What legislative accomplishments by the WFSE/AFSCME have been made?
2004
- Held the line on health insurance premiums.
- Budget language against contracting out of DOT motorist information sign work.
- Pensions: Public Safety Employees Retirement System; PERS 2/3 one-time service-credit buy back (if qualify for early retirement); smoothing of PERS 2 contribution changes.
- Enhanced funding for Horse Racing Commission members' services.
2003
- Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Officers allowed to join LEOFF 2 pension system.
- BIIA judges allowed to be members of bar.
- JRA institution worker safety standards.
- Stopped contracting our of DOT, DDD case managers, UW food services.
- Supported Hunt-Romero Bill expanding state employee shared leave program.
- Supported measures improving death benefit.
- Saved Productivity Board.
2002
- Passage of full-scope collective bargaining law, allowing negotiations over wages, benefits and other key economic issues.
- Assault benefits for DOT Highway Maintenance workers injured on the job by motorists.
- General law enforcement authority bill for Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers
2001
- 3.7% pay raise 7/1/01, with the equivalent of a "re-opener clause" on wages in 2002.
- Price caps at current levels for office visit co-pays and prescription drugs.
- Funding in rank order of the top eight 6767 classes, effective 1/1/02.
- A death benefit for the estates of deceased state employees who otherwise wouldn't qualify for such a benefit under the current retirement plans.
- A probe of the Washington Management Service.
- Raising the higher ed bill limit to $35,000.
- The PERS 1 retire/rehire bill, allowing retired PERS 1 members to work up to 1500 hours a year and not jeopardize retirement benefits.
2000
- Improvements to PERS 2 (cut actuarial reduction from 8%/year to 3%/year for those at least 55, with 30 years service).
- Optional PERS 3 pension plan.
- Mental Hospital Safety Plans Bill.
- Helped save Highway Rest Areas.
1999
- 3% Salary increase effective July 1, 1999 and 3% increase July 1, 2000.
- Salary increases for employees in job classes on 6767 list.
- Salary increase for employees in job classes furthest behind according to state's salary survey.
1998
- Stopped contracting out of Highway Maintenance jobs.
- Stopped passage of PERS 3 pension plan.
- Passed legislation to stabilize services to DD clients and end "Civil War" between public and private providers.
- Stopped legislation to give state and other employees immunity from giving false information on job references.
1997
- Stopped Right to Work Legislation.
- Stopped contracting out; specifically in welfare reform.
- Passed Outside Employment Bill protecting some part-time employees' jobs.
- Stopped ward closure at Western State Hospital.
- Secured medical benefit increases.
- 3% salary increase effective July 1,1997 plus additional increase for specific job classes on 6767 list.
1996
- Expanded Shared Leave Program to include sick leave and personal holiday.
- Long-Term care benefits.
- Blocked drastic cuts in DD program.
- Blocked cuts in benefit surplus account.
- Funding to hire additional CPS workers and to lower their caseloads.
1995
- Saved sick leave cash-out.
- Blocked legislation to close Frances Hadden Morgan Center.
- Stopped contracting out of custodial services, food services and laundry services in DD, Mental Health and GA.
- Passed 4% across-the-board salary increase.
- Passed bill to make PERS 1 COLA permanent.
- Stopped mandatory parking fees, saving state employees $180 a year.
- Saved the SOLA program.
- Blocked efforts to move mentally ill offenders units from Western to Eastern state hospitals to DOC.
Why and how are legislative goals set?
The legislative and political action process is crucial to state employees because many decision that affect our jobs and working conditions are made by the Legislature. The Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME works the legislative process too win and maintain our rights and benefits.
The legislative goals of the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME are established by the members. Delegates from local unions meet every two years at a biennial convention to decide the aims, goals and policies of the union for the next two years. When the convention is not in session and additional decisions need to be made, the responsibility becomes that of the Statewide Executive Board. The Board is made up of the fours State-wide Officers elected at the convention and elected representatives from the policy committees. In both process it is the members who determine the legislative goals of the union.
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