Legislative staff in WA state Senate reject new contract

The union representing staff of Democratic state senators in Washington has overwhelmingly rejected a new two-year contract, citing its lack of adequate protections for workers facing termination.

Legislative assistants, policy analysts and communications specialists for the Senate Democratic Caucus on Monday voted down the final offer from negotiators for the Senate Administration. The employees are represented by the Washington Public Employees Association.

The rejected deal contained no pay hike, only a provision to renew talks on wages next August, mirroring language in collective bargaining agreements with most other public sector unions amid state budget struggles.

But the lack of a raise wasn’t the sticking point for those who work for the Senate’s majority party.

Their concern centered on job security. Legislative staff are at-will employees, meaning they can be fired at any time. The union sought language to ensure there is a just cause for a dismissal. Negotiators for the administration wouldn’t budge on various proposals employees put forth, union officials said.

“Our fight is not with the electeds, it is with the administration,” stressed Sam Hines-Tinsley, legislative specialist for the union. “Members of our bargaining team made it clear that they were looking for fundamental change and for fair, reasonable and predictable treatment when it comes to discipline.”

Jeremy Knapp, a Senate legislative assistant, said in a statement that his colleagues know “we can be let go for no reason, and while we know we may not get economic security, we need more job security. All we’re asking for is the same due process that almost every represented public sector worker in Washington has.”

Officials from the Senate Administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

State law sets an Oct. 1 deadline for public worker unions to submit ratified agreements to the Office of Financial Management to be considered for funding in the next two-year budget.

For Senate employees, their decision Monday means that when the current contract expires next July, most of its provisions will be extended until a new collective bargaining agreement is ratified.

Their counterparts working for the House Democratic Caucus could be in a similar situation within hours as they were still locked in contract talks Wednesday afternoon.

In contrast, the legislative assistants in the House and Senate Republican caucuses have approved their respective two-year agreements.

“Under the circumstances, given the position the state is in, we were OK with what was presented,” said Rob Barnes, president of the Legislative Professionals Association that represents the aides to Republican lawmakers in each chamber.

Last Friday, members of the Washington Federation of State Employees, the largest union of state government workers, ratified their two-year contract after months of tense talks and informational picketing. 

Federation units representing workers in community colleges, universities and administrative law judges also approved their contracts.

Earlier this week, the Washington Public Employees Association reported its units representing around 5,300 general government and community college employees had narrowly voted to approve new collective bargaining agreements. These cover workers at 14 community colleges and nine state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Revenue, the Liquor and Cannabis Board and Department of Agriculture.