told the
Spokane Spokesman-Review
May 5.

Political not fiscal motivation

has been charged in the Pine
Lodge closure, too.
ON GUARD!
Sterk is a Republican and
Pine Lodge is in the Republi-
can 9th District.
Protect Yourself and Your Money
The May 4 meeting be-
tween Pine Lodge members
and 9th District legislators Scammers and schemers are everywhere, looking for ways to part you from your money.
Rep. Susan Fagan and Joe
Schmick was a somber event. But WSECU can show you the defensive “moves” you need to protect yourself against check
Fagan and Schmick said fraud, credit and debit card fraud, Internet scams and phone scams with our free seminar:
they may assist in any de-
mands to bargain over issues
related to the Pine Lodge SCAMS, SHAMS AND YOUR MONEY MATTERS
closure.
WFSE/AFSCME Presi- This is an ideal forum to learn about current scams, shams and the so-called “really good deals,”
dent Carol Dotlich, Local 782 as well as how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. To schedule a workshop for your local or public
President Greg Davis, Federa-
tion Lobbyist Matt Zuvich agency, call 800.562.0999 x10101. WSECU membership is not required — all WFSE/AFSCME
and Federation Council Rep members and retirees are welcome!
Dale Roberts were all on hand
to help.
And they acknowledged
what all WFSE/AFSCME
members know: the Pine
Lodge members did every-
thing right in the campaign wsecu.org | 800.562.0999
to save the facility, but they
were undermined by politi-
cians’ empty promises. And
the Federation holds those FURLOUGHS, from page 4 of the cuts come from Wash- sage. tion savings now must come
politicians accountable for ington Management Service She said the $10 million from front-line state workers,
this wrong-headed move that Gov. Chris Gregoire and other management requirement was unfair to increasing the chances that
really doesn’t save money, signed the furlough bill into classes. management and would harm mandatory furloughs may
and harms the community, law April. 27. “A cut of this size, over management recruitment and very well occur for the 20 per-
the prisoners and the employ- In doing so she vetoed such a small base, is too large retention. cent of state employees who
ees. a part of the bill that would to be practical,” the governor What this means is a could be targeted.
have directed that $10 million said in her partial-veto mes- bigger chunk of compensa-

Page 6 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee May 2010

 WFSE/AFSCME MEMBERS-ONLY BENEFITS UPDATE; NEWS
Howard Ocobock Memorial
WFSE/AFSCME Family Campouts
Two sites! Two dates!
Sept. 10-12
Brooks Memorial
State Park
Environmental Learning
Center
(near Goldendale)
Deadline to register: Aug. 31, 2010
http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Brooks Memorial
NOTE: Each campout requires a minimum
number of campers. In the event the mini-
mums aren’t reached, you will be refunded
your money.
The WFSE/AFSCME Members Only Ben-
efits Committee and the WFSE/AFSCME
Statewide Executive Board invite all WFSE/
AFSCME members and their families to
come to this fun, overnight get-together at
two of the most beautiful state parks main-
tained by members of Parks Local 1466.
• This year, you have the option of checking
in Friday night or anytime Saturday.
• Cabins have been reserved. WFSE/AF-
SCME will pay the $9.30 per night camp fee
for members; members pay for any family or
HOWARD OCOBOCK MEMORIAL WFSE/AFSCME UNION FAMILY CAMPOUTS
Check which campout or campouts you wish to attend.
Sept. 10-12
Brooks Memorial State Park
Deadline to register: Aug. 31, 2010
NAME
Street City State Zip
( ) ( )
Home phone Cell Phone Home e-mail address
What activities would you be interested in?
Hiking
Biking
Local tours Boating
How many family members or guests will you be bringing? ____________ Please enclose $9.30 for each fam-
ily member or guest you’ll be bringing. Make checks out to WFSE/AFSCME.
Mail this form to: WFSE/AFSCME Campouts, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.
FACTS, from page 4
closures.
• Exempt from mandatory
furloughs:
• Direct custody, supervision and
patient care in: Corrections; juve-
nile rehabilitation; veterans’ insti-
tutions; mental health institutions;
facilities for developmentally
disabled citizens; state hospitals,
UW Medical Center and Harbor-
view Medical Center; Special
Commitment Center; the school
for the blind and the school for
the deaf; and the Washington
Youth Academy.
• Direct protective services to
children and other vulnerable
populations, complaint investiga-
tors and residential care licen-
sors and surveyors in DSHS and
DOH.
• Washington State Patrol investi-
gative services and field enforce-
May 2010
ANNOUNCING!
Sept. 24-26
Millersylvania
State Park ANOTHER MEMBERS-ONLY DENTAL BENEFIT. On hand April 15 to sign the
Environmental memorandum of understanding between WFSE/AFSCME and Sunrise Dental:
Learning Center (standing, from left) WFSE/AFSCME Executive Director Greg Devereux,
Members-Only Benefits Committee Co-Chair Randy Kurtz (Local 948) and
(near Olympia) Adam Keck, Sunrise Dental’s executive director for labor; (sitting, from left)
Deadline to register: Sept. 13, 2010 Dr. Abraham Ghorbanian, Sunrise Dental founder and partner, and WFSE/
http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Millersylvania AFSCME Statewide Secretary Lee Novak (Local 1400).
guests.
• You may also choose to camp at a tent or Sunrise Dental signs on as
RV site, if available. WFSE/AFSCME will
reimburse you for the $26 campsite fee.
• Kitchen facilities available for meals. Bring
WFSE/AFSCME’s second
your own food for breakfast and lunch.
• Each campout will feature a Saturday-night members-only dental benefit
potluck, with hotdogs, hamburgers, condi-
ments and chips. Each family should bring WFSE/AFSCME mem- costs at Sunrise Dental will
one main dish to serve eight, plus a salad or bers now have a second ex- be minimal or zero whenever
dessert. clusive dental members-only possible.
• For cabins, bring sleeping bag or bedding benefits option. • Free teeth whitening for
materials. Sunrise Dental, with more new patients
QUESTIONS? Call 1-800-562-6002 • E-mail: than 25 locations across Wash- • One-stop dental ser-
tim@wfse.org • Visit www.wfse.org ington and Oregon, signed a vice for most of your dental
memorandum of understand- procedures
ing with the union April 15 in • Refer a friend or family
Olympia. member and receive a $20 gift
Under the agreement, certificate from a unionized
Sunrise Dental will provide grocery store
cost-saving services to WFSE/ • No cost to participate,
AFSCME members and fami- no restrictions, no per visit
Sept. 24-26
lies in the Uniform Dental charge (subject to the limita-
Millersylvania State Park
Plan, as well as educational tions of your plan)
Deadline to register: Sept. 13, 2010
classes and seminars at local • For any patients travel-
meetings, conferences, lunch ing 30 miles or more Sunrise
Local #: ‘n’ learns and other gather- Dental will reimburse for
ings. mileage, tolls, and/or ferry
Sunrise Dental joins tolls, not to exceed $35 per
Bright Now! Dental as part of visit
the WFSE/AFSCME Mem- • 0% financing available
bers-Only Benefits Program for those who qualify
overseen by the union’s The non-dentist employ-
I’d like more informa- Members Only Benefits Com- ees at Sunrise Dental branches
tion on the tent and/or mittee. are unionized members of
Birdwatching Horseshoes
RV option Extensive details on UFCW Local 21.
Fishing Swimming Sunrise Dental’s full line of Sunrise Dental keeps
(Millersylvania) benefits will be coming in the expanding the number of
next few weeks. branches, which include: Bel-
Among the benefits: levue, Bellingham, Bothell/
• A $200 new patient Mill Creek, Everett, Federal
credit towards dental work to Way, Issaquah, Kent, Lyn-
use towards any procedure nwood, Marysville, Monroe,
ment. sions and boards, and agricul- not covered by the eligible Olympia, Poulsbo, Puyal-
• Hazardous materials response tural inspection programs in member’s dental insurance. lup, Renton, SeaTac/Seattle,
or emergency response and Agriculture. In addition, this certificate Downtown Seattle, Shore-
cleanup. • The unemployment insurance can be used for anything line, Snohomish, Tacoma,
• Emergency public health and program and re-employment ser-
over the total yearly maxi- Pasco, Spokane, Sunnyside,
patient safety response and the vices in Employment Security.
mum for covered services. Wenatchee, Battle Ground,
public health laboratory. • The workers’ compensation
Because Sunrise Dental is a East Vancouver and West
• Military operations and emer- program and workplace safety
preferred provider for UDP Vancouver, and in Oregon,
gency management within the and health compliance activities
dental insurance, this trans- Portland and Lake Oswego.
Military Department. in Labor and Industries.
• Firefighting. • The operation, maintenance lates to a lower fee schedule. For more information, go
• Enforcement officers in Fish and construction of state ferries Consequently, out of pocket to www.sunrisedental.com.
and Wildlife, Liquor Control and state highways.
Board, Gambling Commission, • The Department of Revenue.
Financial Institutions and Natural • Licensing service offices in
Resources. Licensing that are open no more
• State parks. than two days a week; no such administrative functions. • All the exemptions plus the
• In higher education, classroom closures on Saturdays. • The Labor Relations Office in
under-$30,000 proviso mean
instruction, non-state funded • The governor, lieutenant gover- OFM through Nov. 1, 2010.
nor, legislative agencies and the that only about 20 percent
operations, campus police and • The minimal use of state em-
Office of Financial Management of state employees would be
security, emergency response, ployees on the specified closure
work performed by student em- during legislative sessions and dates as necessary to protect subject to any mandatory fur-
loughs. That sets up disparate
ployees (with some exceptions), roughly 20 days after. public assets and IT systems and
and student health care. • The Office of the Attorney to maintain public safety. treatment for state employees
• Liquor Control Board business General, except for management • The Office of the Insurance in the same job class.
enterprises, State Lottery games. and administrative functions not Commissioner not funded by
• Agricultural commodity commis- directly related to civil, criminal or industry regulatory fees.
WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee Page 7
 MEMBERS IN ACTION
Where’s this worksite?
Presidents’ Council 2010

Can you guess where this work-

site is and what WFSE/AFSCME
members work there?

Send your guesses by e-mail to tim@wfse.org or regular mail: Editor,

1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Include your
name and mailing address. Deadline: June 11. The first 10 readers with
the correct answer who include their name and mailing address will
receive a prize.
Answer to April’s “Where’s this worksite?”:
The mystery worksite in the April Wash-
ington State Employee is the power-
Presidents of more than 30 WFSE/AFSCME locals gathered for the their annual Presidents’ Council April 25 in house at the North Cascades Gateway
SeaTac. They discussed strategy on bargaining, legislation, organizing and coordination between Council 28 and Center in Sedro Woolley where Local
locals. 476 members of the state Department of
General Administration work. The reader
who submitted a correct guess was Gary Hilton.

Local communicators plug in

Attendees at WFSE/AFSCME’s
Two locals swear in new officers
second Communicators Confer-
ence April 24 in SeaTac take part
in brainstorming exercise. The
conference provided training on
web and print-based communica-
tions with the goal of mobilizing
members for job actions around
contract negotiations and the next
legislative session.

AT TACOMA LOCAL 53: Back row (from left) - Anna Inthavong, sec-
Local 793 members retary; Brad Samples, executive board; Marvin Rife, trustee; Cynthia
Workers’ Memorial Day 2010 gathered on the campus English, vice president; Bruce Witham, president; Mike McGuire,
executive board; and Brett Clubbe, executive board.
of Western State Hospital
in Lakewood April 28 to
mark Workers’ Memorial
Day. It’s the day set aside
to honor those killed and
injured on the job--and
fight for the living.
The Local 793 obser-
vance saw participants
walk through a pathway
lined with black ribbons
signifying the hundreds of
members there injured by
patient assaults.
AT MAPLE LANE SCHOOL LOCAL 1926: From left - Richard Texidor,
vice president; Sarah Elder, chief steward; and Bradley Williamson,
president. Not pictured: Jeremy Kochrian, secretary.

80 pack union’s Children’s Administration Summit

Some 80 WFSE/AFSCME members
from DSHS Children’s Administration
gathered May 8 in SeaTac for a sum-
mit meeting to discuss strategy and
tactics on such issues as the Child
Welfare Privatization Pilot and other
contracting out, proposed social
worker classification change, com-
munication and other issues.
“There was great energy to fight
back against the half-truths we hear
from management on privatization,”
said Jeanine Livingston, the unions’s
contracting compliance director.
The summit’s message:
“Speak up, speak out, make our
voices heard,” Livingston said.

Attendees at WFSE/AFSCME’s May 8 Children’s Administration Summit in SeaTac.

Page 8 WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee May 2010