This fall, WFSE members voted to ratify (accept) contracts that include much-needed raises that will positively impact staffing levels, workplace safety, and the Washingtonians we serve.

But we aren’t to the finish line yet.

Until our state Legislature votes to ratify and fund our contracts, they remain tentative. If the Legislature rejects our contracts, we go back to the bargaining table and start over, delaying our pay raises for a year at best. Many elected officials will look at the size of our contracts and say, “No way! We can’t afford it.”

It is our job to show them that our state cannot afford NOT to fund our contracts. We must educate them that our contracts are not just about us; they’re about fixing years of understaffing, ensuring our state can attract and retain the best, and making vital services available to all Washingtonians.

That’s why we always say: No workforce has more at stake in the decisions made by elected officials than state employees.

The Governor and the Legislature control our wages, health care, pensions, and job security. We need to make sure the voices of public servants are heard!

WFSE members must come to Olympia to lobby during the 2023 Legislative Session to ensure funding for our contracts, which will benefit our communities, workplaces, and families.