Friday, December 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
AFSCME Constituency Caucuses
At the 41st International Convention in Los Angeles, a plan to hold constituency caucuses for AFSCME members who share interests and identities was announced. Unfortunately, most of those caucuses did not occur due to convention schedule changes.
AFSCME went high tech holding virtual caucuses through a series of conference calls.
Two caucuses are left to meet:
Please contact caucus@afscme.org with questions.
AFSCME went high tech holding virtual caucuses through a series of conference calls.
Two caucuses are left to meet:
- AFSCME Pride Caucus: Conference call on Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. Please RSVP here: http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4002/c/51/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=8827
- Conservative Caucus: Conference call on Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST. Please RSVP here: http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4002/c/51/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=8829
Please contact caucus@afscme.org with questions.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Employment Security members providing unique help to laid off state workers
Our members in the Employment Security Department are providing unique help for members and other employees laid off from the Department of Corrections, Employment Security Department, state Parks and Liquor Control Board.
It’s funded by the federal National Emergency Grant (NEG).
This is a special program customized to help laid-off Washington state employees get re-employed. This program is staffed by experienced employment specialists who will provide no-cost, intensive job placement services, including:
It’s funded by the federal National Emergency Grant (NEG).
This is a special program customized to help laid-off Washington state employees get re-employed. This program is staffed by experienced employment specialists who will provide no-cost, intensive job placement services, including:
- Job leads & connections to targeted employers
- Employer tips and strategies for job search success
- Resume customization and optimization
- Interviewing preparation, including mock interviews
- Networking development, including LinkedIn training
- Ongoing job search consultation
- Assistance with overcoming barriers such as ageism
- Assistance with emergencies and job search costs
- North Seattle – Denise Barbour (206) 728-8826 x307 or dbarbour@pacassoc.com
- Rainier – Lee Forshey (206) 721-7303 or lforshey@esd.wa.gov
- Redmond – Peggy O’Mear (425) 861-3778 or pomear@esd.wa.gov
- Renton – Catherine Fisher (206) 205-3547 or catherine.fisher@kingcounty.gov
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
AFL-CIO honors milestone "March on Washington 1963"
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Every year, the nation celebrates the contributions made by Dr. Martin Luther King. His words and actions supported the labor movement in its fight for respect and dignity for all workers. He gave his life supporting AFSCME sanitation workers carrying signs demanding union justice with the words, “I AM A MAN.” . He inspired a nation to change. In 2013, our country will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington that rallied hundreds of thousands of people to call for jobs and freedom.
The labor movement will celebrate this milestone at the 2013 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance. The theme is “We Are One: Worker’s Rights and Civil Rights”. You may join in the workshops, enjoy the speakers, and spend one day in community service at the conference.
The details and costs are as follows.
Date: January 17-21
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lodging: Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel, 201 North 17th Street
Costs: Conference registration $180 before December 17, 2012
Late Registration: $200 through January 2, 2013
On-site Registration: $210
Room: $109 plus 15.2% tax per night
Parking: $15 per day
Make your conference registration and hotel reservation at www.aflcio.org/kingevent.
Every year, the nation celebrates the contributions made by Dr. Martin Luther King. His words and actions supported the labor movement in its fight for respect and dignity for all workers. He gave his life supporting AFSCME sanitation workers carrying signs demanding union justice with the words, “I AM A MAN.” . He inspired a nation to change. In 2013, our country will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington that rallied hundreds of thousands of people to call for jobs and freedom.
The labor movement will celebrate this milestone at the 2013 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance. The theme is “We Are One: Worker’s Rights and Civil Rights”. You may join in the workshops, enjoy the speakers, and spend one day in community service at the conference.
The details and costs are as follows.
Date: January 17-21
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lodging: Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel, 201 North 17th Street
Costs: Conference registration $180 before December 17, 2012
Late Registration: $200 through January 2, 2013
On-site Registration: $210
Room: $109 plus 15.2% tax per night
Parking: $15 per day
Make your conference registration and hotel reservation at www.aflcio.org/kingevent.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
President's Report, October 2012
Fall has arrived and with it the elections are just around the corner. Thank you to all who have been working the phone banks and the labor walks. Our future, as always, will be seriously impacted by the outcome. Collective bargaining rights, budget decisions that strengthen or weaken agencies, whether healthcare is affordable or not, the funding of our negotiated contracts – all hang in the balance. It is up to us now to get out the vote. Our members don’t have to walk for miles, risk their lives, stand in long lines to vote as we have seen some do in other countries – at least not yet. Please make the time to encourage our membership to vote. It is the most important goal we can achieve right now.
In Washington, we have had a record breaking dry spell. The fires have impacted much of the state. Many thanks to our members who fought those fires and our members who supported those efforts. Very few have lost homes. A special thank you to the caring members of Local 443 who donated $25,000 to the Washington State Labor Council Foundation For Working Families Natural Disaster Fund. They took immediate action as soon as they knew working families were at risk. A WFSE family in Central Washington did lose a home. Husband and wife were our members. They were very grateful for the assistance they received.
The Green Caucus held a special breakfast event on the Sunday after the last Policy Committee meeting. They invited legislators and did an amazing job of highlighting the green jobs state employees do and pointing out the impact the budget cuts have had on those programs. They were able to draw the connection between those impacts and the impact on our citizens. Those conversations need to be happening all over the state. Telling our stories is the key to success. One could literally see the lights going on as legislators thought about what was being said. It was well presented in a very comfortable and non-pressured manner. We all wish more legislators had attended but it was a great beginning effort.
We must all be talking to legislators now before the session starts. There will again be heavy pressure on budget decisions no matter who wins election. A recent Supreme Court decision in Washington State will make K-12 education funding a priority issue. As the demand for more state dollars to be funneled that direction, the impact on social services, public safety, higher education and other programs may be significant. The Governor is already talking about how difficult the decisions will be for the legislature.
Funding for our contracts hangs in the balance. Negotiations continue on our healthcare package. Our members asked us to hold the line on healthcare. We are working hard to do that. The Governor is holding fast to her position and so are we. Bargaining has been a very rough road for some teams. Supplemental bargaining happened this time but was limited to what the parties would agree to discuss. Thank you to all the team members who served on the teams.
Our Executive Director, Greg Devereux, has been in the midst of the storm over healthcare and bargaining in general. Thank you Greg and staff for all the hours of hard work that was required to bring us to this place where we have ratified contracts and a strong stance on the healthcare issue.
At DOC, assets were purchased that our members are not being allowed to use. We met with the head of the agency this past week to see if we could get those tools released. Our DOC members represented themselves very well in the meeting. Greg and I attended to signal how serious we are about our member’s safety.
At DSHS, our members who work with Provider One are keeping a close eye on management’s plans. There is a serious concern about the potential impact of changes to the program on the number and quality of jobs there. Discussions will be held this month.
Sue Henricksen and Julianne Moore are serving on the DDD Taskforce trying to protect our interests as we brace for a renewed attack on our RHCs.
Local 1488, currently in administratorship, recently held interim elections. They will hold regular elections in March 2013. We are hopeful that the administratorship will be lifted very soon. Thank you to all the staff and members who put so much energy into this effort.
Congratulations to our Ecology members in Thurston County who have just established their new local!
On November 17th, members are invited to support our KTSS folks through a job action. We have heard the stories of their struggles with the employer at the last two Policy Committee meetings. Workers there are fired for trying to join our union and work under a union contract. Please contact Pam Carl in the Organizing Department for details.
Rosemary Sterling, our Treasurer, is doing a great job of monitoring our budget. Because of the pressures we will soon face, having a healthy balance of funds is critical to our success in the coming year.
Hats off to our Secretary, Judy Kuschel who was recently recognized by the Southwest Labor Council for her contributions to the labor movement.
Our Vice President, Sue Henricksen, has been working very hard, attending UMCCs, local membership meetings, Taskforce meetings, and her efforts have been non-stop. Her energy and drive to help our members achieve their goals is deeply appreciated.
Thanks to all our member activists, staff and leaders for the good work you do everyday!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Washington State Labor Council Women's Committee Breakfast
Members from many unions attended the Women's Committee breakfast this morning to hear Elaine Rose from Planned Parenthood talk about the nationwide assault on women's rights this morning. She took us on a verbal tour, state by state, of attempts to take away women's rights. These attacks have been relentless and ongoing. They take many legislative forms and would have devastating impacts on our families. We must be vigilant and aware and not allow these attacks to succeed.
Notice Of Intent To Contract Out
Sisters and Brothers,
Many members who do case management work with the developmentally disabled recently received letters from Mary Anne Lindeblad that were extremely upsetting. Management, in a move that some would label a sneak attack, sent letters announcing intent to contract out work that were worded in such a way that many who received it believed they needed to look for other work right away.
A number of members who currently work with Provider One will receive letters of intent as well. We were told about that just today.
Our union has filed demands to bargain on both contract out issues. The initial letter signed by Mary Anne Lindeblad will be rescinded. However, another will be sent to replace the first one. We had no knowledge that those letters were being sent. We were as shocked by the content as you were.
You deserve thanks and praise for the work that you do. You have provided quality services through mandatory furloughs, wage reductions, short staffing, and you never let our disabled citizens down. I am so proud of you. There is no workforce like the one that works for this state. Shame on these insensitive supposed to be managers who think that this is how human relations is supposed to work.
Your phone calls and messages to the Governor, the administration, and to us are justified and appreciated. Our staff and officers are taking action on these events. We will meet with management Monday to discuss the impact the initial letter and lack of communication has had on the workforce. The demands to bargain will move forward and we will assess what other actions may be taken.
Whether or not management ever apologizes to you - I will. I had no idea management would send such a piece to your homes. It hurt my heart to know how upset you have been and it angers me. An injury to one is an injury to all. This is injury.
Tim Welch will continue to do the great work he does with the hotline to keep you informed about what is happening so be sure to stay updated by reading it as it comes out. Please continue to communicate with us. We need eyes and ears to the ground.
Many members who do case management work with the developmentally disabled recently received letters from Mary Anne Lindeblad that were extremely upsetting. Management, in a move that some would label a sneak attack, sent letters announcing intent to contract out work that were worded in such a way that many who received it believed they needed to look for other work right away.
A number of members who currently work with Provider One will receive letters of intent as well. We were told about that just today.
Our union has filed demands to bargain on both contract out issues. The initial letter signed by Mary Anne Lindeblad will be rescinded. However, another will be sent to replace the first one. We had no knowledge that those letters were being sent. We were as shocked by the content as you were.
You deserve thanks and praise for the work that you do. You have provided quality services through mandatory furloughs, wage reductions, short staffing, and you never let our disabled citizens down. I am so proud of you. There is no workforce like the one that works for this state. Shame on these insensitive supposed to be managers who think that this is how human relations is supposed to work.
Your phone calls and messages to the Governor, the administration, and to us are justified and appreciated. Our staff and officers are taking action on these events. We will meet with management Monday to discuss the impact the initial letter and lack of communication has had on the workforce. The demands to bargain will move forward and we will assess what other actions may be taken.
Whether or not management ever apologizes to you - I will. I had no idea management would send such a piece to your homes. It hurt my heart to know how upset you have been and it angers me. An injury to one is an injury to all. This is injury.
Tim Welch will continue to do the great work he does with the hotline to keep you informed about what is happening so be sure to stay updated by reading it as it comes out. Please continue to communicate with us. We need eyes and ears to the ground.
DNR UPDATE
Sisters and Brothers,
I’ve had further conversation with Commissioner Peter Goldmark. He will attend your upcoming UMCC meeting in Olympia. He is acting on the discussions we’ve had about improved communications within the department. Let’s make the most of this opportunity to clearly communicate our needs. I would like to be with you at that meeting. I support you and thank you for the good work that you do everyday. Your success is important to all of us who live and work in this great state.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
WFSE Communications Conference
This weekend, April 21-22, WFSE members on the Communication Committee and the Public Affairs staff will present an exciting and important conference. Communications is one of the most important functions of the union. We communicate constantly - with our words - both oral and written, with our body language, even our clothing. Yet no matter how many ways we communicate, there will always be members of groups who will say "I don't know what's going on. Nobody communicates these things."
As we know, the hotline, the newsletter, text alerts, Facebook, Twitter, the websites at WFSE and AFSCME are available to members all the time. When there are opportunities to communicate through other media, such as the news programs, we do that too. Communication is a challenge. In today's world there is so much information coming at an individual member, it's sometimes hard to capture and keep that member's attention. It's a different world than it was even two years ago. The technology changes so rapidly and we change in response to it.
The Communication Conference promises to be an exciting and skill building experience for all. The Communication Committee and the Executive Board of WFSE support the communications efforts of the local unions and hope that this conference will bring new and exciting skills to the members attending that they can then share with the members in their locals or use to further communication within the locals. After all, the most effective communication is the sharing of information and skills one on one.
As we know, the hotline, the newsletter, text alerts, Facebook, Twitter, the websites at WFSE and AFSCME are available to members all the time. When there are opportunities to communicate through other media, such as the news programs, we do that too. Communication is a challenge. In today's world there is so much information coming at an individual member, it's sometimes hard to capture and keep that member's attention. It's a different world than it was even two years ago. The technology changes so rapidly and we change in response to it.
The Communication Conference promises to be an exciting and skill building experience for all. The Communication Committee and the Executive Board of WFSE support the communications efforts of the local unions and hope that this conference will bring new and exciting skills to the members attending that they can then share with the members in their locals or use to further communication within the locals. After all, the most effective communication is the sharing of information and skills one on one.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
DSHS Consolidation of Institution Business Services
The Union and Management met on March 7th to informally discuss the Consolidation Of Institution Business Services. Here follows a brief recap of the discussion.
Problems exist at all the facilities. This is no surprise to anyone. While the original reason management stated they were consolidating was to provide quality customer service and have a more efficient operation with fewer staff, at this meeting they seemed puzzled by their own statement when it was read back to them.
They had also stated that they needed consistency in operations and that they felt that training and oversight wasn't enough to insure consistency. The union had asked for ongoing monthly meetings in order to deal with problems as we all knew would crop up with this new scheme. Management refused and said they wanted to meet after it had been in effect for a few months. Well, here we are four months later. Hard not to be cynical at this point since so many of the issues we raised could have been addressed as we went along saving members a great deal of long term stress.
Vacancies have plagued the operation. Some of our members moved on rather than stay and go through the process of moving to a new worksite, changing duties, and dealing with the as yet unknown outcome. The workload burden on the remaining staff has brought some members to tears. Management assured the union that they are moving through the process of filling the vacancies. Training staff takes time. The hiring and subsequent training will bring some relief.
Our members told management there are problems with the system and the coding. Some workers do not have access to the screen information needed to do their jobs. IT has also been consolidated and that puts a new wrinkle on some of the problems. The union requested training for members on "Sharepoint".
Human Resources is supposed to be handling the employee benefits retirement and new employee information. That part is not entirely operational as of yet. Our members state that the PDFs they were given do not accurately reflect what they are doing.
Our members asked for and were told they would receive a document that spells out which staff are responsible for what duties. What is the Human Resources function and what is Timekeeping and Attendance responsibility? Right now, our members are just doing whatever they are told and sometimes they receive conflicting instructions from different parts of the management structure. Sometimes their own supervisors are bypassed in communication. Management agreed that it is not working the way it should in the field and agreed to work on the issue with Glen Christopherson, Wendy Long, and Sue Thomas.
Stacie Scott, speaking for management, stated she feels good about what is happening. She said they have had successes. Management pointed out that 5 positions filled were existing staff that received promotions. A position was moved from Rainier to Western State Hospital to do time and attendance because there was a need for additional staff. Part of the work time of the local funds worker will also do time and attendance.
The union requested copies of the service level agreements and the updated PDFs.
Management said they were still working on drafts of the service level agreements and want to meet with the CEOs of the facilities to get them to sign the agreements. (Service level agreements are how the institutions are billed by this new consolidated entity for the work that they do. They are no longer part of the institutions budget but act like a contractor.) Management agreed to provide any updated PDFs that they have.
The union asked for an e-mail or letter to go out to staff telling them how to get the help they need when they have questions about their benefits. Management said they would coordinate that with Human Resources. Management reiterated that the timekeepers were not expected to continue to carry that body of work.
Amy Achilles said, "The overall theme is communication and clarity. If we had that, the problems we face today wouldn’t exist."
The Union and Management discussed the problems arising from the use of the Purchase Card. CMO also is using a Purchase Card that they use and that has compounded the problems. The CIBS staff need the logbooks in order to work effectively. Management said they will make sure the logbooks needed related to the Purchase cards are provided to the staff who need them.
Amy Achilles, speaking for the union, told management that our members shouldn’t be held responsible for problems that exist in this system that are not worked out at this time. She restated our position that management should reconsider the consolidation. She expressed appreciation for the hiring effort that is ongoing.
Management said the problems identified with HRMS can be fixed by the next payroll period. They said the Sharepoint training can occur this month.
Management recognized that there will be ongoing issues.
The union asked for a document describing the separation of duties between home team and CIBS team. Management agreed.
The Union asked for relief at SCC where the staff have not had adequate training and proper access to the programs needed to function in the position. The workload burden is extreme. There was no concrete response to that request.
Problems exist at all the facilities. This is no surprise to anyone. While the original reason management stated they were consolidating was to provide quality customer service and have a more efficient operation with fewer staff, at this meeting they seemed puzzled by their own statement when it was read back to them.
They had also stated that they needed consistency in operations and that they felt that training and oversight wasn't enough to insure consistency. The union had asked for ongoing monthly meetings in order to deal with problems as we all knew would crop up with this new scheme. Management refused and said they wanted to meet after it had been in effect for a few months. Well, here we are four months later. Hard not to be cynical at this point since so many of the issues we raised could have been addressed as we went along saving members a great deal of long term stress.
Vacancies have plagued the operation. Some of our members moved on rather than stay and go through the process of moving to a new worksite, changing duties, and dealing with the as yet unknown outcome. The workload burden on the remaining staff has brought some members to tears. Management assured the union that they are moving through the process of filling the vacancies. Training staff takes time. The hiring and subsequent training will bring some relief.
Our members told management there are problems with the system and the coding. Some workers do not have access to the screen information needed to do their jobs. IT has also been consolidated and that puts a new wrinkle on some of the problems. The union requested training for members on "Sharepoint".
Human Resources is supposed to be handling the employee benefits retirement and new employee information. That part is not entirely operational as of yet. Our members state that the PDFs they were given do not accurately reflect what they are doing.
Our members asked for and were told they would receive a document that spells out which staff are responsible for what duties. What is the Human Resources function and what is Timekeeping and Attendance responsibility? Right now, our members are just doing whatever they are told and sometimes they receive conflicting instructions from different parts of the management structure. Sometimes their own supervisors are bypassed in communication. Management agreed that it is not working the way it should in the field and agreed to work on the issue with Glen Christopherson, Wendy Long, and Sue Thomas.
Stacie Scott, speaking for management, stated she feels good about what is happening. She said they have had successes. Management pointed out that 5 positions filled were existing staff that received promotions. A position was moved from Rainier to Western State Hospital to do time and attendance because there was a need for additional staff. Part of the work time of the local funds worker will also do time and attendance.
The union requested copies of the service level agreements and the updated PDFs.
Management said they were still working on drafts of the service level agreements and want to meet with the CEOs of the facilities to get them to sign the agreements. (Service level agreements are how the institutions are billed by this new consolidated entity for the work that they do. They are no longer part of the institutions budget but act like a contractor.) Management agreed to provide any updated PDFs that they have.
The union asked for an e-mail or letter to go out to staff telling them how to get the help they need when they have questions about their benefits. Management said they would coordinate that with Human Resources. Management reiterated that the timekeepers were not expected to continue to carry that body of work.
Amy Achilles said, "The overall theme is communication and clarity. If we had that, the problems we face today wouldn’t exist."
The Union and Management discussed the problems arising from the use of the Purchase Card. CMO also is using a Purchase Card that they use and that has compounded the problems. The CIBS staff need the logbooks in order to work effectively. Management said they will make sure the logbooks needed related to the Purchase cards are provided to the staff who need them.
Amy Achilles, speaking for the union, told management that our members shouldn’t be held responsible for problems that exist in this system that are not worked out at this time. She restated our position that management should reconsider the consolidation. She expressed appreciation for the hiring effort that is ongoing.
Management said the problems identified with HRMS can be fixed by the next payroll period. They said the Sharepoint training can occur this month.
Management recognized that there will be ongoing issues.
The union asked for a document describing the separation of duties between home team and CIBS team. Management agreed.
The Union asked for relief at SCC where the staff have not had adequate training and proper access to the programs needed to function in the position. The workload burden is extreme. There was no concrete response to that request.
Save Pension Benefits
Brothers and Sisters,
As we fight to save pension benefits, here's some good information from the Public Employees for Pension Responsibility (PEPR). Our own Matt Zuvich chairs PEPR.
Public Employees Oppose ESB 6378 It is Bad Policy
ESB 6378:
• Closes Plan 2 to any new members
• Skips the state’s payment towards the Plans 1 Unfunded Liabilities
• Will cost local Government up to $81 million over 25 years
• Eliminates the early retirement options for new hires who work at least 30 years, per fiscal note.
Skips the state’s 2011-13 payment towards the Plans 1 Unfunded Liabilities:
• One of the principal reasons the long closed Plans 1 (TRS and PERS) have unfunded liabilities is due to past legislature’s not making their payments.
• The current liability for these two plans is about $4.3 billion, per 6387 fiscal note.
• Missing pension payments could cause further reduction of the state’s credit rating due to increasing the Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL).
• Suspending this payment for the short-term savings results in employers experiencing significant long-term costs will be fully realized by employers. It increases pay-go* risk and the chance that the total system funded status will drop below 60 percent, per 6387 fiscal note.
Closes Plan 2 to new membership:
• Currently newly hired public employees can choose between a more secure, safe fully defined benefit plan (Plan 2) or one that is portable and provides the opportunity to receive returns on your investments (Plan 3) This bill removes choice.
• The cost for Plan 2 is shared equally between the employer and the employee.
• The State Actuary notes that closing Plan 2 to new members will make that plan more costly to the employer due to shifting the cost risk and because of the impact on the investment practices at the State Investment Board.
Eliminates the early retirement options for new hires who work at least 30 years:
• At a modest cost, the state has enacted two distinct early retirement options for career service employees who work at least 30 years in public employment:
o A reduction of 3% for each year of age below normal retirement age of 65 for those who are at least age 55 and have 30 years of service.
o A lower reduction for each year of age such that those age 62 with 30 years of service may retire at their normal retirement benefit level with no penalty.
o This latter benefit was granted in lieu of the eliminated gain sharing benefit in 2007. It has been the subject of litigation which is pending court action.
• The Actuarial Fiscal Note states that, according to current law, if the courts, through a final court action, reinstate gain-sharing benefits, the 2008 Early Retirement Factors and plan choice for TRS and SERS are removed prospectively by operation of law. Should this occur, then the expected net savings attributed to this bill would become a cost.
• • Continue to call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 to urge them to reject the bad Senate Republican budget (ESB 5967) and the bad Zarelli pension bill (SB 6378) because they would gamble away your pension benefits.
•
As we fight to save pension benefits, here's some good information from the Public Employees for Pension Responsibility (PEPR). Our own Matt Zuvich chairs PEPR.
Public Employees Oppose ESB 6378 It is Bad Policy
ESB 6378:
• Closes Plan 2 to any new members
• Skips the state’s payment towards the Plans 1 Unfunded Liabilities
• Will cost local Government up to $81 million over 25 years
• Eliminates the early retirement options for new hires who work at least 30 years, per fiscal note.
Skips the state’s 2011-13 payment towards the Plans 1 Unfunded Liabilities:
• One of the principal reasons the long closed Plans 1 (TRS and PERS) have unfunded liabilities is due to past legislature’s not making their payments.
• The current liability for these two plans is about $4.3 billion, per 6387 fiscal note.
• Missing pension payments could cause further reduction of the state’s credit rating due to increasing the Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL).
• Suspending this payment for the short-term savings results in employers experiencing significant long-term costs will be fully realized by employers. It increases pay-go* risk and the chance that the total system funded status will drop below 60 percent, per 6387 fiscal note.
Closes Plan 2 to new membership:
• Currently newly hired public employees can choose between a more secure, safe fully defined benefit plan (Plan 2) or one that is portable and provides the opportunity to receive returns on your investments (Plan 3) This bill removes choice.
• The cost for Plan 2 is shared equally between the employer and the employee.
• The State Actuary notes that closing Plan 2 to new members will make that plan more costly to the employer due to shifting the cost risk and because of the impact on the investment practices at the State Investment Board.
Eliminates the early retirement options for new hires who work at least 30 years:
• At a modest cost, the state has enacted two distinct early retirement options for career service employees who work at least 30 years in public employment:
o A reduction of 3% for each year of age below normal retirement age of 65 for those who are at least age 55 and have 30 years of service.
o A lower reduction for each year of age such that those age 62 with 30 years of service may retire at their normal retirement benefit level with no penalty.
o This latter benefit was granted in lieu of the eliminated gain sharing benefit in 2007. It has been the subject of litigation which is pending court action.
• The Actuarial Fiscal Note states that, according to current law, if the courts, through a final court action, reinstate gain-sharing benefits, the 2008 Early Retirement Factors and plan choice for TRS and SERS are removed prospectively by operation of law. Should this occur, then the expected net savings attributed to this bill would become a cost.
• • Continue to call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 to urge them to reject the bad Senate Republican budget (ESB 5967) and the bad Zarelli pension bill (SB 6378) because they would gamble away your pension benefits.
•
Monday, March 5, 2012
WFSE/AFSCME Members Make It Happen
Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you to those who were able to call, write or visit the legislators today. On the hill, we learned most of them are completely unaware of what Senator Zarelli's bill does to our pension plans. The Senate Republicans state their budget is a good one. It is NOT! The budget cuts the safety net and takes money from Higher Education with the deepest cuts to the community colleges. There was a lot of talk about it being a McKenna budget. We heard rumors that he was actually in the wings the night it passed.
If you were unable to participate today - tomorrow brings new opportunity. Continue the calls to your legislators. The message is simple. Support the House democratic budget and keep your hands off my pension! For those who can come to Olympia - there is a job action planned.
We will meet at 906 Columbia Street - the Olympia Field Office 3rd floor at 11 am.
Pension issues seem complex so a flyer is being developed to help explain it to our members and the legislators. That will be available in the next day or two. In the meantime, the message needs to be clear and simple. Hands Off!
To recap the day, members across the state called members of the legislature focussing on the House Ways and Means Committee members. Some members came to Olympia, distributed flyers to and talked with legislators. It is very clear that we need to keep the pressure on.
About 5:30 tonite, we joined other groups and filled the Senate gallery to standing room only. We had tape over our mouths symbolizing the lack of transparency and lack of debate over the Senate budget. When the Senate moved to change the constitution to reduce the state debt ceiling, everyone stood silently and turned backs to the Senators. Their backs were turned to us when they passed that budget in the dead of night with no public comment allowed.
The group filed silently out of the gallery and lined the walls outside the party that was given for Senator Margarita Prentiss. The legislators attending had to walk past the lines of silenced citizens with tape over their mouths to get into the room.
News crews were there and there was film of the event on the television news tonite.
Thank you to all for your good work. Warriors - Work it!
Thank you to those who were able to call, write or visit the legislators today. On the hill, we learned most of them are completely unaware of what Senator Zarelli's bill does to our pension plans. The Senate Republicans state their budget is a good one. It is NOT! The budget cuts the safety net and takes money from Higher Education with the deepest cuts to the community colleges. There was a lot of talk about it being a McKenna budget. We heard rumors that he was actually in the wings the night it passed.
If you were unable to participate today - tomorrow brings new opportunity. Continue the calls to your legislators. The message is simple. Support the House democratic budget and keep your hands off my pension! For those who can come to Olympia - there is a job action planned.
We will meet at 906 Columbia Street - the Olympia Field Office 3rd floor at 11 am.
Pension issues seem complex so a flyer is being developed to help explain it to our members and the legislators. That will be available in the next day or two. In the meantime, the message needs to be clear and simple. Hands Off!
To recap the day, members across the state called members of the legislature focussing on the House Ways and Means Committee members. Some members came to Olympia, distributed flyers to and talked with legislators. It is very clear that we need to keep the pressure on.
About 5:30 tonite, we joined other groups and filled the Senate gallery to standing room only. We had tape over our mouths symbolizing the lack of transparency and lack of debate over the Senate budget. When the Senate moved to change the constitution to reduce the state debt ceiling, everyone stood silently and turned backs to the Senators. Their backs were turned to us when they passed that budget in the dead of night with no public comment allowed.
The group filed silently out of the gallery and lined the walls outside the party that was given for Senator Margarita Prentiss. The legislators attending had to walk past the lines of silenced citizens with tape over their mouths to get into the room.
News crews were there and there was film of the event on the television news tonite.
Thank you to all for your good work. Warriors - Work it!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
WFSE Warriors Mobilize
WFSE Warriors are mobilizing for action in the wake of the Senate budget debacle. If you signed up to be a warrior, your team will soon be contacting you. Please respond to their request. If they are unable to contact you, please reach out to them or contact your Council Representative. The time for action is NOW!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Senate Budget Passed In The Dark By The Forces Of Dark
Brothers and Sisters,
Last night I watched in horror as the Senate passed their version of the budget in the dark of the night with no public hearings. The Republican Senators were joined by Democratic Senators Tom, Kastama, and Sheldon in a budgetary coup. The Senate Democrats could not amend it and could not stop the trainwreck that unfolded before our eyes.
Our pension plans are under attack. After the budget passed in the dead of night, another bill was put forward. That bill closes the PERS 2 plan. It passed too. The PERS 2 fund is stable and allows the state to invest funds over the long term which brings cash into the fund. PERS 2 provides a defined benefit. We know how much money we will receive at retirement. It is guaranteed. The budget forces all new state employees into PERS 3 - the plan that provides a 1% defined benefit and a 1% investing amount. PERS 3 requires members to be investment savvy. Since the funds are mobile and the member can move those funds, the state must maintain a liquidity in PERS 3 that doesn't allow for the same long term investment strategy that has made PERS 2 so successful. The result threatens the long term stability of the fund.
As I watched, Senator Lisa Brown and Senator Margarita Prentiss pleaded with the Senate to not pass this bill. Senator Brown held up the state actuary report and asked if they had even read the report. She said the state actuary report warned of the adverse financial consequences to the state if this idea went forward. It didn't register a blink. In addition, the state will skip the payment into the LEOFF retirement account.
It was a shameful event. There were no public hearings, no opportunity to discuss and debate the budget. It harms the elderly, the poor, the disabled, the mentally ill, our children and the safety net our communities depend upon. It is a continued attack on public sector workers who provide the services our citizens depend upon.
Having reduced our pay, increased our workload to the point where people can barely function, reduced the number of people who provide services at a time when the demand for service is high, they now come for our pension plans.
Brothers and Sisters - we must not let it happen.
Many of you have called me wanting to take on the turncoat democratic senators. The budget is out of the Senate now. Take them on if you like. I believe there is a better time to deal with them and that time is coming.
What we must do right now is join together and bolster those House Representatives who will be working on the final budget. We must make sure they understand the choices they will make. No one knows state services as well as you do. You can make a difference because you know the difference you make. Please contact these key legislators now.
The hotline number is 1-800-562-6000. The e-mail addresses are listed below. Use your personal phone or your personal computer on non-work time.
The House Ways and Means Committee is chaired by Representative Hunter of the 48th District ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov The Vice Chairs are Representative Darnielle of the 27th District jeannie.darnielle@leg.wa.gov and Representative Hasegawa of the 11th District bob.hasegawa@leg.wa.gov The other members are Representatives: Alexander - 20th District gary.alexander@leg.wa.gov, Bailey - 10th District barbara.bailey@leg.wa.gov, Dammeier - 25th District bruce.dammeier@leg.wa.gov, Orcutt - 18th District ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov, Carlyle - 36th District reuven.carlyle@leg.wa.gov, Chandler - 15th district bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov, Cody- 34th District eileen.cody@leg.wa.gov, Dickerson - 36th District marylou.dickerson@leg.wa.gov, Haigh - 35th District kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov, Haler - 8th District larry.haler@leg.wa.gov, Hinkle - 13th District bill.hinkle@leg.wa.gov, Hudgins - 11th District zack.hudgins@leg.wa.gov, Hunt - 22nd District sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov, Kagi - 32nd District ruth.kagi@leg.wa.gov, Kenney - 46th district phyllis.kenney@leg.wa.gov, Ormsby - 3rd District timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov, Parker - 6th District kevin.parker@leg.wa.gov, Pettigrew - 37th District eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov, Ross - 14th District charles.ross@leg.wa.gov, Schmick - 9th District joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov, Seaquist - 26th District larry.seaquist@leg.wa.gov, Springer - 45th District larry.springer@leg.wa.gov, Sullivan - 47th District pat.sullivan@leg.wa.gov, Wilcox - 2nd District jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov
Last night I watched in horror as the Senate passed their version of the budget in the dark of the night with no public hearings. The Republican Senators were joined by Democratic Senators Tom, Kastama, and Sheldon in a budgetary coup. The Senate Democrats could not amend it and could not stop the trainwreck that unfolded before our eyes.
Our pension plans are under attack. After the budget passed in the dead of night, another bill was put forward. That bill closes the PERS 2 plan. It passed too. The PERS 2 fund is stable and allows the state to invest funds over the long term which brings cash into the fund. PERS 2 provides a defined benefit. We know how much money we will receive at retirement. It is guaranteed. The budget forces all new state employees into PERS 3 - the plan that provides a 1% defined benefit and a 1% investing amount. PERS 3 requires members to be investment savvy. Since the funds are mobile and the member can move those funds, the state must maintain a liquidity in PERS 3 that doesn't allow for the same long term investment strategy that has made PERS 2 so successful. The result threatens the long term stability of the fund.
As I watched, Senator Lisa Brown and Senator Margarita Prentiss pleaded with the Senate to not pass this bill. Senator Brown held up the state actuary report and asked if they had even read the report. She said the state actuary report warned of the adverse financial consequences to the state if this idea went forward. It didn't register a blink. In addition, the state will skip the payment into the LEOFF retirement account.
It was a shameful event. There were no public hearings, no opportunity to discuss and debate the budget. It harms the elderly, the poor, the disabled, the mentally ill, our children and the safety net our communities depend upon. It is a continued attack on public sector workers who provide the services our citizens depend upon.
Having reduced our pay, increased our workload to the point where people can barely function, reduced the number of people who provide services at a time when the demand for service is high, they now come for our pension plans.
Brothers and Sisters - we must not let it happen.
Many of you have called me wanting to take on the turncoat democratic senators. The budget is out of the Senate now. Take them on if you like. I believe there is a better time to deal with them and that time is coming.
What we must do right now is join together and bolster those House Representatives who will be working on the final budget. We must make sure they understand the choices they will make. No one knows state services as well as you do. You can make a difference because you know the difference you make. Please contact these key legislators now.
The hotline number is 1-800-562-6000. The e-mail addresses are listed below. Use your personal phone or your personal computer on non-work time.
The House Ways and Means Committee is chaired by Representative Hunter of the 48th District ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov The Vice Chairs are Representative Darnielle of the 27th District jeannie.darnielle@leg.wa.gov and Representative Hasegawa of the 11th District bob.hasegawa@leg.wa.gov The other members are Representatives: Alexander - 20th District gary.alexander@leg.wa.gov, Bailey - 10th District barbara.bailey@leg.wa.gov, Dammeier - 25th District bruce.dammeier@leg.wa.gov, Orcutt - 18th District ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov, Carlyle - 36th District reuven.carlyle@leg.wa.gov, Chandler - 15th district bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov, Cody- 34th District eileen.cody@leg.wa.gov, Dickerson - 36th District marylou.dickerson@leg.wa.gov, Haigh - 35th District kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov, Haler - 8th District larry.haler@leg.wa.gov, Hinkle - 13th District bill.hinkle@leg.wa.gov, Hudgins - 11th District zack.hudgins@leg.wa.gov, Hunt - 22nd District sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov, Kagi - 32nd District ruth.kagi@leg.wa.gov, Kenney - 46th district phyllis.kenney@leg.wa.gov, Ormsby - 3rd District timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov, Parker - 6th District kevin.parker@leg.wa.gov, Pettigrew - 37th District eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov, Ross - 14th District charles.ross@leg.wa.gov, Schmick - 9th District joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov, Seaquist - 26th District larry.seaquist@leg.wa.gov, Springer - 45th District larry.springer@leg.wa.gov, Sullivan - 47th District pat.sullivan@leg.wa.gov, Wilcox - 2nd District jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov
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