The Save Parent Education campaign is still fighting to save the program. Against the backdrop of cuts at the state and federal level to childcare and early childhood education, the loss of this program will be devastating. Jen Giomi was able to speak directly with Representative Jayapal and highlight the impact of this crisis on Washingtonians.
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Powerful Locals is the process by which our locals become informed, engaged, and activate their membership. It is the process by which locals become powerful - on their campuses, in their communities, in Washington state. A local with an informed, engaged, activated membership is powerful.
The AFT Washington/Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt Scholarship is Open For Applications!
As education workers, helping students fulfill their educational goals is a natural fit for AFT Washington. For the folks at Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt, a Seattle-based labor law firm, it makes sense to support union members in improving labor rights for the working people of Washington. Twenty years ago, we came together and started a scholarship! In that time, we’ve awarded more than 45 scholarships to more than 40 applicants.
President's Letter: Our Past, Our Present, Our Future
This year marks 250 years since our country declared its independence, or as we might say today, “No Kings!” Over the next few weeks, leaders representing different interests will offer their informed opinions on how we should think about that historically, for our lives today, and what it means as we lean into our future.
This is not going to be one of those essays. But I mention the anniversary because it helps frame what it means for us to come together and help choose the direction for our union.
The Future We Build With Activism
Something interesting is quietly happening in America. Last year, the first No Kings Day, on June 14th, 2025, took place in about 2,100 cities, towns, and places people decided to set up a protest. The most recent one, March 28th of this year, had 3,300 locations. The numbers of attendees have also grown, as more and more people have felt impelled to stand for their values.
Highline Pro Staff Resoundingly Pass Card Check And Demand To Bargain
When Highline Pro Staff gathered together in early December on the eve of their union card drop, they shared stories of unmet financial needs, overwork, lack of dignity and respect on the job, and a barely functioning college. They painted a picture of coordinators struggling to maintain student programs under the constant threat of cuts, advisors with towering case loads foregoing mandatory breaks to help students with their degree programs, and single parents struggling to get by. One employee, after suffering a heart attack on the job, was ordered by her boss to go back to work the next day or face disciplinary action. To add insult to injury, her brief hospital stay was taken out of her paycheck.
WA Cares Fund Now Open For Benefit Claims
In 2023, Washington workers began contributing to the WA Cares Fund. The fund is a public long-term care insurance program, designed to pay for expenses, including some not otherwise covered by current Medicare. The current earned benefit for people who make the full contribution is $36,500, and it will grow with inflation – not bad for a fund that the average Washington worker will pay less than $10,000 for!
Why Your Vote Matters When It Comes To The Washington State Supreme Court
All too often in elections, many voters choose to skip the races pertaining to judges. This year is NOT the year to continue that practice! Why? Because of the nine seats on Washington’s Supreme Court, FIVE - a majority - of them are up for election. Further, a formidable right-wing group, opposed to Labor rights and public education, has formed to help elect their chosen candidates for these seats.
Election Information For Washington Voters
If you’ve never considered what goes into a statewide election, you might be surprised at how detailed it gets! Along with the basics of Washington State law, which remain largely consistent from election to election, in every election cycle there are updates to the what and the where of voting in Washington state. It’s good information to have, particularly when voting, and mail-in voting, is such a hot topic in the news.
The AFT Washington COPE committee, chaired by Mark Gorecki, and the elected members of the AFT Washington Executive Board made endorsements in many of the races in Washington this season. Many of the endorsements we made are familiar faces that members know and have spoken with before. This year, we saw a very high number of legislative appointees, who need to run in the next election to defend their appointments, so there may be some new faces here. We believe these candidates have strong, clear visions in line with our values, and would serve well in their districts.
This month, 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 will be challenging due to the state’s revenue issues, and we are already talking to legislators. If you want to get involved, please contact Richard Burton at rburton@aftwa.org.
Job Security Task Force Report Aims To End Contingent Precarity
AFT Washington has a new tool in its fight for pay equity and job protections for the state’s contingent faculty. This month, the state federation’s Executive Board formally adopted the Job Security Task Force report, which outlines recommendations for contractual and legislative solutions to the challenges contingent faculty face. Report authors point to lack of just cause protections, poor pay and overwork among the biggest threats to contingent faculty in Washington state.
Spotlight On: AFT Washington Retirees
Happy summer everyone!
On July 14th, the Retiree Chapter Board members will be meeting and at the top of our agenda is planning for the rescheduling of the Town Hall meeting that was canceled this month. We really want to hear from you, our members, on what subjects you would like to discuss or speakers you would like to hear from. Please let us know! You can contact me or Cortney Marabetta on your thoughts and wishes. Would appreciate it greatly!
I wish all of you a Happy 4th of July! Take care!
Also In This Issue:
Legislative Update: The Millionaire's Tax, WISeR, And Healthcare Is A Human Right
Supreme Court Decision On Mail-In Ballot Postmarks