Tate Mployee: You Can't Change Anything Until You Admit A Problem'

VOL. 44 NO.
www.discoverpass.wa.gov
FEBRUARY 2016
Calling all DSHS WFSE/AFSCME artists!

See page 7.
State Employee
The official newspaper of the
WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE
EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28AFL-CIO
WASHINGTON
Now good on either

of two vehicles!
INSIDE:
On the front lines at the worksite and

Legislature for public services, addressing recruitment and retention, resources
for L&I, Childrens, Mental Health, Ecology, more. See 2 & 3.
ITS ABOUT SAFETY. Members from Labor and

Industries Division of Safety and Health at
one of their many Lobby Days to address
recruitment and retention.
Who is the Freedom Foundation?

These guys arent on our side.
Learn more on
pages 4 & 5.
You cant change

anything until you
admit a problem
South Seattle College members
expose toxic campus culture
t South Seattle College, custodians

like Terry Tackett and Koss Girre
take pride in their work for the students and community.
Despite their commitment, the Local 304 members
often meet resistance, ridicule

or worse from management.
Its about fair treatment,
they said.
Tackett and Girre are just
two of those working to call
out management. That included a press conference and
petition.
They want respect at a
workplace where complaints
about bullying, harassment
and discrimination seem to
hit a brick wall with their
management.
I want the problems to be recognized and
changed..., Tackett said.
You cant change anything until you admit theres a
problem.
See SOUTH SEATTLE, page 7
LEFT: Council Rep. Mark with

Georgetown Campus custodian
Koss Girre, Local 304 (right).
INSIDE:
Tackett, whos worked at the

main campus for three years,
ABOVE: Terry Tackett, Local 304 (left), and

WFSE/AFSCME Council Representative Kaite
Mark at the main campus of South Seattle Col-
Big changes for fairness at the

University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center. See 8.
ON THE FRONT LINES WHERE WFSE/AFSCME NEVER QUITS
Amid crises, Western State Hospital members win

Walking together beats
standing alone. And when we
join together as the union that
never quits, we achieve great
things.
Take the latest victory at
Western State Hospital. Even
with all the attention on the
psychiatric hospitals recruitment and retention, staffing
and safety crises, members
still use their power to win
improvements on the job to
make their work more effective.
The latest victory at Western State centers on vacation
segments.
Management announced
and attempted to implement
a shorter time frame for Local
793 members there to request
vacation segments in 2016.
The union enforced mem-
From left: Reidun MacGregor (WFSE council rep.), Sean Dannen (WFSE GG
strategic coordinator), and Local 793 members Tracy Muntz, Dani Kendall
and John Henson.
bers contract rights through
what is known as the demand to bargain process.
We were able to negotiate
a better time for submittal,
a transparent process and
two more slots added than
in 2015, said Sean Dannen,
WFSE/AFSCMEs General
Government strategic coordinator.

And we were able to get
management to e-mail all staff
about the change and that
members should contact our
bargaining team with questions.
The final letter of agreement came out Jan. 19.
Victories at Western
Washington University,
Fish & Wildlife, Central
Washington University
Working for regional pay equity

Some 30-plus member leaders gathered Jan. 9 to continue brainstorming how to advocate for regional pay equity. They generated
great energy and ideas at the meeting at the WFSE/AFSCMEs
Seattle Field Office.
SHOP STEWARD CORNER
Salary survey win at WWU

At Western Washington
University in Bellingham in
December, WFSE/AFSCME
resolved a salary survey
grievance that brings 10 Local
1381 members a 17.5 percent
salary increase, retroactive to
July 1, 2015.
This really shows the
value of the union, said
WFSE/AFSCME Labor Advocate Jennifer Dixon.
Fish & Wildlife Construction Shop shift premium

Also in late December,
some 40 Department of Fish
and Wildlife members at the
Lacey Construction Shop in
Thurston County won a settlement agreement over nonpayment of shift premium
pay.
Under the agreement, affected staff will receive $20
a year for the period Jan. 6,
2013, through Jan. 6, 2015
(when the union filed the demand to bargain).
State Employee
WASHINGTON
Washington State Employee (USPS 981200) is published monthly, except February

and July, for $5.08 per year by the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME
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:
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Washington State Employee, 1212 Jefferson
St SE Suite 300 Olympia WA 98501-7501
Sue Henricksen, President
Greg Devereux, Executive Director
Editor Tim Welch
e-mail: tim@wfse.org Internet: www.wfse.org
Member, ILCA
Page 2
New officers at Central Washington University Local 330.

Being sworn in on the CWU campus in Ellensburg (from left): Skip Jensen,
vice president; Chris Stebbins, president; Chris Everett, local executive
board; Tina Diamond, local executive board; and Pat Devlin, treasurer. Not
pictured: Virginia Letson, Secretary; and Betty Hawkins, local executive
board.
CWU snow workload

clarification
Custodians at Central
Washington University now
have clear understanding
from management on how to
balance their workload when
snow removal is literally
dumped on them from the
skies.
This came in January,
thanks to action by CWU
Local 330 members, WFSE/
AFSCME President Sue Henricksen and Higher Education
Strategic Coordinator Mark
Hamilton.
The custodians are dedicated to making the campus
facilities safe and clean for the
students.
But they expressed frustration about unclear priorities and ambiguous expectations when Mother Nature
sends snow down on campus
that clogs up sidewalks and
roadways, Hamilton said.
The union suggested that
the CWU maintenance and
operations department clearly
communicate to custodians
how to factor snow removal
into their workloads.
And on Jan. 12, the university did just that.
This clear communication won by the union helps
make clear how important the
work of CWU custodians is
year round and during the
snowy winter season.
STEWARDS IN ACTION: Congratulations to WFSE members who completed

Stewards-in-Action (SIA) training Jan. 23-24 in Smokey Point.
From left: Dan Andreason, Bert Miller, Teresa Allredege, WFSE/AFSCME
Council Representaves Phyllis Naiad and Michael Wilsey, and Michele
Stelovich.
MEMBERS ONLY BENEFITS CORNER

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR 2016 JERRY BECKENDORF SCHOLARSHIPS For high school students in Pierce County
Recognizes outstanding student volunteerism and encourages
future generations of union advocates. Open to high school students in Pierce County whose parents or guardians are verifiable
union members. AFL-CIO Community Services and United Way
Partnership.
DEADLINE: March 14, 2016.
Download an application and get more details online: http://wfse.
org/jerry-beckendorf-community-service-scholarship/
Local 443 supports disaster/hardship relief fund

WFSE/AFSCME Local 443 members delivered a donation to the Foundation
for Working Families Jan. 19 at their general membership meeting. Local
443 members Ingrid Hansen (left) and Jeff Paulsen (right) presented
the check to Foundation board member Carol Dotlich (center, a former
WFSE/AFSCME president). Some 112 WFSE/AFSCME members received
assistance in 2015 from the Foundation. Since 2011, the Foundation has
provided $110,000 in disaster support to WFSE/AFSCME members.
Learn more about the Foundation for Working Families: wfse.org/foundationfor-working-families.
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OPTION. If youd like to save paper and postage, you can receive this newspaper electronically. Go to www.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 info@wfse.org, 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 contactus@wfse.org, or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.
WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee
February 2016
LEGISLATURE 2016: WFSE/AFSCME NEVER QUITS
Its coming down to the wire on our issues in Olympia

Short session ends
March 10; budget
debate ramping up
over recruitment
and retention and
funding of public
services
While legislation important to WFSE/AFSCME was
still moving in the 2016 legislative session, the debate over
the supplemental budget was
expected to amp up the week
of Feb. 22 when the House
releases its budget plan.
Then itll be the Senates
turn.
They may or may not accept the recommendations
put forward by Gov. Jay Inslee in December.
The legislative session
ends March 10.
WFSE/AFSCME members from many agencies and
programs once again have
used a steady stream of Lobby
Days to urge lawmakers to
make public services a priority.
Members key asks in the
supplemental budget:
Recruitment and retention
Attracting and keeping
state workers to do the tough
jobs of protecting those in
need of a hand up and the
dangerous jobs of keeping
us safe and sound must be a
priority in several programs,
such as:
Mental health (psychiatric hospitals) (see related
story below) .
Childrens Administration. In Childrens, members
have undertaken a number of
statewide actions and Lobby
Days.
High caseloads and workloads are a big part of the
problem in Childrens.
In a related development,
LEFT: Local 843 member

Micah Kurtz (left, with
WFSE/AFSCMEs Sean
Dannen) explains the
recruitment and retention problem in DSHS
Childrens Administration
to a House committee in
January.
L&I DOSH Safety
and Health Professionals on one
of their lobby days
making the case
for recruitment
and retention
funds; From left:
Allen Johnson,
Taylor Weaver,
Gary Osborn,
Amy Davidson
and Edgar
Alvarez.
Spokane Local 1221 members on their Lobby Day in January.
Yakima Local 1326 members at their Lobby Day in Olympia Feb. 12. They
gladly let Gov. Jay Inslee photobomb their group pix! From left: Gladi Brinlee,
Alicia Marmaledo, Gov. Jay Inslee, Becky Withrow and Hazel Cromwell.
Stay engaged, informed:
WFSE/AFSCME members gather for Presidents Day Lobby Day Feb. 15 to

take messages to legislators on the need to address recruitment and retention,
part-time workers in Higher Education, outsourcing (the good Taxpayer Protection Act), retirement stability, and more resources for L&I Safety and Health,
Childrens, mental health, Ecology (Model Toxics Control Act fund), more.
Gov. Jay Inslee was scheduled
to announce a reform initiative in Childrens Administration on Feb. 18.
Labor and Industries
safety and health inspec-
tors. In the L&I Division of

Safety and Health (DOSH),
theres a need for L&I to pay
competitive salaries for its occupational and health professionals.
Local 1671 members gather for

Medical Interpreters Lobby Day.
Ecology
The Model Toxics Control Act
fund needs to be shored up.
This is an environmental issue
but also a jobs issue if the
fund is further eroded it could
Lobby Days:
http://wfse.org/get-involved/
lobby-days/
Hotline updates:
Audio 1-800-562-6102
E-mail sign up at wfse.
org/news/
Text updates: Text NEWS
to 237263
Online: wfse.org
Action alerts: Text wfsec28
to 237263
mean cuts in Ecology staff

who do the work enforcing
the voter-approved act.
Gov. Inslee tours Western State Hospital, gets frontline look, listens
Gov. Jay Inslee Jan. 22
toured Western State Hospital
to get a frontline look and
hear from Local 793 members
about the crisis in recruitment
and retention, safety and
funding at the 800-plus bed
psychiatric facility in Lakewood.
He made the trip out
here to assess the situation
for himself because were in
a crisis situation out here,
said Alice Kreiger, a licensed
practical nurse and Local 793
member.
I think that by talking to
union members, I think that
he has a clearer picture of
what is going on out here.
The governor met with
about 30 union members with
no management present to
get their frank assessment of
the situation. Then he toured
wards to get an even closer
look.
February 2016
Members talk frankly with Inslee (far right) during his Jan. 22 visit to Western
State Hospital.
Local 793 members who represented views of Western State Hospital members during governors tour (from left): Gina Najolia, James Robinson, Alice
Kreiger, Eliga Sacks and Kathy Seiffert.
He seemed to be listening to a lot of things that were
said, forensic evaluator Gina
Najolia (Local 793) said.
I think the consistency
of the message about staffing and funding is getting
through.
I feel hopeful that the
governor came out himself

and really felt it was important to talk to staff, psychiatric social worker Kathy
Seiffert (Local 793) said.
That really indicates,
I think, his commitment to
maybe changing the situation,
talking to the people who re-
ally are on hand.

So its a hopeful thing
and I really felt glad that he
was here. I really respected
him for coming out.
Western is under threat of
losing federal funding for numerous safety violations. Its
facing a severe recruitment
and retention problem with
hundreds of staff vacancies.
That causes higher work-
loads at dangerous levels and

leaves patients and staff even
more vulnerable to patient
assaults.
Top administrators faced
a blistering Senate hearing in
January over management
lapses. Seiffert and WFSE/
AFSCME Lobbyist Matt Zuvich testified about the need for
resources to solve the recruitment and retention crisis.
Page 3
The more you know, the more youll want them out
of our state. Kacie, WFSE Member who helps people with development disabilities
Our power? Ask questions.
Because were 40,000-member strong - giving US the

power to stop attacks on public services, outsourcing and
cuts to public employee pay and benefits.
Now theyre trying to reach you and me. Why?
How? Trick us into giving up our power by dropping our

union membership and not paying dues. In Wisconsin,
thousands of public employees and their families lost jobs,
benefits, college savings, and retirements.
They did it in Wisconsin. Now theyre after us. They want

to starve our union.
Why? To make the rich richer.
The Freedom Foundation destroys public service.
They want the freedom to attack the pay, benefits and

retirement of public servants.
Kacie
Addie, WFSE Member who helps people in financial and medical crisis
opeiu8/aflcio
The Freedom Foundation is trying to steal the quality of life

from 40,000 dedicated public servants, They have no idea
how committed we are to our work.
One thing Im sure they didnt expect: theyve made me

more committed to my fellow members of this union and the
road ahead.
We can stop them.
I get mad when I think how much our union has done to
protect services and public employees compared to the
Freedom Foundation who attacks public services and our
benefits.
Public servants make life better for other

people.
Heard about the Freedom Foundation

of the super rich?
Theyre called the Freedom Foundation. The more you know, the worse they look.
Someones looking for your number!
The Freedom Foundation is driven by greed and powered by lies.

Get the facts: http://FreedomFoundationFacts.com
Washington Federation of State Employees | AFSCME Council 28 | WFSE.org
URGENT MESSAGE FROM FELLOW UNION MEMBERS
The Freedom Foundation is trying to get state employees personal contact information.
Why do they want to contact you about your Union membership? Its simple.
We stand in the way. Our union protects public employees and the public good. As long as were strong they
cant get their hands on the billions of dollars invested each year in public services and public education.
They want to dismantle government, cut public services and outsource public jobs to the private sector.
They are a front group for the ultra wealthy and funded by special interests.
GET THE FACTS. Learn more at http://www.FreedomFoundationFacts.com
State Employee
ISSUES
Fair Pay
FreedomFoundationFacts.com
ISSUES > Fair Pay
Funding for
Public Services
ISSUES > Preserving Public Services & Good Jobs
Quality Jobs in
Washington
HERES WHAT OUR

UNION STANDS FOR:
Pay that reflects our value
Our union advocates for pay increases for state
employees, including cost-of-living raises, step-wage
increases, and market adjustments. Together, we
won raises in July and were working for more. State
employees are still dramatically under-paid.
Services that make

Washington strong
Our union supports funding for public services and
protects vital programs. Together, we have saved
hundreds of public programs and state services.
Public jobs - public good

WFSE opposes outsourcing public services and has
successfully stopped many attempts to cut public
services, saving thousands of jobs. Profits have
no place in the delivery of public services.
ISSUES > Preserving Public Services & Good Jobs
Pension Security
ISSUES > Retirement Security
Affordable
Health Insurance
ISSUES > Affordable Health Care
Retirement security
HERES WHAT THE

FREEDOM FOUNDATION
WANTS TO DO:
Stop public employee raises
The Freedom Foundation opposes raises, costof-living increases and step-wage increases. They
even oppose paid sick days. They say public
employees are pilfering the public purse.
Cut vital public programs
The Freedom Foundation wants to cut services.

Thousands of vulnerable people could lose services
- even critical programs like L&I and unemployment
benefits.
Outsource public services
The Freedom Foundation wants to outsource

public services to corporations for private profit.
They are targeting jobs like park services, social services, road maintenance, corrections, IT and human
resources. Thousands of state employee could
lose their jobs.
Privatize public pensions
Our union has stopped repeated attacks on public

employee pensions and retirement security. Because of our union membership power, we still have
strong pension benefits.
The Freedom Foundation wants to reform public

employee pensions by ending defined-benefit
plans and replacing them with risky 401(k) plans.
Affordable health care
Raise health care costs
Together, weve stopped efforts to raise our

monthly health care premiums and stopped their
attempts to remove coverage for our spouses.
This is union power.
The Freedom Foundation wants state employees

to pay higher monthly premiums. They believe state
employees should pay more for coverage.
Get the facts: http://www.FreedomFoundationFacts.com
UNION NEWS
IN
MEMORIAM
James Henry Jim Crouse, Local
1301, Ellensburg, passed away Jan.
21 of a sudden heart attack. He was
62.
Hed worked for the state for just
SHARED LEAVE
REQUESTS
Shannon Henry, a financial
services specialist 3 with
DSHS in Spokane (Maple
CSO) and a member of Local
1212, is in need of shared
leave because of cancer surgery and recovery. Contact:
your human resource office.
Christina Erickson, a social
service specialist 2 with DSHS
in Spokane (Maple CSO) and
a member of Local 1212, is in
need of shared leave because
of a serious medical condition.
Contact: your human resource
office.
Jill Jeffries, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS
in Bremerton and a member of
Local 1181, has been approved
for shared leave. Contact: your
human resource office.
Toni Mohle, a Community Corrections officer with the Department of Corrections in the DOC
Pierce County Special Needs
Unit and a member of Local 53,
has been approved for shared
leave because of recent brain
surgery and intractable migraines. Contact: Diana White
in DOC payroll or Fran Halpain
in DOC Human Resources, or
Lisa McCormick, a program
coordinator with the System
Policy and Integrity Operations Division (ESPIOD) at the
Employment Security Department in Lacey and a member
of Local 443, is still in need of
shared leave because of several serious medical conditions.
She will use all her available
leave for upcoming medical
appointments. Any donation
would be greatly appreciated.
Contact: Kathleen Young, (360)
902-9538, or your human resource office.
Susan Betts, an industrial
insurance underwriter with
the Department of Labor and
Industries in Tumwater and a
member of Local 443, is still in
need of shared leave to cover
the time she will miss during
extended treatment and recovery from breast cancer. Susan
is expected to continue to be off
work until the end of May. Susan has used all her available
leave. Contact: Laura Cadwell,
(360) 902-5488, or your own
Sue Martinez, a financial services specialist 4 at the DSHS
Everett Community Service
Office and a member of Local 948, has a serious health
condition and is still in need of
shared leave. Contact: Cheryl
Page 6
over two years, but he was a strong

union activist from the beginning and
served as an officer of Local 1301.
Jim worked was a financial services specialist in the Ellensburg DSHS
office.
His colleagues and union staffers who knew him say he was one of
the sweetest, nicest people they have
known.
Stailey in DSHS Human Resources, or your human resource office.

Shaunda Holbrook, a financial
services specialist 3 with DSHS
at Spokane Maple Community
Service Office and a member
of Local 1221, is still in need of
shared leave because of a serious medical condition. She has
used all her available leave.
Any donation would be greatly
appreciated. Contact: Karla
Stewart, (509) 227-2720, or
Corinna Luce, an office assistant 3 with the Employment Security Department in Spokane,
leave from Feb. 22 to May 22
for a serious health condition.
Gail Ostrander-Etter, a social
service specialist 2 with DSHS
in Spokane (Spokane Maple
CSO) and a member of Local
1221, is in need of shared leave
because of a serious medical
condition. Contact: your human
resource office.
Victoria Nanney, a juvenile
rehabilitation counselor at Naselle Youth Camp and a member
of Local 2263, is in need of
shared leave as she recovers
from surgery. Contact: Dallas
McKay, (360) 484-3223, or your
Easter Lynn, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS in
Everett and a member of Local
843, has been approved for
shared leave. Contact: your human resource office.
Alisha Gipson, an office assistant 3 with DSHS in Tacoma
and a member of Local 53, is
in need of shared leave for a
serious health condition. She
does not have enough accrued
leave to cover all her absences.
office.
Melissa Hartung, a tax specialist 3 with the Employment
Security Department in Olympia
and a member of Local 443,
leave through March 16. Contact: Kathleen Young, (360)
Linda Thys, a Worksource
specialist 4 with the Employment Security Department in
Redmond and a member of
Local 304, is in need of shared
leave to care for her husband,
Barry. He had very serious
surgery in December and she
had to take give weeks off from
work to provide care for him.
She continues to miss some
His wife, Dawn,

wrote on Facebook:
I lost my best
friend forever and
we will all will miss
him dearly!
A memorial
visitation took
place Jan. 27 in
Crouse
Ellensburg.
work for frequent doctor appointments and hospital exams

as her husband continues
recovery. This has caused a
financial strain for her and her
husband. Contact: your human
resource office.
Daran Kravanh, a social service specialist 2 with DSHS
in Tacoma and a member of
for shared leave because of a
serious health condition. He will
soon exhaust all of his leave
balances. Contact: your human
resource office.
Kim T. Nguyen, a social service specialist 2 with DSHS in
Olympia and a member of Local 443, has been approved for
shared leave. Contact: Daniel
Lozano, (360) 533-9788, or
Kayla Van Horn, an office assistant 3 with DSHS on the
Tacoma HIU Team, will be off
work for two weeks for surgery
and recovery. Contact: your human resource office.
Arshad Khan, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS in
Bellingham and a member of
for shared leave because of
a serious health condition.
office.
Loretta Rigby, an unemployment insurance specialist 4
with the Employment Security
Department in Spokane and
need of shared leave. She is
requesting donations of shared
leave to cover time she is missing while receiving treatment
for a serious illness. She has
used all her available leave.
902-9538, or your own human
resource office.
LaVonne Fromm, an excise
tax examiner 3 with the Department of Licensing in Olympia
and a member of Local 443,
is in need of shared leave because of an ongoing serious
illness. She is requesting donations of shared leave to cover
time she has already missed
and will miss during her upcoming surgery and recovery.
She has used all her available
leave. Contact: Shelby KrismerHarada, (360) 902-4060, or
your own human resource office.
Tongata Tammy Charamas,
a financial services specialist
3 with DSHS in Seattle and a
member of Local 843, has been
approved for shared leave. To
help with a donation of eligible
unused annual leave or sick
leave or all or part of your personal holiday, please contact
Ramona Frances Berry, a retired

special investigator for the Department
of Social and Health Services. She
passed away Jan. 20. She was 72.

Carolyn Symons, a DDS adjudicator 3 with DSHS in Olympia, is in need of shared leave
to cover time she will miss
while recovering after breaking both of her arms and the
subsequent surgeries. She has
been off since before Christmas
and will not be able to return to
work until Feb. 1. Contact: Debbie Stallard, (360) 664-7415,
or your own human resource
office.
Cecilia Jones, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS in
Renton and a member of Local
843, is in need of shared leave
to cover time she is missing
while contending with recurring
medical issues. She still is unable to return to work on a fulltime basis. Contact: Marylou
Baker, (206) 568-5501, or your
own human resource office.
Marie Hammer, an information technology specialist 3 at
Seattle Central College and
the time she is out on medical
leave through the end of January. Contact: Kathryn Woodley,
(206) 934-2028, or your own
Mari Wyatt, an office assistant lead with the Department
of Corrections in Seattle and
the time she will miss while
recovering from rotary cuff
surgery performed on Nov. 11.
This surgery was necessitated
by injuries Mari received during
her May car accident. Contact:
Jenny Tan, (206) 516-773, or
Isabel Estrada, a social services specialist 2 with DSHS
in Renton and a member of
Local 843, is in need of shared
leave to cover time she will
miss while recovering from the
heart attack she suffered while
recovering from surgery. She is
only released for part time duty
for about six weeks. Contact:
Marylou Baker, (206) 568-5501,
office.
Jackie Hilton, a customer service specialist 2 at the DSHS
Kelso Community Service Office and a member of Local
shared leave because of a serious health condition. Contact:
Daniel Lozano, (360) 533-9788,
office.
Alicia Solomon, a financial
in Bellingham and a member
of Local 1060, is off work be-
cause of surgery and does not

have enough leave to cover
her absences. Contact: Vickie
Rothenbuhler, (360) 714-4006.
Terri Butler, a financial services specialist 3 at the DSHS
Shelton Community Service
Office and a member of Local
shared leave because of the
serious health condition of a
family member. Contact: Daniel
Lozano, (360) 533-9788, or
Pat C Havens, a WorkFirst
program specialist with DSHS
in Olympia and a member of
for shared leave. Contact: Daniel Lozano, (360) 533-9788,
office.
Monica Whatley, a WorkFirst
program specialist with DSHS
in Lakewood and a member of
for shared leave because of
a serious medical condition.
She will soon exhaust all of her
leave balances. Contact: your
Jane Zimmer, a support enforcement officer 4 with DSHS
in Vancouver and a member of
Local 313, sends thanks to all
who have donated time already.
But she is still recuperating
from her serious accident and is
again requesting shared leave.
She has used all her available
leave resources. Contact: Pam
Miller, (360) 397-9704, or your
Debra Browning, a medical
assistance specialist with the
Health Care Authority in Skagit
County, is in need of shared
leave to cover the time she has
missed work while caring for
a terminally ill family member
and receiving treatments for her
injuries from an automobile accident. Contact: Paula Williamson, (360) 725-3805, or your
Eric Roberts, a facility planner
with the Department of Licensing in Olympia and a member
of Local 443, is seeking shared
leave for medical reasons. Contact: Shelby Krisner-Harada,
(360) 902-4060, or your human
resource office.
Felicia Conroy, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS in
Lakewood, has been approved
for shared leave. Contact: your
Britney DeGuire, a financial
in Spokane, has been approved for shared leave for Jan.
25-April 18. Contact: your human resource office.
February 2016
POSTER CONTEST FOR DSHS MEMBERS, FAMILIES
Calling all DSHS

WFSE/AFSCME artists!
The recent statewide action depicting kids cared for

by DSHS members in the Childrens Administration
inspired a wider use of art to publicly depict how vital
their services are.
Now all DSHS members and their families are invited
to create and submit posters.
Get out your paints, markers, charcoal pencils, crayons or whatever art tools and supplies you use and
enter the poster contest for WFSE/AFSCME members in DSHS.
WHAT:
POSTER CONTEST for WFSE/AFSCME members
in the Department of Social and Health Services
(DSHS)
Tori Byington,
DSHS member of
Olympia Local 443,
is already gearing up to enter the
poster contest.
THEME:
Fostering DSHS Unity Across Divisions:
How We Transform Lives! Our Union Never Gives
Up!
WHY:
Winning contribution will be used for DSHS-WFSE/
AFSCME Unity Poster
Winning artwork will be chosen by an anonymous

Peoples Vote to take place at opening reception for Art Walk in
Olympia in April.
REQUIREMENTS:
Example of recent artwork that members in DSHS Childrens Administration developed to tell the
story of how many kids are literally in their hands.
We reserve the right to edit out inappropriate language and

imagery, and such submissions will not be shown.
Open to WFSE/AFSCME members and families: All ages welcome
to submit artwork!
Group 1: Ages 5 years old to 10
Group 2: Ages 11 to 17
Group 3: Ages 18 and over
(Please indicate age on back of artwork)
DEADLINE:
All art must be received by Thursday, March 31.
Use any media, sizes 8.5x11 to 24x36 inches.
Send to: WFSE/AFSCME Organizing Department
By submitting artwork, participants agree to an unconditional release 906 Columbia St. S.W., Fourth Floor
Olympia, WA 98501
of their submissions for use by the Washington Federation of State
Employees and the American Federation of State, County and
QUESTIONS?
Municipal Employees, including the addition of WFSE and AFSCME
logos in the use of their submissions. All entries become the property Contact Sarah Buel, Rosemary Sterling or Elizabeth Turnbow at
1-866-820-2291. or contact buels@wfse.org
of WFSE.
SOUTH SEATTLE,
from page 1
tells the story of the colleague

who asked for a motorized
buggy a mini-truck that can
haul trash and other heavy
tools and materials custodians
encounter every day.
When the co-worker
showed up at the warehouse
to pick up the new buggy, the
co-worker was met with a
so-called handicapped threewheeler the kind you see in
grocery stores.
Management had marked
the scooter in a way that ridiculed the co-workers request.
It was supposed to be a
joke, but the joke came from
our higher authority, which
is our management, Tackett
said.
The co-worker took real
February 2016
offense to it, he said.

Tackett said his co-worker
and the rest of the custodial
crew were offended because
the incident seemed to be a
slam in the face to disabled
workers and students on campus.
That buggy issue is currently being worked through
the grievance process and
other member workplace actions.
But it illustrates the challenges faced by Local 304
members at South Seattle, one
of the most diverse campuses
in the state.
Girre, who works on the
colleges other campus in
Georgetown (near Boeing
Field), has worked for the college since 2004. An immigrant

from war-torn Somalia, she
says, I support my family
back home.
But in her years at the college, shes weathered flat tires
(someone was putting nails
under my tires, she said) and
other vandalism to her car,
and other hair-raising harassment. Complaints seem to be
ignored by management, she
said.
Once, a co-worker told
her that Girre believed in a
bad religion I am a bad person.
Girre said she is Muslim.
Stop believing somebody is bothering you, Girre
said one manager told her one
time.
She said what is happening to her is about my
religion, my race and where I
came from.
Despite all they and their coworkers have been through,

Girre, Tackett and other union
members are taking the high
road.
How can we repair this
relationship? Tackett asked.
They hope exposing the
unfair treatment heals, not
hurts, the South Seattle Community.
I just think they (management practices) need to be
exposed, Tackett said. Why
hide it? If you did, be a man
or woman of your word, lets
deal with it and lets keep
rolling.
In just a few days in early
February, hundreds of workers, students and supporters
signed a petition calling for an
end to the toxic work environment.
Both the administration
and the Human Resources
Department have been alerted

to many of our concerns, but
choose to be complacent in the
face of a toxic campus culture
that has been created by the
lack of enforcement around
ongoing problems on campus, the petition declared.
Management has hired a
consultant to do a workplace
assessment. That included interviewing the custodians.
And Tackett and Girre were
scheduled to speak at a Feb.
19 press conference co-sponsored by the NAACP and the
Washington Federation of
State Employees/AFSCME.
The press conference
aimed to shed light on the
disconnect at South Seattle
College between management and the disrespectful
treatment of custodians and
others.
Page 7
MEMBERS IN ACTION
Ive witnessed history being made
Harborview Medical Center members celebrate big win on how the UW runs the hospital
ith unanimous
backing from
the Metropolitan King County Council, Local 1488 members
at Harborview Medical
Center in Seattle have
won a major change in
how the University of
Washington runs this
regions premier trauma
center.
The council Feb. 8 voted

9-0 for a new 10-year agreement with the UW to run
Harborview, which is owned
by the people of King County.
The new agreement reasserts the countys ownership
role. The agreement puts the
UW on notice the people of
King County wont tolerate
any more controversial plans
to close critical-care and community clinics at the hospital
and they wont put up with
mistreatment of custodians,
call-center operators and
other employees.
Ive witnessed history being
made, Harborview member
Toccara Smith (Local 1488)
said after the vote.
Harborview hospital
is getting back to serving
the people, the community,
again.
Joining Smith and other
WFSE/AFSCME members
for the council vote was Local 1488s Farris Hinton, who
also works at Harborview.
On behalf of WFSE
members of Local 1488 (Harborview Medical Center), we
are glad that the King County
Council and the University of
Washington have come to an
agreement, Hinton said. As
vice president of Harborview
WFSE Local 1488, I look forward to working with leader-
After the victory on the Harborview management contract, from left: Farris Hinton, Cleeesther Thomas and Toccara
Smith.
Thomas
Hamilton addresses council.
Harborview Medical Center is a

familiar landmark on Seattles First
Hill, overlooking the SODO stadiums
where the Seahawks and Mariners
play.
ship and honoring the new
management agreement.
Previous councils rubber-
stamped the management

agreements over the past 45
years.
But this council, alerted
and moved by Local 1488
members actions and speaking out, took a harder line.
The council and County
Executive Dow Constantines
office worked with members
and hammered out a new
agreement that reasserts the
hospitals core mission to provide health care to the most
vulnerable residents of King
County.
The agreement recommits
the hospital to provideing

care for a broad spectrum of
patients from throughout the
region.
Im glad you brought
the mission statement back
to Harborview and back to
the people, WFSE/AFSCME
council representative Cleeesther Thomas told the county
council before the vote.
Thomas is also a former longtime Harborview employee.
Councilmember Larry
Gossett called it an historic
agreement.
It really is a new day,
UW Local 1488 Eritrean

community members
share views with UW
president
University of Washington
Local 1488 is making sure
none of its diverse community is left without a voice.
Members of the locals
Eritrean community were
invited Feb. 8 to meet and
discuss issues with UW
President Ana Mari Cauce at
a community center in south
Seattle.
Local 1488 member
Raeno Alforque spoke of
the need for inclusion.
Cauce seemed really
Page 8
LEFT: Local 1488 member Raeno Alforque speaks for UW members

gathered at Feb. 8 community forum.
ABOVE: UW President Ana Mari Cauce (center) listens. Local 1488 President Paula Lukaszek is at far left.
impressed and pleased with

the dialogue and heard the
members concerns on how
UW labor relations treats
members, said Local 1488
President Paula Lukaszek.
The Feb. 8 event was part

of the locals ongoing effort
to make sure management
doesnt intimidate or silence
the voices of any of the di-
verse groups of workers who

make the UW run for students, faculty and taxpayers,
Lukaszek said.
Mutual respect
What the UW-Harborview
management agreement
declares on respect for
Local 1488 members
voices:
The University will negotiate its collective bargaining agreements in a
productive and respectful
manner and in good faith
with the objective of seeking to reach timely agreements, prior to the expiration of such collective
bargaining agreements.
The University shall
comply with its collective
bargaining agreements,
and shall not directly or
indirectly, interfere with,
restrain, coerce, or discriminate against University Employees working at
the Medical Center in the
free exercise of their right
to organize and designate
representatives of their
choosing for the purpose
of collective bargaining, or
in the free exercise of any
other right.
Councilmember Rod Dembowski said before the unanimous vote.
The final agreement includes all the principles and
demands that Local 1488
members and WFSE/AFSCME laid out in February 2014,
including maintaining clinics in their current locations,
properly staffing Harborview
and setting a new tone on labor relations and bargaining
based on mutual respect.
The agreement also includes
other accountability measures
to end what has often been
called the UWs business as
usual attitude in employee
relations.
Its clear that the UW will
undertake no major changes
in any area unilaterally, but
only with consultation and/
or approval of the county executive, county council or the
Harborview Board of Trustees
appointed by the council.
Collaboration with
WFSE/AFSCME members is
necessary.
Were very happy to
see this come and that some
peace is coming, Thomas
told the council.
We look forward to continuing the work that makes
Harborview the premier institution that it is and partnering
(with King County) in making
the language of the agreement not just language, but
a reality of the operation of
Harborview Medical Center,
said Mark Hamilton, WFSE/
AFSCMEs Higher Education
Strategic Coordinator.
The agreement then went
to King County Executive
Dow Constantine, the Harborview Board of Trustees and
the UW Board of Trustees for
their approval and signature.
February 2016

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VOL. 44 NO.

Calling all DSHS WFSE/AFSCME artists!

Now good on either

On the front lines at the worksite and

ITS ABOUT SAFETY. Members from Labor and

Who is the Freedom Foundation?

You cant change

t South Seattle College, custodians

often meet resistance, ridicule

See SOUTH SEATTLE, page 7

LEFT: Council Rep. Mark with

Tackett, whos worked at the

ABOVE: Terry Tackett, Local 304 (left), and

Big changes for fairness at the

ON THE FRONT LINES WHERE WFSE/AFSCME NEVER QUITS

Amid crises, Western State Hospital members win

Government strategic coordinator.

Working for regional pay equity

SHOP STEWARD CORNER

Salary survey win at WWU

Fish & Wildlife Construction Shop shift premium

Washington State Employee (USPS 981200) is published monthly, except February

New officers at Central Washington University Local 330.

CWU snow workload

STEWARDS IN ACTION: Congratulations to WFSE members who completed

MEMBERS ONLY BENEFITS CORNER

Local 443 supports disaster/hardship relief fund

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

LEGISLATURE 2016: WFSE/AFSCME NEVER QUITS

Its coming down to the wire on our issues in Olympia

LEFT: Local 843 member

Spokane Local 1221 members on their Lobby Day in January.

WFSE/AFSCME members gather for Presidents Day Lobby Day Feb. 15 to

tors. In the L&I Division of

Local 1671 members gather for

mean cuts in Ecology staff

governor came out himself

ally are on hand.

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

loads at dangerous levels and

Our power? Ask questions.

Because were 40,000-member strong - giving US the

Now theyre trying to reach you and me. Why?

How? Trick us into giving up our power by dropping our

They did it in Wisconsin. Now theyre after us. They want

Why? To make the rich richer.

The Freedom Foundation destroys public service.

They want the freedom to attack the pay, benefits and

The Freedom Foundation is trying to steal the quality of life

One thing Im sure they didnt expect: theyve made me

We can stop them.

Public servants make life better for other

Heard about the Freedom Foundation

Someones looking for your number!

The Freedom Foundation is driven by greed and powered by lies.

Washington Federation of State Employees | AFSCME Council 28 | WFSE.org

URGENT MESSAGE FROM FELLOW UNION MEMBERS

GET THE FACTS. Learn more at http://www.FreedomFoundationFacts.com

HERES WHAT OUR

Services that make

Public jobs - public good

HERES WHAT THE

Cut vital public programs