October 2025

October 2025

From the President 

This Fall is shaping up to be one of deep transitions. Hopefully, shortly after you read this, the Mariners will have joined the list of World Series Champions, we will be sharing new stories of solidarity that we experienced at the No Kings Day events that we just attended, and we’ll have a better understanding of where we stand in the upcoming legislative session.

I just returned from the New Leader Tour at AFT National’s headquarters in DC, where I was able to collaborate with other recently elected Presidents from around the nation. Whether from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska, or Arizona, we all came together with a deep commitment to our mission of serving, not just our members, but our democracy. I was also able to connect with AFT staff and leadership. Randi Weingarten shared with us her unmatched determination that we will continue to rise and take on the fight ahead. And it is a fight.

The federal government shutdown is taking its toll, and we are feeling the first impacts on our membership, as our local, The Federation of Head Start Employees, which serves 255 south-sound families in Thurston and Lewis counties, is anticipating losing funding at the end of the month. We are planning events to elevate this issue, and look forward to working with elected leaders to determine ways to support the working families in Washington, for whom participation in Head Start offers a life-changing foundation that will serve them throughout their lives.

Amidst all of this, we are working with our union leaders, labor and community partners, and lobbyists, to finalize our legislative agenda and develop a strategy to position ourselves for maximum impact in Olympia in the upcoming legislative session. I know that you have heard that the budget forecast looks dire. We are building relationships with education and community partners alike. It will take all of us speaking with one strong voice to preserve funding for Washington’s public education system, and I know we can count on you to join us.

In this issue, you will find several ways to get involved. Those include information on a response to several federal actions impacting our locals and opportunities for training so that you can best serve your members and your union, as well as an opportunity to celebrate unions! I encourage you to participate and to share with other potential leaders and activists. I would also encourage you to reach out to your community and check in on how others are doing and their ideas about how to stand strong in support of our democracy. And finally, I want to encourage you to focus on your own self-care. Education workers are called on to give, and the times we live in are more challenging than most, with all the issues that weigh us down – taking care of yourself so that you can continue to give support to your community in all the big and small ways we can is essential.

While I was working with the pro-staff organizers at Whatcom Community College (congratulations again on winning your first contract!), we had a practice of ending the meetings by sharing what we were doing to take care of ourselves. It helped me create a mindset that if I don’t take care of myself, that I can’t be there for others in their solidarity work. Today I remembered to take a break, walk the dog, and admired the fall leaves, and later I am going to call a friend and talk about things non-union. Make the space today for something that refreshes you.  Every day, be kind to yourself, be present for each other. 

In solidarity,

Jacqui Cain, President

Local Highlights & News

Federal Changes To CDL Programs – Is Your School Affected?

By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist

At the end of September, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued an interim final rule changing the commercial driver license program (CDL) for all states. The rule took effect on Monday, September 29th. The Washington State Department of Licensing has been forced to temporarily suspend issuing and renewing non-domiciled licenses, which are licenses where the legal residence of the holder is not in Washington state.

Additional changes include rendering asylum seekers, refugees, DACA recipients, and other drivers who qualified with Employment Authorization Documents ineligible for non-domiciled CDLs. Applications for non-domiciled CDLs must be conducted in person. The state must retain copies of application documents that include immigration status documents for a minimum of 2 years. This is clearly an effort to identify people for deportation and to sow chaos and fear in our communities.

Due to the impact to the state, which risks decertification of its entire CDL system if it does not comply, the state is choosing to comply at this time, while state officials seek to identify paths to push back on this. In 2019, Washington state passed the Keep Washington Working Act, which acknowledged that 1 in 7 Washingtonians were born outside the United States and that immigrants are valuable, integral members of our communities. If your local is affected by these changes, please let your Union Organizing Representative know – as the conversation continues, we want to assist the state in its pushback efforts.

Pushing Back On National Guard Deployments in Washington State

By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist

You may have heard that the city of Seattle has started taking steps to address a potential National Guard deployment. AFT Washington staff have also been involved in conversations with our community and union partners, as well as with AFT National – we are also considering the possibility that a deployment of the Guard could target Tacoma, where the Northwest Detention Center is located, or Spokane, which has pushed back strongly against ICE in their community over the summer.

At this time, there are two things for local leaders to be aware of.

The first is that if you learn of a National Guard deployment near you, contact AFT Washington President Jacqui Cain immediately, any time. She will reach out to AFT National, who will initiate their planned response. If you do not have Jacqui’s contact information, please reach out to aftwashington@aftwa.org and we will ensure you have it.

The second is that our Member Mobilization Committee is always seeking folks who want to get involved in coordinating a local response to federal actions. If you are interested in getting involved or know of someone in your local who would be, please contact Kaitlin Gillespie at kgillespie@aftwa.org to learn more.

AFT Washington Non-Violent Civil Disobedience Training

By Richard Burton, State Affiliate Political Organizer, and Kaitlin Gillespie, Union Organizing Representative

Members across the state have proudly sported their AFT blues at May Day and No Kings Day events this year, but how do we take the next steps in standing up to the authoritarian Trump administration and its cronies? By attending an in-person training on the art of non-violent civil disobedience. This will be led by long-time activist Wes Howard-Brook. He’s earned a law degree and has practiced as a lawyer, is theology faculty emeritus at Seattle University, a published scholar, and has been involved with dozens of these sorts of actions for decades.

Why this training?

Because after many inspiring events, like No Kings Day, over the last six months, some of our members are interested in the possibility of a next, escalated step. At this training, we’ll discuss what issues represent the biggest threats to our members and communities, and practice protest tactics beyond rallies and marches. This training is designed to meet members where they’re at; if you are not yet sure if you’re ready to participate in riskier actions, we encourage you to come and learn anyway.

Why such a long, in-person training?

Because this is a serious topic that requires trust, shared reflections, and community building. There will be a physical component to this training. If you would like to participate and need accommodations, please contact Union Organizing Representative Kaitlin Gillespie at kgillespie@aftwa.org or State Affiliate Political Organizer Richard Burton at rburton@aftwa.org to discuss.

Join us on Sunday, November 2nd from 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM in the AFT Washington Main Conference Room. Registration information is coming soon.

No Kings Day – Saturday!

On Saturday, October 18th, we are turning out to tell Trump we reject his authoritarianism. In June, millions of everyday Americans from every walk of life peacefully took to the streets and declared with one voice: No Kings. The world saw the power of the people, and President Trump’s attempt at a coronation collapsed under the strength of a movement rising against his abuses of power.

Now, he’s doubling down — sending militarized agents into our communities, silencing voters, and handing billionaires giveaways while families struggle. This isn’t just politics. It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, Americans are choosing democracy.

If you plan to attend the Seattle Center rally and march, meet with your fellow AFT members on Thomas Street, between Seattle Children's Theater and the Fisher Pavilion.

More information here.

Welcome Erin Grimes, Our New External Organizer!

By AFT Washington Staff

Erin Grimes is a solidarity-focused union organizer who enjoys meeting new people and bringing people together. Erin lives by her passion for empowering ordinary people with the skills and confidence to improve their daily lives through mass participation in their unions.

While a graduate student and mathematics teacher at Western Washington University, she helped build the union of all student employees, WAWU-UAW 4929. She has developed strategic campaign plans, forged community partnerships and labor coalitions, and led multiple strikes, resulting in unprecedented wall-to-wall collective bargaining rights and groundbreaking first contracts, and winning significant gains and protections for thousands of workers.

A strong believer in the power of structure-based organizing through democratic, rank-and-file leadership and disciplined escalation methods, Erin is committed to building worker solidarity through union campaigns that fight and win. She is thrilled to bring her skills, experience, and infectious enthusiasm to AFT's external organizing team. Outside of organizing and teaching, Erin loves painting, biking, computer programming, playing music, and spending time with family.

AFT Washington is delighted to welcome Erin aboard, and we look forward to growing the union with her!

The AFT Renton Coaches’ Path To A Great Contract

By Cortney Marabetta, Communications Specialist

One of our newest locals has hit big milestones in the last two months! AFT Renton Coaches ratified their first contract in August of this year after nearly two years of work building the supermajority that voted to unionize. This week, they passed their constitution and will be voting in their first set of officers in November.

The Renton Coaches are an interesting case of people you might not think of as organizing a union for a path to better working conditions. The majority of the members work part-time, often only one quarter a year, coaching a sport. They knew Renton School District wasn’t treating them with respect. The push to organize started when several coaches, including Buddy Ryan who led the organizing effort, realized they were being paid below minimum wage among other unfair working conditions like inequitable and inconsistent treatment at different sites in the district. Raises have not been forthcoming from the district for many years, and the Renton Coaches lagged behind all neighboring school districts. Coupled with the same cost-of-living challenges as the rest of the state, this treatment explains why the coaches were averaging 45% turnover per year.

That became a key organizing point, particularly when negotiations for their first contract stalled. “Retention of coaches will save the district money and give the kids a better experience overall. Students get more out of their programs when they build relationships, whether it’s with a teacher, a coach, or anyone else at their schools,” said Buddy.

The coaches applied enough pressure on the district that, in the end, the tentative agreement included some really significant wins. From the district’s initial offer of 0% raises in the first year, over three years the raises the coaches will receive will be over 26.5%. Other improvements include stronger transportation protections for coaches who drive students in their personal or district-supplied vehicles, language around cancellation of a sport’s season, and processes for settling disputes between the coaches and the district.

We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to the AFT Renton Coaches – welcome to your union family!

Whatcom Community College Professional Staff Win First Contract

By Bob Downing, Union Organizing Representative

Professional exempt staff at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham organized with AFT last year in response to a lack of job security and having no real say in their wages or working conditions. Over fifty employees, including coordinators, advisors, analysts, and others, chose to join AFT, which already represented faculty at the college, along with professional staff at colleges including Seattle Colleges, Clover Park Technical College, Walla Walla Community College, and more.

Now, after a year of negotiations, the AFT Professional Staff United bargaining team reached a landmark first-time contract that enhances job security with just cause provisions, recognition for seniority, and a new grievance process. Along with a wage scale, more paid time off, and a new Labor-Management Committee, the new contract is a big step forward for WCC employees as they try to make WCC a better place to work and study. Members of the new union voted over 97% to ratify the new deal.

Our 2026 Legislative Agenda

By AFT Washington Staff

This week, the AFT Washington Executive Board voted to approve the Legislative Agenda put together by our Legislative Affairs Committee. While parts of the agenda are not fully finalized, the session is coming up very quickly, and we are already talking to legislators! If you want to get involved, please contact Richard Burton at rburton@aftwa.org.

And don’t forget – we will be in Olympia on Monday, February 16th, to talk to legislators at our primary Lobby Day. More information to come!

PreK-12

• School-Related Personnel Salary Disaggregation: In state documentation, wages for school-related personnel are shown with administrative salaries, which skew the data and create a false sense that SRP members earn better wages than we know they do. Disaggregating the data allows unions and the state to have a clearer picture of real wages for both SRPs and administrations. We anticipate using this accurate data for a wage campaign in the next budget years.
• Committee Study Session on SRP Work: In the last several electoral cycles, many long-time legislators have retired or left office. The coalition of unions seeking improvement in SRP wages, which includes WEA, SEIU 925, PSE, and Teamsters, seeks to hold a study session with the House Education Committee and the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee to ensure that legislators are familiar with the scope of SRP members’ work and the importance of their jobs in our preK-12 education system.

Higher Education

• Committee Study Session on Professional Exempt Staff Work: Professional exempt staff, or pro staff, are underrepresented in the labor movement and in Olympia, which means their work is under-recognized by the Legislature. We are seeking a study session with the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee and the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee to advise legislators on the work that pro staff do, with emphasis on the pro staff role in student success and the smooth running of our colleges.
• Contingent Faculty Pay Equity: The Legislature defined pay equity for contingent faculty as 85% of comparable tenured faculty compensation and directed the SBCTC to develop a plan to implement this policy fully by 2027. We will be advocating in the session for sustained, permanent funding to achieve the goal of pay equity, and keep contingent faculty pay at 85% as faculty salaries improve over time.
• Contingent Faculty Unemployment Insurance Reforms: While contingent faculty are eligible for unemployment benefits when their classes are out of session between quarters or over the summer, increasingly, colleges are challenging claims, leading to costly delays and a poor use of state resources. We will explore with legislators ways to decrease challenges, shortening delays and ensuring that contingent faculty get the benefits they are legally entitled to.
• Committee Study Session on Contingent Faculty Working Conditions: Similar to the above study sessions, we are requesting a study session with the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee and the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee to bring new and veteran legislators up to date on the scope of work that contingent faculty do. In part, this is in support of our contingent faculty wage campaign; in part, the state is obligated to review best practices for part-time faculty and provide a report, which it has not done for many years, leading to legislators not fully understanding the nature of contingent faculty work.
• Shortening “Clawback” Time for Overpayment to Employees: Details are being worked out.
• Committee Study Session on Student Complaints against BIPOC Faculty: Details are being worked out.
• Critical scrutiny of developments in AI: Details are being worked out.
• Fixing the WEIA Funding Proviso: In the 2025 legislative session, changes were made to the WEIA funding proviso that we feel dilute its impact for education. Particularly in the climate of federal budget cuts and the state’s ongoing revenue shortfall, we want to tighten the language back up and ensure that the WEIA funds education.
• Reforms of the CTC Boards of Trustees: Details are being worked out.

Progressive Revenue

AFT Washington is active in the Balance Our Tax Code progressive revenue coalition. We will support the legislation proposed by BOTC and its revenue partners and are prepared to both defend against cuts and bring education-specific cuts to the coalition’s attention to defend against.

Communities For Our Colleges

We anticipate that there will be legislative proposals that support C4C’s policy goals that we will support as they are introduced.

Labor

AFT Washington is an active participant in the United Labor Lobby and we will work in solidarity with our union siblings to pass legislation that benefits our members and workers generally as we fight legislation with harmful impacts on working people.

Social Justice

We will advocate for or against bills of importance to our community partners, including the Racial Equity Team, Economic Opportunity Institute, Faith Action Network, PSARA, and others that create equity and social justice for Washingtonians.

Healthcare for All

We continue our participation on the steering committee of the Healthcare Is a Human Right coalition and will continue to support legislation that increases access to high quality healthcare and moves us toward universal healthcare for all.

Union Tips & Reminders

The 2025 Labor Studies Banquet at the Harry Bridges Center For Labor Studies

Sunday, November 9^th, 5:00 – 8:00 PM

In a moment marked by political repression and draconian policies, at least one force is fighting back and moving forward: the labor movement.

At the University of Washington, the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies educates a growing number of young people about their power as workers through classes and internships. The Center puts university research to work for the labor movement, highlighting critical issues that working people face to inform policymakers and strategic campaigns.

AFT Washington has purchased a table at this event – please contact Somma Rath at srath@aftwa.org if you are interested in attending.

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.