Thousands of Washington state workers lose out on wage hikes

Over 5,300 state government and community college employees in Washington will not receive a 3% pay raise due to a late ratification of their contract on April 3. Amanda Hacker, president of the Washington Public Employees Association, lamented that this decision penalizes workers for asserting their rights in negotiations. The approved state budget includes pay raises for other unions, including legislative staff, while those employees affected will face financial setbacks. By law, public sector unions must ratify contracts by October 1 to be eligible for funding in the subsequent budget cycle. The new agreement, which includes 3% and 2% increases, was reached too late to be included for funding this year.

The estimated cost for the upcoming biennium is $55. 8 million, with $18. 1 million sourced from the state general fund. Hacker indicated that the union may seek funding through other avenues or push for immediate contract talks for 2026. The situation highlights the challenges faced by unions in meeting statutory deadlines while negotiating fair wages for their members.