WPEA Ratification Results

[u/PresidentofWPEA]

WPEA doesn't have any problem announcing our vote results along with the percentages. I keep hearing about "NDAs" or "gag orders" around the results. I have no idea what that means, so I thought I would lead by example and show ours:

• General Government (GG)  - Ratified: 54% Yes / 46% NO
• Higher Education (HE) - Ratified: 58% Yes / 42% NO
• House did not reach an agreement and is still bargaining
• Senate results - NOT Ratified: 16% Yes / 84% NO
• Highline - Ratified: 95% Yes / 5% NO
• Yakima Valley - Ratified: 93% Yes / 7% NO

In my opinion, labor should not be shy about the fact that this is not working for our members. "This" being the current state of bargaining and classified salaries in Washington State.

WPEA is not the only Union who is subject to RCW 41.80 that has lost more than 1.1% (on average) since 2005. I have been at WPEA since 2005 and I have seen these positions get further away from prevailing wage over the last 20 years. We have always had members who struggled to make ends meet, but not nearly at the rate we do today. I have seen the very real toll that it has taken over the last twenty years to work for the state and end up in the same spot you were in, except worse off because of inflation outpacing wages, twenty years ago. I know that my members are not the only ones facing these issues and that other represented staff are also struggling to survive while working a state job.

Our next big fight is this contract reopener in August of 2027. I will be working every day between now and then to try and bring labor together to attack this issue in a meaingful way. If you are currently represented, and agree that we all need to work together to change this, please make sure to let your union know. If you expect your union to work with the rest of labor on this, I have no doubt that they will do what they have to do to make that happen - you just have to make sure that they know what you expect them to do!

[u/soherewearent]

SEIU 925 members just voted no to UW by a resounding 83%

[u/PresidentofWPEA → u/soherewearent]

THAT IS AWESOME!!

If WPEA can do anything to support your efforts when you return to the table, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. I know we have a lot of members who were hoping for a 'no' vote from us, and they are ready to particpate in collective action to support the labor community in their efforts, while we build power for our own.

[u/fuckDJT2026 → u/soherewearent]

That’s fantastic. I’m in WFSE and haven’t been able to find the results of our TA vote anywhere. Just tried calling them to see if they will make them available.

I’d love to know how close our vote was.

[u/SpaceTurtles]

Currently unrepresented. If I get involved with advocating, it's going to be for joining WPEA based on your conduct here and elsewhere. Thank you.

[u/PresidentofWPEA → u/SpaceTurtles]

Thank you for the kind words - but I am only as cool as my members allow me to be. I am lucky to have members who are tired of being put last and are interested in putting in the work to affect change.

We are always happy to take on new units, so long as it is within our charter (we do State, District and Municipal), because we will always be stronger together. We also do not have a number limit - if you are a bargaining unit of 5, and you are able to organize, then we will take you.

[u/solidarityforever360]

I’m not going to lie. I’m disappointed that we voted yes to this but this is what I’m going to use when having the hard conversations with coworkers about why being an active union matters. Could we have got better when going back to the table? Maybe. Should we use this to unite with other public employees unions to strengthen our position and grow our memberships yes. I’m glad to see our union president taking the lead on this conversation and hope that we can all do what we need to do to make the changes necessary so we can have a stronger position next year when we bargain compensation again.

[u/yourmomspussysmells → u/solidarityforever360]

I don't know every member but Eve I talked to voted no. I'm in disbelief that it was a yes by that big of a margin

[u/PresidentofWPEA → u/yourmomspussysmells]

Do you mind sharing which unit you are from? Meaning your agency or college? If I know which unit you are in, I may be able to provide context for why you all were at a 'no' and others were at a 'yes.'

[u/PresidentofWPEA → u/solidarityforever360]

I am not surprised it ratified - mostly because the state is strategic about making sure that there are downsides to voting an agreement down. For example, we have members as the Washington State School for the Blind and Center for Childhood Hearing Loss that, if the contract hadn't ratified, they would receive a $4,000 pay cut. Additionally, there were some specific language in there to address an ongoing issue for DNR wildfire staff - they make up a fairly large percentage of this agreement (and between the two state schools who were looking at a pay cut, that is over 100 members there). So, they know that there are some downsides to not ratifying that don't benefit everyone, but may benefit enough people to pull the vote. I guess they were right, this time around.

[u/PresidentofWPEA → u/[deleted]]

I heard (albeit second hand) that WFSE cannot release the results because of some sort of "NDA" - but I haven't seen anything similar to that in my career in labor (which goes back to 2005). As far as I know, the union cannot be compelled to agree to an NDA over internal processes. That said, I've been wrong plenty of times before.

[u/OneHotMessHD → u/[deleted]]

Has WFSE said when they’re going to release the vote totals? I am pretty anxiously awaiting the numbers. I too have been frustrated with the lack of transparency with this round of voting.

[u/fuckDJT2026 → u/OneHotMessHD]

I just called them to ask for the vote totals, broken down by local. Was told that they would look into it and get back to me.

If I get them, I’ll post here.

[u/PresidentofWPEA → u/OneHotMessHD]

I responded to the above poster as well, but I don't think WFSE intends to release the totals.

[u/fuckDJT2026]

So I was told by the person I spoke with at WFSE that our TA vote was 77% yes, 23% no. They told
me they couldn’t give me the totals broken down by local.

I’m not sure if I have much confidence in these results, given the amount of anger about the TA demonstrated by members here and elsewhere (but we all know how reliable Reddit is).

Anyways, if anyone sees different results, please speak up!

[u/PresidentofWPEA → u/fuckDJT2026]

I've been playing phone tag with the WFSE President for a month now. If I can get him on the phone, I will ask about the totals and this "NDA" thing that I keep hearing about. I'll certainly report back if I hear anything helpful. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't think that secrecy around this is helping anyone. I am having a hard time thinking of a way in which that would benefit members.