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Washington state workers and AFSCME members walk off the job to demand a fair contract

Photo credit: WFSE/AFSCME Council 28
Washington state workers and AFSCME members walk off the job to demand a fair contract
By WFSE and AFSCME Staff ·
Tags: Priorities Workers' Rights
Washington state workers and AFSCME members walk off the job to demand a fair contract
Photo credit: WFSE/AFSCME Council 28

Public service workers in Washington state who are members of AFSCME Council 28 walked out of their jobs at noon on Tuesday to stand in solidarity with each other and demand fair contracts.

The workers, who are members of the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE/AFSCME Council 28), are employed at state agencies, local hospitals, community colleges and four-year universities. They are negotiating a two-year collective bargaining agreement to begin in 2025.

The Walkout for Washington mobilized thousands of our union’s members to demand livable wages, safe staffing levels and respect for the residents of Washington who deserve and expect high-quality public services.

“I want to start a family, but I cannot afford to live on my own in Seattle. I have to have roommates,” said Brian Farbauer, a campus cook at the University of Washington who participated in one of the walkouts.

He was joined by other UW workers — including campus cooks, gardeners and custodians — who rallied on the university campus to demand wage increases and manageable workloads, among other things. The workers have reached an impasse in their contract negotiations with the state’s Office of Financial Management, which has proposed what, in the midst of a staffing crisis, amounts to a pay cut.

"We work for one of the most beautiful campuses, and the grounds are immaculate,” said Natasha Lozano, a UW gardener. “I love my job, but [a wage raise of] 1% is not going to pay my rent.”

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Photo credit: WFSE/AFSCME Council 28

There were over 100 walkouts throughout the state. In the city of Tumwater, workers gathered at the Labor and Industries Building to share stories about working multiple jobs, needing help paying their rent, and living paycheck to paycheck as a result of the low salaries they earn.

“Why are they still asking us to do more with less?” said Ava Clarridge, a member of Local 443.

A nationwide staffing crisis in the public sector — which AFSCME is addressing through our Staff the Front Lines initiative — is hurting Washington workers in many ways. At the state’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), for example, employees report an alarming rise in assaults and an inability to provide adequate therapeutic and recreational activities for young people.

“In DCYF, we have seen the governor and the legislature add more and more to our workloads, and we cannot continue to do more with less and expect good outcomes for children, youth and families,” said Jeanette Obelcz, a child welfare supervisor and WFSE bargaining team member.

The contract negotiations, which began in April, come during a time of very high worker turnover. According to WFSE, 40% of the state employee workforce has turned over in eight years due to resignations alone.

WFSE represents over 50,000 state and other public service workers in Washington state. They keep their communities safe, care for the most vulnerable, protect the environment and much more.

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