March 2026
From the President
As we all collectively breathe a sigh of relief at the end of the 2026 legislative session, I want to take a few minutes to reflect on the historic wins we achieved, not just for our union, but for all Washingtonians. Let’s lead with the headline: the Millionaire’s Tax was passed, and the Governor has pledged to sign it. This could not have happened without the support of our members and of our broader organized labor and community partners. This is historic legislation that, when implemented in 2029, makes significant improvements in Washington state’s upside-down tax code.
This was my first legislative session as President for AFT Washington, and I learned so much. Not just about where to get a cup of coffee at the Capital, either, but about how we leverage our collective power and raise our voice to demand what’s right. It is heartening to hear back from members about how they felt empowered by testifying at a hearing or work session, or meeting with representatives during lobby day, or engaging in one of dozens of demonstrations and rallies. That’s power we can build on and bring back to the Legislature in the coming months as we prepare for our 2027 legislative actions – stay tuned to get more information as we shift into preparation mode.
I have shared before that one of my goals this year was to expand our network and build out our relationships. We have made significant progress and our collaborations with WEA, C4C, SBCTC, PSE, WSNA, BOTC, and many others, helped us have challenging conversations with representatives and lifted our voices when rapid mobilization was required to get amendments and legislation across the finish line.
Even among that group, we don’t always have shared interests, but during the past nine weeks of the session, our commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder leveraged higher education and the CTCs specifically, which took fewer cuts this year than other constituency groups. A more detailed breakdown of the session is included below.
Another way we have been expanding our network is through working with unrepresented employees to help them come together and demand a voice in their workplace, through a program of aggressive external organizing. We know that public opinion of unions has consistently been growing, and in spite of union-busting tactics coming at us at the Federal level, the number of represented workers in Washington continues to rise.
We are working with three campaigns to earn recognition so they can demand to bargain, and there are several more who have reached out to learn about how to organize their workplace and plan out their own campaigns. Having conversations with workers about what being a union would mean for them motivates me to dig in and fight harder for all of us, to strengthen our voices and make positive changes in our workplaces and communities.
We know that next year, we need to demand serious wage improvements, and the more workers we can bring to the table, across all constituencies, the louder our voice. We’ll keep organizing and keep building strength!
And speaking of strengthening our voices… No Kings Day is around the corner, giving us another chance to build on all this momentum - hope to see you out there in your union blues!
In solidarity,
Jacqui Cain, President
Local Highlights & News
We Made It To Sine Die: Update on the Legislative Session
By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist
This was a difficult session, marked by the state's revenue challenges and the chaos of the federal administration. More than 1300 bills were filed this session; fewer than 300 passed. The Governor has 20 days to sign bills that passed the Legislature in the last week of the session, so there is a possibility we will see changes to the legislation here; we’ll do our best to keep you informed.
We anticipate that the misinformation and rumor mills are up and running, so we have specific section citations from the final conference budget that was passed by both chambers of the Legislature for budget items. It’s over 600 pages long, so keyword searches work best here.
I-732 Employee COLA
Last year, the state Legislature moved all higher education I-732 employees to the IPD, off of the CPI; it had moved preK-12 employees to the IPD in 2017. The IPD is always lower than the CPI - while we fought it last year, we didn't win that. The IPD is adjusted based on inflation as assessed by the state, independent of federal inflation numbers. While the Legislature projected last year that the COLA this year would be 2.7%, the number in the final budget as passed is 2.6%. A goal for a future session is to get all employees off the IPD and back onto the CPI, but we do not anticipate that being successful until state revenues start to rise.
The COLA language is in section 905.
PreK-12
PreK-12 took some significant cuts this session. Transition to Kindergarten took a 35% reduction, and the Local Effort Assistance state levy equalization fund took a $25 million dollar reduction, to 25%. In addition, Running Start went from 1.4 FTE to 1.3 FTE. None of these were the worst-case proposals - the House LEA cut was $26.7 million, while the Senate proposed $59 million, for example - but they are not good. State Superintendent Chris Reykdal noted that state spending on public education has declined from a peak of 52% in 2019 to 42% today, and those cuts impact real students, faculty, staff, and communities.
There is a provision in the Millionaire's Tax to fully fund free school meals, which is excellent news. While the Legislature has made some smart funding decisions around summer meal programs in particular, the rubric for school-year free meals has been a little bureaucratic.
The Running Start funding is in section 504 (16) (a). The Transition to Kindergarten language is in section 520 and references another bill. The Local Effort Assistance language is in Section 510.
Higher Education
Again, this is early days for a fully final report, and we are still assessing some of the budget items. What we know at this point mostly touches the CTCs.
The campus closure language was removed from the final budget and replaced with a survey, which we generally support. However, the final conference budget did not include the broad stakeholder language we had urged. We will be watching for ways to make sure that the study is representative of the communities and students they serve, as well as the faculty and staff they employ, and not just the administrations that run the colleges.
The Running Start decrease from 1.4 FTE to 1.3 has an impact here as well. Additionally, the CTCs took a 1.5% cut to their administrative funding. This should not affect faculty or programs; we’ll want to keep a close eye on that as colleges begin that work.
A clear win was the fact that the high-demand, nurse educator, and guided pathways funds were all re-provisoed, meaning that the money in those provisions can once again solely be used for those items.
The survey language is Section 602 (44). Running Start is section 504 (16) (a). The provisos are both in section 602 (45) and 602 (46). We are still looking for specifics on the 1.5% cut to administrative funding.
Retirees
The latest "one-time" COLA for PERS/TRS Plan 1 retirees has passed and is on the Governor's desk for signature. This was in a separate bill, SB 5862.
Preserving Parent Education
By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist
Last fall, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges made changes to the Allocation Model that outline how college funds must be used. Those changes remove funding for programs that do not provide certificates or other degrees as outcomes. This eliminates the parent education and cooperative preschools in Washington State's Community and Technical Colleges.
For more than 80 years, these programs and their cooperative preschools have been thriving early childhood education models and a defining example of community vocational education in this state. This is particularly devastating to the approximately 4500 families impacted by the closure, since it takes place as the state is reducing its overall number of early childhood education slots, leaving families with children with very few options for affordable, effective childcare.
We are circulating a petition calling on the SBCTC to work with the affected colleges and programs to avoid these closures. The programs are pursuing different options so there is not, at this time, a one-size-fits-all approach to advocate for. We urge you to sign it and to circulate it to your members.
Our next actions include a press conference on April 4th and a rally at the SBCTC meeting on April 9th, where we plan to present them with the petition. More to come!
Whitman College Is Fired Up!
By Erin Grimes, External Organizer
On February 19th, 2026, the sound of Solidarity Forever rang out across the Whitman College campus. Over 350 staff, faculty, students, and community supporters gathered for the first Rally for Whitman Workers. Together, they marched on the office of Whitman College President, Sarah Bolton, and delivered notice that the workers of Whitman had voted to form a union, Whitman College Workers United (WCWU).
In the days surrounding the rally, over 70% of the roughly 300 staff and contingent faculty at Whitman signed authorization cards to form their union and affiliate with AFT Washington. The rally marked the success and determination of a deeply committed organizing committee to forming a strong union under unprecedented and challenging circumstances.
Located in the southeastern town of Walla Walla, Whitman College serves about 1,600 students across a range of 4-year liberal arts programs. As a private institution, Whitman has been shielded from many of the same financial pressures affecting so much of higher education. Nevertheless, even while the college has invested millions in real estate—including purchasing a local brewpub last year—staff and faculty at Whitman have been experiencing significant cuts to benefits and healthcare, and reductions in force. This juxtaposition has been the catalyst for so many faculty and staff coming together to organize their union.
Whitman is a private institution, so workers of the new union called on the college to voluntarily recognize them rather than working through the federal NLRB under a Trump administration. Since the rally, the college administration has stated that they are not interested in voluntary recognition and have taken efforts to challenge many of the workers’ union eligibility. But the workers aren’t giving up.
In the small town of Walla Walla, solidarity is felt deeply among a tight-knit community. As workers rally, ripple effects are being felt across the state. Solidarity to Whitman workers in their ongoing efforts for union recognition and a fair contract!
Contract Language Around ICE Actions
By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist
As we have worked with members and partner groups on the issue of immigration and the concern that ICE may choose to do a large-scale rollout in Washington similar to what they have done in Portland, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and now Burlington, VT, we have heard questions regarding what locals can bargain with administrations around ICE actions on campus. Unfortunately, at this time, we have not developed sample language – if you’re interested in getting involved in developing that, please contact us at aftwashington@aftwa.org.
There are some resources worth sharing, however.
You may have heard that the Washington State Legislature heard a number of bills related to federal action in the state over the session. One that would have had protections for education workers and students, SB 5906, failed to advance before opposite house cutoff, and that bill is dead. The bill defined “public” and “private” spaces in several categories of workplaces, with the intent of legally defining spaces ICE cannot entire without a judicial warrant for a specific individual or an invitation to enter. Seattle and King County have passed similar laws that are relevant to locations owned by the city or county; other municipalities may have passed similar legislation. If your workplace is not covered by legislation like this, it may be worth exploring it in bargaining.
Another resource that may provide ideas for contract language is the AFL-CIO’s updated Frontline Solidarity manual, which includes template language. In many cases, this language assumes it is the workers who will be targeted by ICE, so it may not be relevant to our locals, particularly if the concern is around students they target, but there may be ideas there. You will need to request a copy of the manual if you are interested.
We expect to have more information on an ongoing basis on this topic; please let us know if there’s anything specific you have questions about by contacting Cortney Marabetta at cmarabetta@aftwa.org.
Is Your Local Taking Action? Let Us Know!
We’re always interested in highlighting the work and actions of member locals. Whether that’s in the Pulse, the Spotlight, or on social media, share with us what you’re doing, especially if it can be elevated to the membership as a whole. Contact Cortney Marabetta at cmarabetta@aftwa.org with photos or if you’d like to share what your local is up to – from contract actions to rally turnout to anything else you can think of – let us know so we can share the news.
Save The Date For Powerful Locals!
Powerful Locals is back! Save the date for August 13th – 15th. This year, we’re back at Evergreen in Olympia. We will have tracks on contract management and member engagement, and we are finalizing the details of the additional workshops we’ll offer – let your UOR know if there’s something you think would be great to highlight in the trainings.
More information coming soon!
Union Tips & Reminders
From The AFL-CIO: Peacekeeper Training
Wednesdays through April 22nd
Learn how to lift up the safety and effectiveness of nonviolent actions like marches or rallies, and how to de-escalate and document disruptions or enforcement activities. Each event is standalone; they are running the same training multiple times.
Register for all dates here.
AFT Washington & WEA Adjunct Unemployment Workshop
Wednesday, March 25th, 3:00 - 4:30 PM
AFT Washington and WEA have helped hundreds of adjuncts successfully apply for unemployment benefits over more than a decade.
This workshop is intended for seasoned and new applicants alike. The aim is to increase your chances of getting your unemployment claim as adjuncts resolved quickly, decreasing the potential of accidentally triggering delays that could delay payments by months.
Attending a live workshop is important, so we can answer questions live! We do not record sessions, but we can provide additional accommodations as needed.
No Kings Day 3
Saturday, March 28th
In America, we have No Kings.
When our families are under attack and costs are pushing people to the brink, silence is not an option. We will defend ourselves and our communities against this administration’s unjust and cruel acts of violence. America does not belong to strongmen, greedy billionaires, or those who rule through fear. It belongs to us, the people.
More information here.
The 27th Annual APALA Seattle Banquet: Unite For Action
Friday, April 17th, 6:00 PM
This year, APALA calls us to Unite for Action, dig deep, hold each other in care and rage, and build connections to create safety for each other. Join our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities as we come together to advance a democratic movement for social justice and protect our communities and our democracy for future generations.
AFT Washington has purchased a table for this event. If you are interested in attending the banquet, at South Seattle College’s Jerry Brockey Center, please contact Tammy at tfouts@aftwa.org.
Economic Opportunity Institute’s 2026 Changemakers Dinner
Thursday, May 7th, 5:30 PM
The annual EOI Changemakers Dinner is an evening of community, reflection, and building momentum for the work ahead. We have a strong community of changemakers committed to making Washington a place where everyone can thrive. Let’s build this momentum and make lasting progress for all Washingtonians.
AFT Washington has purchased a table. If you are interested in attending the dinner, at Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center, please contact Tammy at tfouts@aftwa.org.
Human Rights Committee Seeks Members
The AFT Washington Human Rights Committee is sincerely committed to our mission statement of advocating for human rights in our workplaces and our community. We are continuing to work with our locals and allies to combat racism, foster community, and educate our members and communities on the importance of Human Rights. The AFT Washington Human Rights Committee needs your expertise, experience, and investment in upholding Human Rights to do this! We want to have a representative committee that includes all the constituencies within AFT Washington, but to do that we need your participation. You are invited to join the Human Rights Committee as an advocate for the Human Rights issues that are important to our members. To join the Human Rights Committee, contact Ray Carrillo, 206-369-4001, rcarrillo@aftwa.org.
AFT Connect: Better Data For A Stronger Union
Connect is AFT’s web-based, secure local data management system. It provides a great way to record individual member data, and so much more!
- Capture detailed employment and employer information about members, prospective members, and retired members of your local.
- Make sure your members can access their union-provided benefits (discounted insurance, home mortgages, travel, goods, and personal services).
- Keep track of changes in member earnings to ensure proper payment of your local’s per capita obligations.
- Manage your local executive board as well as COPE and other local committees.
- Plan outreach to your members and prospects. Have the information you need to conduct mailings, email, phone, and text message outreach via local efforts or using AFT’s communications tools. Record member event attendance and outreach responses.
- Create forms and surveys.
- Track your local’s engagement with and support from Community Allies.
Readily use these features and more through AFT Connect’s dashboard, upload bulk spreadsheet updates of your membership, or let Connect help your local turn data into a powerful outreach and management tool through easy, customizable reports.
Maintaining your local’s membership and leadership information in Connect meets AFT and AFT Washington requirements for your local to remain in good standing.
To get started with AFT Connect, or to request training and other member data support, contact Briseida Sanchez at bsanchez@aftwa.org.
Communications Help Is Available
Is your local not sure how to best use your website? Did you know you can have a free website? Would you like help with figuring out strategies for better communications outreach? Got something for the whole union to hear about? We can help with all of these, and more!
On top of helping your local, we can provide outreach to the union as a whole, through the Pulse and the Union Spotlight. We are actively interested in anything your members are doing, such as workshops or innovative problem solving.
If you have questions about them, want guidance, or are interested in learning more, please contact Cortney Marabetta at cmarabetta@aftwa.org.