Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Union leaders face tough criticism, expectations

The Spokesman-Review

The following editorial appeared Monday in the Olympian newspaper in Olympia.

The Washington Federation of State Employees has had a tough year. And it doesn’t appear that things are going to get any easier for the state’s largest employee union.

In many respects, it’s been a groundbreaking year for unions. With legislative passage of collective bargaining rights, the unions, for the first time, negotiated with the governor over salary and benefit issues.

Lawmakers understood that the landmark legislation would take time to implement, so they gave the unions and state agencies from the spring of 2002, when the legislation was adopted, until July 1 of this year to lay the groundwork for a smooth transition.

Instead, it’s been a bumpy ride, and the federation, as the largest employee union, has taken the brunt of the criticism both inside and outside the union hall.

State employee union representatives began negotiating with Gov. Gary Locke’s staff last summer and fall. They reached an agreement that called for a 3.2 percent salary increase for state workers in July and a 1.6 percent salary boost next July.

While the union negotiations went down to the deadline, the two sides nonetheless were able to reach an accord that would give state employees their first cost-of-living pay increase in four years.

Things appeared to be progressing nicely until one little-known clause in the contract surfaced, requiring all workers to pay union dues or a representation fee.

When the proposed contract came up for a ratification vote by employees last fall, the union did a dreadful job of informing employees about the forced membership clause and about employees’ rights to vote in the ratification balloting.

Only after the contract was approved did employees learn that they would have to join the union or face losing their jobs.

Fed-up employees started circulating cards seeking decertification votes against the federation. The union won several decertification votes and lost others.

Only in the days leading up to the July 1 pay increase was it revealed that union members would receive their raises two months before nonrepresented employees. More scorn was heaped upon the union and the Legislature for kowtowing to the union.

When the pay increases started showing up in paychecks, employees were disappointed to see that most of their raise was eroded by higher pension costs and union dues. …

Clearly, federation leaders have their work cut out for them to live up to employee expectations. Union members have put executives on notice that they expect better – better communication and better results.