State workers — Unions to seek money for agencies

• Published January 13, 2008

• Comments (0)

The issues: This is a calm period for state workers. The budget has a surplus, which probably means more state jobs, not layoffs. Workers won some of the largest pay increases in decades last year, but also saw the end of the gain-sharing benefit for members of the newest retirement plan.

Unions have challenged the removal of gain sharing in court. And they are gearing up for a new round of bargaining with the governor for pay and benefits this summer. In this session, they hope to push on more job-specific problems.

The largest union of general government workers, the Washington Federation of State Employees, wants to do something about the heavy workload for social workers in the Children's Administration, spokesman Tim Welch says. The federation also is working on professionalizing union-represented foster parents and winning more funding for adult family home operators.

Service Employees International Union Local 775 plans to push for more funding for nursing home workers, whom the union represents, as well as bargaining rights for the roughly 5,000 adult family home employees.

Other unions want to allow military service before state employment to count as time in the newer retirement plans, and are pushing for tougher laws regarding workplace bullying.

The Retired Public Employees Council Of Washington has several issues to talk about, including allowing local government retirees to access state plans.

The players: While the federation continues to dominate unionized state offices, independent workers paid by the state — such as child care employees — are unionized by the more boisterous SEIU. With Republicans in the minority in both the House and the Senate, the task for unions will be to persuade the usually more receptive Democrats to expand programs and protections further than they have so far.

What's at stake: Jobs, health care and retirement for 108,000 state workers. Unions are competing for new members. Politicians must balance being seen as good employers and winning union support with provoking voters by handing out lucrative jobs and benefits.

Likely outcome: Gregoire has put a priority on saving the budget surplus, and that could constrict some of the state workers unions' progress. A bill creating a professionalized class of foster parents for children with the highest needs has early support from key lawmakers.