Union urges Ferguson not to sign budget without their pay raises

The Washington Public Employees Association, representing over 5,300 state government and community college employees, is urging Governor Bob Ferguson to veto the state budget unless it includes their pay raises. They allege that delays in negotiations by the governor's budget office prevented timely funding for their contract, which was ratified too late for inclusion in the budget. Union president Amanda Hacker emphasized that signing the budget would unfairly impact employees asserting their legal rights. In contrast, the Washington Federation of State Employees, representing 50,000 workers, is advocating for the budget's approval to secure their members' raises. Notably, the contracts for the larger federation include scheduled pay hikes of 3% and 2% over the next two years.

The association's members work in various state agencies and community colleges but will not benefit from these increases. They missed a crucial October 1 deadline for contract approval, complicating their funding situation. The union has since ratified a new contract with similar wage increases, aiming to resolve the ongoing dispute.