VOL. 43 NO.

www.discoverpass.wa.gov

MARCH 2015

State Employee
INSIDE: Scholarship applications. See 2, 6, 7.
Laurie Merta Shop Steward of Year form. See 3.

The official newspaper of the

WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE
EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON

Now good on either

of two vehicles!

FACES...

2/11/15: A group of Childrens Administration members from

Pierce County trekked to the Capitol Feb. 11 to advocate for action
for at-risk children. Their message: At-risk children face even
greater risk if funding is again slashed and crushing workloads
and caseloads arent fixed. From left: Local 53 CA members
Laurel Homestead, Sandra Womack, Mahealani Kalilikane and
Jessica Tomkins.

The end result may

be a law or a settlement or a contract.
But before the
legal words hit
the page, its your
voices and stories
that start and keep
the ball rolling to
win a fair helping
of decency. Standing together -- from
the halls of the
Capitol to a university board room to
your worksite and
community -- is
better than walking
alone.

3/11/15: Reinforcements from Veterans homes

say FUND OUR CONTRACTS! From left: Cindie
Morrill (Local 482-Retsil); Leonard ParkerLeigh
(Local 53-Orting); Jeff Slayton (Local 482-Retsil);
Tim Wilkins (Local 53-Orting).

See 4, 5, 8

2/6/15: A group of Central Washington University Local 330 members attended the CWU Board of Trustees meeting
in Ellensburg to show solidarity intheir desireto address concerns and work toward resolving issues collaboratively.
2/16/15 Presidents Day Lobby Day: Kelso Local 1400 members
Ann Little (left) and Kaley Garrett, both from Childrens
Administration. Theyre two of the steady flow of Childrens
members whove flocked to Olympia and used their voice to stand
up for more resources to protect at-risk children.

&FACTS

Key facts to ponder in legislative debate

over funding our contracts and fixing the
states structural budget
See 4 & 5
deficit

OUR VALUES MATTER: FRIENDS OF WFSE

Friends Small business owners

of WFSE: defend state employees

heryl Selby is
a small business owner
who sees state employees as the backbone of economic
recovery.

Selby for nine years has

run Vivala, a boutique in the
Farmers Market district of
Olympia. She is one of our
Friends of WFSE (see box).
Vivala (pronounced Veevuh-luh) sells clothing and
accessories catering to active
women of all ages and sizes.
Selby -- like WFSE/AFSCME members -- is closely
watching the legislative budget debate over whether to
fund WFSE/AFSCME members contracts.
Selby rejects the notion
that somehow state employees are the villains in the
budget debate and perhaps
should sacrifice pay raises for

Selby outside her shop, next to the

We support state employees sign
designating her business as one of
the Friends of WFSE.
another two years.
Theyre my friends,
theyre my neighbors,...no,
Ive never ever felt that, she
says.
Selby took a few minutes
from her shop on Feb. 16 to
visit with attendees at WFSE/
AFSCMEs Presidents Day
Lobby Day. She moved many
when she voiced her thanks

for all they do. People outside

state government just dont
do that.
I want to also acknowledge how important state
workers are in our community, Selby said. Theyre our
friends, theyre our neighbors,
theyre our childrens soccer
coaches. Theyre our volunteers in the community.
State employees are an
amazing asset for any community to have and they need
to be supported.
Selby says state employees and their consumer
spending are key to keeping
small businesses in the state
as the engine of our economy,
employing some 1.5 million
Washingtonians.
The contracts ratified by
WFSE/AFSCME members
in September include the
first raises for most in seven
years and the hold-the-lineon-health-care-costs package.

See FRIENDS, page 8

About Friends
of WFSE

Friends of WFSE
is a growing group of
local small businesses
across the state that
have partnered with state
employees and their
union to strengthen local
economies and make them
a place where all families
can thrive.
These small
businesses display We
Support State Employees
signs in their windows.
Know a small business
in your community that
might be interested in
joining Friends of WFSE
and display the signs? Go
to:
http://wfse.org/friends-ofwfse/

SHOP STEWARD CORNER

WFSE/AFSCME MEMBERS ONLY BENEFITS SCHOLARSHIPS 2015

Althea Lute
Scholarship
information

Shop Steward of Year nominations due April 30

Application-Statement of Required Facts

ALTHEA LUTE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 2015

LAURIE MERTA
SHOP STEWARD OF YEAR

1. Applicants name:
2. Address:
(Street) (City) (Zip)
Home or cell phone:
Home e-mail address:

Application deadline: July 31.

This $5,000 scholarship is available to eligible
members or members of their families to
pursue studies in a degree program at a public
college or university in Washington State.
ELIGIBILITY:

3. Date of Birth:

5. SUBMIT OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF HIGH SCHOOL, VOCATIONAL SCHOOL OR COLLEGE RECORD. Your application will not be considered unless your transcripts are submitted.
6. Are you now the recipient of a scholarship or other financial award?
award(s)
7. Are you working now?

Applicants must:
be a WFSE/AFSCME member who has been
a member for at least one year prior to application OR an immediate family member (including domestic partners) of a WFSE/AFSCME
member who has been a member for at least
one year prior to application.
be a graduating senior, or a high school
graduate (GED accepted) from an accredited
public or private high school.
have a satisfactory scholastic standing.

ELIGIBILITY:

4. School choice:

If Yes, list amount of the other

Hours per week:

8. Do you plan to work part-time?

9. Give pertinent information concerning your earnings or other financial assets and obligations that would be helpful in assessing your financial need. (Attach any additional data.)

10. Attach a written statement of Educational and Career Goals.

11. Do you have credits earned toward degree requirements?
12. Provide a detailed description of any community service you have performed and length of time. Please include any
special awards or certificates you may have received:

be in need of financial assistance.

13. WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Members name:

have participated in community service.

RULES AND PROCESS:

Rules governing recipient award and use of

funds:
(1) Recipient must provide evidence of acceptance into a degree program at a Public College
or University in Washington State of his or her
choice during the academic year following the
award.

Relation to Applicant:

WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Local Union Number

Spouse Occupation:

Net monthly income (combine members & spouses incomes if appropriate):

Number of Dependents:

Ages:

In applying for the scholarship described on this form, I certify that all of the facts contained herein are correct.

(2) Recipient must provide official transcript(s)

of high school or vocational school or college.

Date:

Signature of Applicant:

(3) The $5,000 award may be drawn on by

the student for registration fees, books and
incidental direct costs to education upon submission of receipts. Any balance at the end of
the first academic year following the award will
be available to recipient on entering school the
second year, conditional upon maintenance of
satisfactory standing.
The WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Workforce
Diversity Committee will evaluate the applications and determine the recipient of the award
no later than August of each year. The decision
of the Committee will be final.

Return no later than July 31 to:

WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Workforce Diversity Committee

1212 Jefferson Street S. E., Suite 300
Olympia, WA 98501

Application Deadline: Fully completed applications must be received by 5 p.m., July 31,
2015.

REQUIRED:
3 Application filled out in full.
3 Official high school, vocation school or college
transcripts (must be sealed).
3 Statement of Educational and Career Goals.

Shop stewards are the backbone

of the union the problem solvers at
agencies, institutions, colleges and
universities.
One major reason WFSE/AF-

3 Financial information sufficient to assess need.

3 Detailed description of any community service
performed and length of time including any special
awards or certificates received.
3 Address to: WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Workforce Diversity , 1212 Jefferson St SE, Suite 300,
Olympia, WA 98501

Named in honor of the late Althea Lute, former WFSE/AFSCME staffer and Local 1488 officer and activist, who died in 2011.

RPEC CORNER
Online: rpecwa.org

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:
42,000.
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

Retirees
turn out
in record
numbers

The Retired Public

Employees Council of
Washington (RPEC/
AFSCME) had its first
legislative reception Feb. 22
in Olympia, with more than
100 attendees. The RPEC

delegates Legislative Day

followed on Feb. 23 at the
state Capitol with a record
turnout of 140, showing
lawmakers their members
will take action on issues
pertaining to retirement

security. Why the larger

turnout? More action on
issues as well as an increase
in media attacks on their
benefits.
This past year we have
seen more editorials about
cutting public employee
pensions, said Gwen Rench,
RPEC president. Our
members wanted to remind
lawmakers that just because
we are retired does not mean
that we wont defend the
benefits we earned.
RPEC wants to ensure
that pensions are fully
funded, especially during

tough budget negotiations.

Also, RPEC supports a study
on retirement security for
Washingtonians.
Speakers at their
Legislative Day included
Sen. Pam Roach, who spoke
about the importance of
maintaining our current
plans and squashing the
idea of a Plan 4 to avoid
underfunding to all current
plans. In addition, WFSE/
AFSCME Executive Director
Greg Devereux, and
AFSCME Council 2 Deputy
Director Pat Thompson
stressed retirement security.

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

STATEMENT OF FACTS
I, , nominate

Person submitting nomination

Name of nominee

for Shop Steward of the Year Award.

Nominees address:
Work phone: (
)
Home phone: (
)
Local union number:
How long a member:
How long a Shop Steward:
Agency:
Current job class:
Union offices held:
Description of why nominee should be considered for the award, such as: keeping the members
informed about union issues; organizing in support of the contract; recruiting and mentoring
stewards; representing members; enforcing the contract; advocating for workers rights (attach
additional sheets if needed):

If this form is not completed in its entirety, the nomination may not be considered.
Date:

Nominators name:

Nominators best contact information: PHONE

March 2015

Person submitting nomination

E-MAIL

Send completed nomination forms to: WFSE/AFSCME Award Committee,

1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.
Nominations must be received by April 30, 2015.
AWARDS:
The award will be presented at WFSE/AFSCMEs Shop Steward Conference June 6-7 in Seatac.

Mark calendars for Shop Steward Conference June 6-7

All envelopes should be clearly marked To the WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Workforce Diversity Committee.

Althe Lute Scholarship application checklist

NOMINATION:
Submit written nomination (you may use the
printed nomination form at right) with the information listed on the nomination form printed at right.
Send completed nomination forms to: WFSE/
AFSCME Award Committee, 1212 Jefferson Street
S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.
You can also submit nominations online at www.
wfse.org.
Nominations must be received by April 30, 2015.
All written nominations must include a statement of the required facts as listed on the nomination
form at right.
REVIEW:
A committee, appointed by the WFSE/AFSCME
president and approved by the Executive Board, will
review the nominations and select the recipients. In
those instances where the nomination is from other
than a local, local officers may be asked to provide
additional information. The committee may select
multiple recipients.
If this form is not completed in its entirety, the
nomination may not be considered.

Date of Affiliation with WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME:

Occupation:

Locals and individual members

may nominate shop
stewards who have
demonstrated outstanding skills to
help their members
and to build up the union at the grassroots level.

WFSE/AFSCME Laurie Merta Shop Steward of the Year Award 2015

SCMEs stewards are the best around

is because of the unions annual Shop
Steward Conference.
That conference is June. 6-7 at the
Seatac Doubletree Hotel.

The unions Shop Steward Committee wants interested stewards to

mark their calendars now so they
dont forget.
The committee is currently work-

ing on the agenda and curriculum.

The popular arbitrator panel will be
back.
Stewards should watch for registration information when it comes
out so they can sign up right away.
The first 250 stewards who register
get into the conference.

SAFETY
CORNER
Workplace
hazards
training
in April

First in a
series of
Safety
doesnt happen by
accident memes.

The Workers
Guide to Workplace Hazards,
a materials
handling safety
training program
featuring Jay
Herzmark as
instructor, will be
held April 17 in
Seattle and April
28 in Olympia.
The Washington State Labor
Council is coordinating the training.

Seattle: 9 a.m.5 p.m., Friday,

April 17, at the
WSLCs Seattle
office, 321 16th
Ave. S., Seattle.
Olympia, 9
a.m.-5 p.m.,
Tuesday, April
28, at the
WSLCs Olympia
office, 906 Columbia St. S.W.,
Olympia.
For information: http://www.
thestand.org/

March 2015

We need your SAFETY TIPS or your QUESTIONS on workplace safety!

Please e-mail your
questions or tips to:
c28SafetyTips@gmail.com.
WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

Safety Corner is a project of the WFSE/AFSCME

Health and Safety Committee.

Page 3

THE FACTS: FUND OUR CONTRACTS

rib
News T
une 1/2
Vancouver Co

lumbian 1/28/1

8/15

Some politicians in Olympia are

talking about not funding our
new contracts -- including the
first pay raises in 7 years and
the package holding the line on
health care costs

It doesnt have to be this way.

8/15

Seattle Times 1/2

FACTS, not rhetoric, show why funding our contracts is the right thing to do

Pulling from budget documents:

Its been seven years since most
state public employees got a COLA.
Thats the longest state employees have gone without a COLA
since at least 1960.
According to the Office of Financial Management, the negotiated

package of salary increases and

shared health costs actually
makes up the smallest percentage
of the State General-Fund Budget
since at least 2002 (except for two
Great Recession budgets).
These modest increases come
as the state workforce has shrunk

and workloads and caseloads

have risen. For instance, in 2001
there were nearly 6 million people in
Washington and about 64,000 state
general government employees.
Today, Washingtons population is
nearly 7 million and general government employees total about 61,000.
That means we have 1 million

What theyre saying:

From one side:
Chief GOP budget writer Sen.
Andy Hill makes no bones about it:
He doesnt consider $440 million
in state-employee pay raises
an essential part of the 2015-17
budget. -- Seattle Times, 1/28/15
We have to ask the question, how
much is enough? (Senate Majority
Leader Mark) Schoesler said.
-- Vancouver Columbian, 1/28/15

From another side:

State employees and teachers
have not gotten a COLA for 6 years.
This has been more than a 15%
cut in purchasing power for state
employees and we are losing the
most effective ones. This would
be a bad outcome, just as it is for
businesses.
-- Rep. Ross Hunter, Chair, House
Appropriations Committee, 11/9/14
http://www.rosshunter.info/2014/11/wabudget-2015-17-high-degree-of-difficulty/

more people being served by

3,000 fewer state employees.

And from our side:

The states 2014 salary survey

shows that 81% of state employees
are paid below market rate counterparts in the private and public
sectors.

At press time 3/18/15, WFSE/

AFSCME members had generated
more than 7,300 emails to
legislators to Fund Our
Contracts as the right thing to
do.

TAKE ACTION: wfse.org/fund-our-contracts/

Behind
the legal
language,
humanity

Legislative bills, legal settlements and agendas are one

sign of an effective union.
But nearly always, theres a
human story and human impact behind them. Member
actions often start and build
the momentum that results
in the proof on the page. It
doesnt take an Einstein to
see the humanity behind the
legal proof of an effective
union.

DAUGHTER OF SLAIN WSDOT

MEMBER BOOSTS COLLEGE AID FOR
SURVIVING CHILDREN, SPOUSES

elsey Williams (right) is a survivor

in more ways than one.

She is the daughter of WFSE/AFSCME Local 1290

member Sam Williams, a Department of Transportation
Highway Maintenance worker struck and killed by a
motorist along Highway 12 in Lewis County Feb. 22,
2000.
I am one of the family members left behind by a
father who did not come home from his job, she told
Senate committee Feb. 12.
Legislation (HB 1977 and SB 5841) would waive
fees for tuition, services and activities of children and
surviving spouses of highway workers who lost their lives
or became totally disabled in the line of duty.
HOUSE

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At press
time, both bills
remained alive.
This
legislation with a
human touch is
the product of a
coalition effort by
the Washington
Federation of
State Employees/
AFSCME,
Professional
and Technical
Employees Local
17 and the WSDOT
Memorial Foundation.
Following in
the footsteps of her
community minded
father, Kelsey
Williams is now a
firefighter/emergency
medical technician
with Lewis County
Fire District No. 5.

Why we must fix states

structural budget deficit

he structural budget
deficit is that dangerous
condition were in when
revenue as a share of personal income has been declining.
Meanwhile, economic growth,
population, costs and demand
for the services we provide
continue to grow.
While state revenue collections are growing (slowly), total revenue remains far below
pre-recession levels.
Personal income in Washington state is higher than
the national average, and expected to grow even more in
the future. But state revenue
has been declining as a share
of personal income for more
than 20 years.
In 1995, state and local revenue collections were
equal to 6.6% of total personal income. By 2014, that rate
had dropped to 4.9% -- and
the rate is expected to continue to decrease in the future
(see chart, lower right).
According to an analysis
by Sen. Jim Hargrove (see
chart, upper right), a member
of the Senate budget-writing
committee, median salaries
for state employees arent
keeping pace with median
salaries in the private sector
the gap is about 4%.
Instead, we rely on the sales

As Passed House:
March 2, 2015

Page 4

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Every time the university contracts out, it
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HB 1779 would ensure that Health investigators have the training when interviewing
victims so they do it with sensitivity and not cause unintended consequences, said Hagen,
a Local 443 Department of Health member.
We owe this to the investigators performing these job duties and to the victims we
serve, Hagen testified before a House committee last month. HB 1779 passed the House
and is now in the Senate.

March 2015

ark rangers like Local 1466 member Tom Riggs

(far right) saw real safety problems behind the
technical words in a job classification change up for
approval at the quarterly meeting of the state Human
Resource director Feb. 12.

Riggs and a team of other Local 1466 members and WFSE/AFSCME

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Because
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20 of that, Riggs said, when a ranger 2 position is vacant, thats
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WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

We dont believe the structural budget deficit can be

solved without new revenue,
WFSE/AFSCMEs Director of
Leg. and Pol. Action Dennis
Eagle told the House Appropriations Commitee March 12.
The level of cuts that would
be required to do otherwise
would simply be unacceptable
to most Washingtonians.

SAFETY CONCERNS
DELAY CONTROVERSIAL
RANGER CLASS IDEA

LOCAL 443 MEMBER URGES TRAINING FOR INVESTIGATORS

irst-time member lobbyist Joice Hagen (center) has sparked
momentum that may win a law largely based on her idea.

ORT
HOUSE BILL REP
Hagen (center) with other Local 443 member lobbyists
HB 1779
Yolanda Brooks (left) and Imelda Ang (right).

tax as our biggest source of

revenue -- but the sales tax
only applies to goods, not to
services.
House Finance Committee
Chair Reuven Carlyle recently
wrote that, in todays servicebased economy about 66%
of what consumers purchase
is not touched by the sales
tax, while only about 33% is
directly taxed. In 1950, those
numbers were reversed and
around 1970 it was 50% to
50% (services to goods).
There are other significant
structural problems to our tax
system:
Over the past 100 years the
state has enacted more than
600 tax breaks worth billions
of dollars.
Hundreds of millions in sales
tax revenue is lost to online
shopping.
Voter-approved initiatives
have arbitrarily restricted
property tax growth.

Tacoma

They may not fund

our contracts?

THE FACTS: FIXING THE STRUCTURAL BUDGET DEFICIT

March 2015

costs taxpayers more money, Lukaszek said.

In another incident, members and staff
uncovered how the UWs understaffing practices
had led to dangerous gaps in preventative
maintenance including cooling towers at the
UW Medical Center. KOMO TV in Seattle then
spotlighted how WFSE/AFSCME and Local 1488
stepped in to protect workers, patients and the
public after members discovered green slime
with deadly Legionnaires Disease-causing
contaminants.
At this point it (the UWs understaffing for
preventative maintenance), is creating safety
issues for students, for the public, for patients
and absolutely for our members who work at the
University of Washington, said WFSE/AFSCME
Council Representative Sarah Bright.
It was because of the unions intervention that
any cleanup and use of proper safety procedures
were even put in place. A WFSE/AFSCMEprompted investigation by the state Department of
Labor and Industries continues.

i
WFSE/AFSCME Washington State
Employee

Page 5

WFSE/AFSCME MEMBERS ONLY BENEFITS SCHOLARSHIPS 2015

Schut Scholarships
information
Application deadline: April 30.
Three $1,000 Norm Schut Scholarships
are available. They allow eligible members
or members of their families to pursue
studies at an accredited vocational school,
college or university. One of the awards is
earmarked specifically for an active member; the other two are open for members,
their spouses and their children.
The scholarship is named after Norm
Schut, WFSE/AFSCMEs first executive
director, who served from 1952 to 1974.

NORM SCHUT SCHOLARSHIPS 2015

Offered by the WFSE/AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners Committee

2. Address:
(Street) (City) (Zip)
3. Date of Birth:

4. School choice:

5. SUBMIT OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF HIGH SCHOOL, VOCATIONAL SCHOOL OR COLLEGE RECORD.

Your application will not be considered unless your transcripts are submitted.
6. Are you now the recipient of a scholarship or other financial award?
7. Are you working now?

Hours per week:

The applicant must:

9. Give pertinent information concerning your earnings or other financial assets and obligations that would be
helpful in assessing your financial need. (Attach any additional data.)

be in need of financial assistance.

RULES AND PROCESS:
Rules governing recipient award and use of
funds:
(1) Recipient must agree to enroll in an accredited vocational school, college or university
of his or her choice during the academic year
following the award.
(2) Recipient must provide official transcript(s)
of high school or vocational school or college
(must be sealed).
(3) The $1,000 award may be drawn on by
the student for registration fees, books and
incidental direct costs to education upon submission of receipts. Any balance at the end of
the first academic year following the award will
be available to recipient on entering school the
second year, conditional upon maintenance of
satisfactory standing.
The WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Womens/
Equal Partners Committee will evaluate the
applications and determine the recipient of the
award no later than August of each year. The
decision of the Committee will be final.
Application Deadline: Fully completed applications must be received by 5 p.m., April 30,
2015.
Schut Scholarship
application checklist

10. Attach a written statement of Educational and Career Goals.

11. Do you have credits earned toward degree requirements?
12. Work History:

Spouse Occupation:

Monthly income:
Number of Dependents:

Ages:

Local Number:
Date of Affiliation:
In applying for the scholarship described in this application form, I certify that all of the facts contained herein are
correct.
Date:
Signature of Applicant:

Application deadline: April 30, 2015.

For more information, call 1-800-562-6002 or (360) 352-7603. Online: www.wfse.org, click on the Scholarships link.
Return this application to: WFSE/AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners Committee, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300,
Olympia, WA 98501. Or FAX to (360) 352-7608.

YOUNGLOVE & COKER SCHOLARSHIP 2015

Offered by the WFSE/AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners Committee

1. Applicants name:
2. Address:
(Street) (City) (State) (Zip)
4. School choice:

5. SUBMIT OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF HIGH SCHOOL, VOCATIONAL SCHOOL OR COLLEGE RECORD.

Your application will not be considered unless your transcripts are submitted.
6. Are you now the recipient of a scholarship or other financial award?
If yes, list amount of other
award(s)?
7. Are you working now?

3 Official high school, vocation

school or college transcripts
(must be sealed).
3 Statement of Educational
and Career Goals.
3 Financial information sufficient to assess need.

8. Do you plan to work part-time?

3 Address to: WFSE/Council

28 AFSCME Womens/Equal
Partners Committee, 1212
Jefferson St SE, Suite 300,
Olympia, WA 98501

Page 6

To apply, please fill out the application form in

full and return to WFSE/AFSCME Womens/
Equal Partners Committee, 1212 Jefferson St.
S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501 or FAX to
(360) 352-7608 by 5:00 pm April 30, 2015. The
application form is to the right or can be found
online at http://wfse.org/summer-instituteunion-women-scholarship/ For questions on
the scholarship, call 1-800-562-6002.

12. Work History and/or Community Service:

13. WFSE Members name:

Relation to Applicant:

Date of Affiliation with WFSE:

Spouse Occupation:

Net monthly income (combine members and spouses incomes, if appropriate):

Number of Dependents:
Ages:
In applying for the scholarship described in this form, I certify that all of the facts contained herein are correct.
Signature of Applicant:

Application deadline: April 30, 2015. For more information, call 1-800-562-6002 or (360) 352-7603. Online: www.wfse.org, click on the Scholarships
link. Return this application to: WFSE Womens/Equal Partners Committee, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. FAX:(360) 3527608.

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

2. Have you previously attended a Womens Summer School?

3. Do you hold a leadership position in your local?

March 2015

Address
City State Zip
Telephone: (Daytime)

(Evening)

Home e-mail address:

Signature of Applicant
Signature of Local Union Officer (optional)
Application deadline: April 30, 2015.
For more information, call 1-800-562-6002 or (360) 352-7603. Online: www.wfse.org, click on Member Resources >
Scholarship Information. Return this application to: WFSE/AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners Committee, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Or FAX to (360) 352-7079.

(3)
The $2,500 award may be drawn
on by the student for registration fees, books
and incidental direct costs to education upon
submission of receipts. Any balance at the end
of the first academic year following the award
will be available to recipient on entering school
the second year, conditional upon maintenance
of satisfactory standing.
The WFSE/Council 28 AFSCME Womens/
Equal Partners Committee will evaluate the
applications and determine the recipient of the
award no later than August of each year. The
decision of the Committee will be final.
Application Deadline: Fully completed applications must be received by 5 p.m., April 30,
2015.
Younglove & Coker checklist
REQUIRED:

have a satisfactory scholastic standing.

3 Application filled out in full.

be in need of financial assistance.

RULES AND PROCESS:

3 Official high school, vocation

school or college transcripts (must be
sealed).

Rules governing recipient award and use of

funds:

3 Statement of Educational and

Career Goals.

(1)
Recipient must agree to enroll in an
accredited vocational school, college or university of his or her choice during the academic
year following the award.

3 Financial information sufficient to

assess need.

March 2015

No

Name

The $2,500 Younglove & Coker Scholarship is

available to eligible members or members of
their families to pursue studies at an accredited
vocational school, college or university. This
scholarship is funded by a generous grant from
the law firm of Younglove & Coker, WFSE/AFSCMEs attorneys.

Recipient must provide official

Yes

No

5. Reason for wanting to attend

transcript(s) of high school or vocational school

or college (must be sealed).

(2)

Yes

4. Ethnic heritage (optional)

Application deadline: April 30.

Application form on opposite page (page 6)

be a graduating senior, or a high school

graduate (GED accepted) from an accredited
public or private high school.

10. Attach a written statement of Educational and Career Goals.

11. Do you have credits earned toward degree requirements?

Date:

1. Are you a member in good standing of WFSE/AFSCME?

Yes
Length of membership
Local No.

No
How long have you been a state employee?

be a WFSE/AFSCME who has been a member for at least one year prior to application
OR an immediate family member (including
domestic partners) of a WFSE/AFSCME who
has been a member for at least one year prior
to application.

9. Give pertinent information concerning your earnings or other financial assets and obligations that would be
helpful in assessing your financial need. (Attach any additional data.)

Occupation:

The Summer Institute for Union Women celebrates the solidarity of union women across
boundaries of age, race, and nation. Rank-andfile members, staff members, and officers from
across the West including Canada will gather to
share strategies, information, experience, and
skills. Highlights of the week include in-depth
classes to hone skills and deepen knowledge
as well as workshops and plenary sessions to
examine current issues, ranging from politics,
to health care, to international solidarity. This
summer the Institute for will be held at Reed
College in Portland Oregon from June 23
through June 27, 2015. More information can
be found online at http://lerc.uoregon.edu/
events/summer-institute-for-union-womensiuw/.

Applicants must:

Hours per week:

WFSE Local Union Number:

Cover costs for registration (which includes housing and most meals) and travel. One scholarship will be
awarded for Western Washington and one for Eastern Washington (if enough applications come in). Recipients
will attend the summer school June 23-27, 2015, at the Reed College campus in Portland, Ore.
Please complete the following questions:

ELIGIBILITY:

REQUIRED:
3 Application filled out in full.

Offered by the WFSE/AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners Committee

Younglove & Coker Scholarship information

Application-Statement of Required Facts

3. Date of Birth:

SUMMER SCHOOL FOR TRADE UNION WOMEN SCHOLARSHIPS 2015

WFSE/AFSCME offers two scholarships

each year to the Western Regional Summer
Institute for Union Women for WFSE/AFSCME
members.

The scholarships cover the costs for registration (which includes housing and most meals)
and travel. The WFSE/AFSCME Womens/
Equal Partners Committee will award one
scholarship to a member from Western Washington and one from Eastern Washington.

13. Member name:

Occupation:

Application

Application deadline: April 30.

1. Applicants name:

8. Do you plan to work part-time?

be a graduating senior, or a high school

graduate (GED accepted) from an accredited
public or private high school.

Womens Summer
School Scholarships

Application-Statement of Required Facts

ELIGIBILIY:

be a WFSE/AFSCME member (or non-association fee payer covered by the provisions of

RCW 41.80.100 (2)) who has been a member
for at least six months prior to application OR
an immediate family member (including domestic partners) of a WFSE/AFSCME member
(or non-association fee payer covered by the
provisions of RCW 41.80.100 (2)) who has
been a member for at least six months prior to
application.

WFSE/AFSCME MEMBERS ONLY BENEFITS SCHOLARSHIPS 2015

3 Address to: WFSE/Council 28

AFSCME Womens/Equal Partners
Committee, 1212 Jefferson St SE,
Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501

SHARED LEAVE
REQUESTS
To place approved shared leave
requests: tim@wfse.org, or 1-800-5626002.
Gene Romano, a Community Corrections officer 2 with the Department of
Corrections in Everett and a member
of Local 1020, is in need of shared
leave because of a serious medical
condition. Contact: Jenny Tan at (206)
516-7739, or your human resource
office.
Martin Waldron, aka Boojie, an
information technology systems applications specialist at the Department
of Natural Resources in Olympia and
a member of Local 443, recently underwent open-heart surgery. He is on
the waiting list for a heart transplant.
He has exhausted all leave. He has
a family to support and is in need of
shared leave. Contact: your human
resource office.
Marcus Kittock, a custodian 1 with
the Department of Enterprise Services
in Olympia and a member of Local
443, has been approved for shared
leave. He is taking time off to care for
a seriously ill family member. He has
exhausted all his available leave. Contact: Susan Gilpin, (360) 407-8414 at
the DES Human Resource office, or
your human resource office.
Dan Joy, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS at the Spokane
Maple Community Service Office and

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

a member of Local 1221, is still in

need of shared leave because of a
serious medical condition affecting a
family member. Contact: your human
resource office.
Randy Grams, an unemployment insurance specialist 4 (adjudicator) with
the Employment Security Department
in Lacey and a member of Local 443,
has been approved for shared leave.
Contact: Felicia Wright at (360) 9029532, or your human resource office.
Julie Mounts, a financial services
specialist 3 with DSHS in Puyallup
and a member of Local 53, has been
approved for shared leave because
of car accident, which has caused her
serious health issues. She is expected
to recover fully with time. Contact:
Linda Evans Miller at (253) 983-6587,
or your human resource office.
Kellie Divine, a revenue agent 3 with
the Department of Labor and Industries in Olympia and member of Local
443, has been approved for shared
leave. She was off work from Jan. 26
Feb. 17 with pneumonia. A side effect
of the coughing during pneumonia has
brought on the need for a surgery. She
is asking for shared leave to help her
during this extended illness. She has
exhausted all her available leave. Contact: Lori Rager at (360) 902-5687 in
the L&I Human Resource Department,
or your human resource office.

Shared leave requests

continue on page 8

Page 7

BEHIND THE LEGAL LANGUAGE, HUMANITY

UPDATE:
BIG GAINS
FOR THE
HUMAN
TOUCH IN
LATEST
ROUND
OF TALKS
OVER WFO

LEFT: The WFO Bargaining

Team and WFSE/AFSCME
resource staff (from left):
LaToya McFarland, Local
443, Olympia; James
Crouse, Local 1301,
Ellensburg; WFSE/AFSCME
Labor Advocate Susanna F;
WFSE/AFSCME President
Sue Henricksen; WFSE/
AFSCME Journey Organizer
Anne-Marie Cavanaugh;
and Kizzy Andreason, Local
1060, Bellingham.

embers in
the DSHS
Community
Services Division
made major
strides at the
bargaining
table March 12
in their efforts
to make sure
the use of the
new Workforce
Optimization

One of the successful

unity actions, this one at
the Richland CSO

(WFO) monitoring
software doesnt
take the human
touch out of
human services.

In the latest
demand to bargain

FRIENDS, from page 1

Gov. Jay Inslee has recommended funding the package,
but the Legislature has the
final say.
When The Great Recession hit in 2008, state employees took pay cuts and more.
They saw their consumer
buying power drop 15 percent, according to Rep. Ross
Hunter, chair of the House
Appropriations Committee.
That in turn hurt small
businesses across the state
and the capital city of Olympia, Selby says.

Small businesses are like

the canary in the coal mine,
Selby says. When theres a
change one way or the other
in the economy, small businesses are the first to feel it.
Selby says small business
owners value the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for
state employees now being
debated in Olympia.
Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich noted in his
documentary Inequality for
All that corporations have
hoarded their record profits.
But middle class consumers like state employees will

SHARED LEAVE,

continued from page 7

Chris Moores, a secretary senior in
the Emergency Management Division
(Military Department) Mitigation Response and Recovery Unit at Camp
Murray and a member of Local 53, is
still in need of shared leave. Contact:
Julie Pedersen at (253) 512-8983, or
your human resource office.
Debbie Kingery, a DDS adjudicator 3
with DSHS in Tumwater and a member of Local 443, has been approved
for shared leave. She has been diagnosed with a serious illness and has
used all her available sick, vacation
and personal leave. She will be away
from work for an undetermined time.
Contact: Debbie Stallard at (360) 6647415 at DSHS Human Resources, or
your Human Resource office.
Mari Wyatt, an office assistant lead
with the Department of Corrections in
Seattle and a member of Local 308,
has been approved for shared leave
while recuperating from knee replacement surgery. Her recovery is expected to take up to six weeks. She has
exhausted all of her available leave.
Contact: Jenny Tan (206) 516-7739 in
DOC human resources, or your human
resource office.
Zuelekha Florence, a developmental
disabilities case resource manager
with DSHS in Olympia and member

Page 8

session in Olympia,
the Federations
WFO negotiating
team headed by
Local 443 member
LaToya McFarland,
Local 1301 member
James Crouse and

up.

Local 1060 member

Kizzy Andreason
won an agreement
that protects
workers rights,
emphasizes fairness
and accountability
and values quality
of service for clients
in need of a hand

In the end, it
was about getting
the job done
correctly with
empathy for clients.
DSHS agreed the
use of the WFO tool
is about improving
services for clients
and not about
playing gotcha

with employees.
The union
team pushed
for important
safeguards on data
retention and who
has access to the
data, with continuing
dialogue on all
phases of WFO
implementation.
This doesnt
take away from the
agencys interest
to use WFO as
a tool to support
improved services,
positive feedback

and performance
coaching.
Im proud,
Crouse said of the
agreement.
The agreement
came after months
of member unity
actions.
More details online:
http://wfse.org/wforeport-31315/
Continuing updates
on the Federations
WFO page: http://
wfse.org/getinvolved/wfo-in-thecso/

PDATE: After months of negotiations, WFSE/AFSCME reached

agreement Feb. 3 with the state to restore the option for workers at the states
three mental hospitals to take compensatory time on five holidays throughout
the rest of 2015. Details online: http://
wfse.org/mh-comp-time/

Selby thanks WFSE/AFSCME Presidents

Day Lobby Day attendees Feb. 16.

put a lot of the two-year, 4.8

percent COLAs back into
their local economies, at small
businesses like Selbys.
With some 100,000 employees, Washington state government is the largest employer
in the state. And thats a lot
of consumers priming the

of Local 443, has been approved for

shared leave. Zuelekha is receiving
chemo treatments for Hodgkins
Lymphoma. She has been out of
work since October. Her recovery
will be lengthy. At this time she does
not have an expected return-to-work
date. She has exhausted all available
leave. Contact: Leona Weltzer, (253)
404-5537 at DSHS HR or your human
resource office.
Steve Halpain, a safety and health
specialist 3 with the Department of
Labor and Industries in Kelso and a
member of Local 1400, is facing a long
recovery from a serious surgery and
is much in need of shared leave. Contact: your human resource office.
Joyce Taute, a WorkSource specialist 3 with the Employment Security
Department at WorkSource Lakewood
AFF and a member of Local 443,
has been approved for shared leave.
Joyce has been diagnosed with cancer
and is taking chemo and radiation
treatments. She has been out of work
since Dec. 18 and will not be released
to return to work until sometime in
March. She also missed quite a few
days in October and November for
medical appointments. Contact: Kathleen Young at (360) 902-9538 at Employment Security HR, or your Human
Resource office.
Leann Key, a fiscal analyst at the
Special Commitment Center on Mc-

economic recovery with wage

boosts.
When state government
sneezes, small businesses get
the cold, Selby says.
So I am a big advocate
for buying local, buying small
and supporting your community because those dollars
stay in your community.

Neil Island (CIBS Finance Team) and

a member of Local 53, is still in need
of shared leave to assist her mother
while she goes through cancer treatment. Contact: Patty Huffman at (253)
756-2973.
Elizabeth (Liz) Howland, a WorkSource specialist 4 with the Employment Security Department in Snohomish County and a member of Local
1020, has had a health issue since
September 2014; as a result, shes
had three surgeries in the past four
months. She has exhausted all vacation and sick leave while undergoing
recuperation and physical therapy
from the final surgery that took place
Dec. 30, 2014. Contact: Kathleen
Young at (360) 902-9538, or your human resource office.
Jennifer Hinson-Currin, an adjudicator 3 with DSHS in Tumwater and a
member of Local 443, has been ap-

In turn, Selby says, small

businesses rather than big
box retailers are the first to
donate to local causes and
charities and things that matter to us.
After all when it comes
to economic recovery, Selby
says, Were all in this together.

proved for shared leave. She says:

I am in dire need of shared leave. I
have four children and recently had a
life-threatening event due to severe
asthma exacerbation and bacterial
pneumonia. Any donation that can be
made would be beyond appreciation. It
has been a very hard time for all of us.
Thank you so much for your consideration. Contact: your human resource
office.
SHARED LEAVE THANKS: From Local 443 member Steven Shippee (Department of Labor and Industries): I
would like to thank all of those who donated shared leave on my behalf while
I was recovering from surgery. Those
donated hours were no small sacrifice
and I appreciate your kindness and
willingness to share very much.
See shared leave requests online:
http://wfse.org/shared-leave/

Connect with WFSE/AFSCME

Your union website, social media and YouTube channel offer more details,
photos, videos and resource links than we can fit in this newspaper. Check
it out and see the living proof that standing together is better than walking
alone.

wfse.org

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

March 2015