From the President
Greetings Friends,
Fall has clearly arrived, and our union has reached the “school-year pace” at the local, state, and national levels. Many of you are in bargaining or preparing to go to the table, new local leaders are in the process of acclimating to new responsibilities and demands, our Advocacy Team and Leg Affairs Committee are working together to finalize our agenda for the 2024 session, and AFT is out front on strengthening the working conditions that allow us to thrive. Most recently you may have seen President Weingarten’s New York Times opinion piece regarding AI, which sheds light on the multi-pronged challenges and opportunities AI offers. The presence of AI has escalated rapidly in the last year, and it is essential that the voices of educators and union leaders – that is, you – are prominent as we navigate this terrain.
The 2023-2025 AFT Washington executive board had its first meeting on October 7th. We decided to meet in person (all of our meetings have been on zoom since April 2020) for our December meeting and will follow the meeting with a retreat focused on strategic planning related to the six resolutions passed by our convention delegates in May. The resolutions cover a range of topics, including organizing contingent faculty and retirees, launching a Respect campaign in our classified member workplaces, developing tribal relationships, addressing unemployment obstacles, and developing union leadership development resources - you can find these on our website. This work is a critical part of building a powerful, anti-racist, inclusive and unified union and it will require our locals to be engaged in the work. We’ll share our strategic plan early next year and work with you to engage your membership in the work, but we aren’t waiting for that to get busy. Steps are being taken now to fulfill the intention of these resolutions.
One of those steps is the Powerful Locals Assessment Tool workshop we’re hosting on November 4th from 11:30 – 2. If you and a team from your board don’t already have that on your calendar, please register right away. Another example is our Northshore and Issaquah locals, who are buttoning up in their negotiations, raising visibility and making clear that salary is a reflection of respect.
We are hearing from some of you that your members have received mail from the mis-named Freedom Foundation. This is an anti-union, well-funded-by-rich people organization that is committed to undermining working people, in large part by attacking unions. You may recall one of their many public information requests designed to get your contact information. They encourage union members to drop their membership, often using deceptive gimmicks. There are two things you can do to help push back against this attack: 1) let your UOR know if any of your members receive mail from them – all the better if you can provide a copy of what was sent and 2) ask your employer to inform the union whenever they receive a public information request seeking information about your employees. We’ll be sending mail to our members to make sure they don’t fall for this group’s ploy to shut down our voices as working people.
As always, I would enjoy the opportunity to join you at an upcoming board or membership meeting – please let me know when the timing is right and if there are specific topics you’d like to discuss. All my best for a terrific start to the school year.
In solidarity,
Karen Strickland, President
Local News & Updates
Two Legal Updates: Bargaining Unit Contact Information and Public Records Requests for State Employees
By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist
In the June issue of the Pulse, we mentioned a bill that passed in the last session, HB 1200. This bill amends several sections of the RCW to require public employers to provide employee information to exclusive bargaining representatives. Primarily it requires that employers provide an employee’s name, date of hire, and contact information, as well as employment information such as job title. The law also requires that this information be provided within 21 business days from the date of hire for new employees, and every 120 business days thereafter.
So far, the implementation of these requirements has been fairly smooth and as expected. If you run into a situation where the law is not being followed, contact your UOR, but there don’t seem to be broad compliance issues arising.
On the Freedom Foundation’s efforts to get public employees’ personal information, we have good and bad news. A recent Washington State Supreme Court decision found that having been a victim/survivor of domestic violence, stalking or harassment does not create an exemption when public employee information is requested through a public information request; the court ruling states that the “unions did not demonstrate particularized harm to affected public employees”.
Fortunately, labor unions and allies worked to pass a law that does create this exemption, which you will see in section 1(h) and 1(i)(i) of RCW 42.56.250. We were also able to pass a law exempting the day of one’s birth, even though the month and year can still be released.
The RCW says, in section 1(h) and 1(i)(i):
(h) Photographs and month and year of birth in the personnel files of employees or volunteers of a public agency, including employees and workers of criminal justice agencies as defined in RCW 10.97.030. The news media, as defined in RCW 5.68.010(5), shall have access to the photographs and full date of birth. For the purposes of this subsection (1)(h), news media does not include any person or organization of persons in the custody of a criminal justice agency as defined in RCW 10.97.030;
(i)(i) Any employee's name or other personally identifying information, including but not limited to birthdate, job title, addresses of work stations and locations, work email address, work phone number, bargaining unit, or other similar information, maintained by an agency in personnel-related records or systems, or responsive to a request for a list of individuals subject to the commercial purpose prohibition under RCW 42.56.070(8), if the employee has provided…
Section 1(i)(i)(A) and 1(i)(i)(B) go on to list several of the ways an employee can be exempted for their safety or the safety of a dependent.
You can read the full RCW here.
Since this law has a significant impact on members, please familiarize yourself with the exemptions and make sure your members are aware that they are available if needed.
Stand With Providence Nurses!
By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist
Providence Medical Center Everett nurses, part of UFCW 3000, are negotiating for a fair contract that addresses unsafe staffing and unfair wages. Providence has lost 600 nurses since 2021 in part because wages are not competitive with other area hospitals, and because the resulting nurse shortage puts more pressure on nurses and creates unsafe levels of staffing. They are in negotiations for a new contract, but Providence appears to be preparing to weather a strike rather than negotiate a fair contract with wage and staffing improvements. The contract expires on October 30th.
The union is circulating a petition calling for community members to stand with nurses should they go on strike. You can sign it here.
CTC Council Co-Presidents Named
By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist
At the October Executive Board Meeting, Nina Benedetti (AFT Everett Higher Education, Local 1873) and Kip Zwolenski (Skagit Valley College Federation of Teachers, Local 4985) were elected as Co-Vice Presidents for Community and Technical Colleges. Nina will handle Board business and Kip will handle CTC Council business. We welcome them to new roles on the Board!
Welcoming Our New Staff
By AFT Washington Staff
As many of you know, we have seen full turnover on the Administrative Support Team this year. Following the very well-deserved retirement of Christine Landon and Geno Amador’s departure, plus hiring a permanent staffer for Rosalinda Aguirre’s temporary position, we have filled all three roles, and are delighted to welcome our brand-new Administrative Support Team!
Briseida Sanchez, Data Manager
Briseida is incredibly excited to be joining AFT Washington as the Data Manager! Being a transplant from Oregon, she has some learning to do about the Washington education system but is excited to jump in and get started. She holds a degree in Ethnic Studies from the University of Oregon and brings previous experience working as a classified staff member at her alma mater, as well as internship experience with the farmworker union Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) in Woodburn, Oregon. Outside of work, Briseida enjoys listening to podcasts, learning languages, and trying new recipes.
Somma Rath, Financial Manager
Somma Rath is joining the Administrative Support Team Team as our new Financial Manager at AFT Washington. Holding a degree in Business Management and Hospitality & Tourism, her experiences will bring forth new insights in strategic planning and directing her organization’s financial activities. Outside of the workplace, Somma enjoys outdoor activities (hiking, biking), reading and exploring new restaurants!
Tammy Fouts, Administrative Support Specialist
Tammy Fouts is excited to be joining AFT Washington as the Administrative Support Specialist. Tammy comes to us from SPEEA IFPTE Local 2001 with over 20 years administrative experience. Outside of the workplace, Tammy enjoys spending time with her family and friends and volunteering.
We’re very excited to start this new chapter at AFT Washington, and we look forward to your opportunity to meet each of the new team members!
Union Tips & Reminders
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.
Reminder: There’s A Powerful Locals Tool Training Next Month!
If you haven’t already, please register for our Powerful Locals Assessment Tool training, taking place on Saturday, November 4th. This event is in conjunction with Resolution 2023-03, passed at our May convention, and will provide your local with an opportunity to receive a $1,000 grant.
The Powerful Locals Assessment Tool is a robust inventory of key characteristics that go into making a union local powerful. It is designed to help you and your fellow local leaders thoughtfully evaluate your local by identifying strengths and weaknesses, and to focus your union-building efforts on the aspects you think are most important.
We’ll look at areas such as worksite representative structures, recruiting and engaging new members, identifying and supporting new local leaders, maintaining accurate data, and preparing and using smart budgeting, among others.
We want you and your fellow E-board or E-Council members to join us! This sort of critical assessment and planning is most effectively done by a team from your local, not just one person. So, while the presentation of this material by our AFT Washington staff will be via zoom, we encourage you and your fellow local leaders to meet up together that day in person, join the discussion on Zoom, but then be ready for local break-out time to work together assessing your local and developing plans for building more power in the areas you collectively decide on.
Meeting a modest set of conditions will allow your local to receive a grant for $1,000 to support your Powerful Local plans, and our AFT Washington staff is of course happy to help, as well.
The event will be Saturday November 4, 2023, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Please fill out the registration link here.
Let your Union Organizing Representative know if you have any questions. We’ll see you in November!
Contract Enforcement And Grievance Training
November 14, 2023, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Our Collective Bargaining Agreements are one of the cornerstones of having a powerful local. A contract that is enforced makes a big difference in how our union and our members are treated in the workplace. This training will cover the ins and outs of filing grievances, identifying unfair labor practices, duties of union leaders, and how we make sure that management does what the contract says they will do. Please plan on attending the entirety of the training and have your local’s contract available for reference.
Register here.
Adjuncts Building Community
November 17, 2023, 1:00 - 5:00 PM
There are two paths to contingent faculty job security and pay equity: local bargaining and state legislation. Both paths require engagement of your local union's contingent faculty membership! We’ll hear from Keynote Speakers Emilie Vrbancic and Reed Garber-Pearson from the UW Libraries Union on Member-Driven Mobilizing.
Connect with your colleagues across the state and learn more about efforts to improve your working conditions. We’re also featuring a professionalization workshop on preparing for tenure-track interviews.
Register here.
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.