March 31, 2009

HOUSE BUDGET UNVEILED

UPDATED 4/1/09

The House today proposed a balanced substitute to HB 1244 that makes use of $3 billion of federal stimulus money, $700 million in rainy day funds, and redirects $800 million of capital funds. This 3-year budget makes changes to what remains of the 2007-09 biennium, as well as for the 2009-11 biennium.

The budget writers stated intention was to protect basic education, children’s healthcare and services for vulnerable citizens, but deep cuts remain. The exact figure of job cuts was not specified. Instead the budget writers provided appropriations leaving agencies to prioritize and make adjustments.

Like the Senate, the House budget does not include money for negotiated pay -raises. Administrative efficiencies to the tune of $50 million dollars will be accomplished by reducing management costs – including WMS, reductions or freezes in salaries, reducing administrative costs or improved efficiencies. Any changes to working conditions for contracted state workers must be consistent with our collective bargaining agreements.

The House budget holds the line on our 12% premium share, but uses a different method from the Senate budget to achieve savings. The House did not change the structure or practice protected by contracts.

Yakima Valley School and Green Hill School escape being identified for closure. The Senate budget singled out Frances Haddon for a closure study, but no such request is present in the House bill. In JRA, not a surprise, but a large concern, Naselle Youth Camp
[REMOVE and six residential community facilities are*] targeted for closure. Calls to action must urge support for our world-class JRA system, but more on our next series of calls to action later.

Corrections, Hatcheries, and Mental Health face cuts similar to those in the Senate budget, with cuts in community supervision, closure of fish hatcheries, and reduction in staff at Eastern and Western State hospitals.

Parks continues to benefit from the “opt-out” voluntary $5 fee for license tab renewal that would be earmarked for state parks, but still faces seasonal closure issues.

Finally, unlike the Senate budget, the House budget does not fund or provide for the privatization of child welfare services.

Calls to action become even more critical now, but are complicated by the conflicting budget bills. You must be specific to your legislators on the programs you want them to support. Whether this support translates to requests for support or opposition of the budget depends on the version of the budget bill!

We are working on simplifying this for you. On WFSE.org, click on the Call NOW! icon for details on updated calls to action.

*Funding for the state's six residential community facilities is reduced.

YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL TAKES CENTER STAGE IN FIRST SENATE BUDGET HEARING

The Senate Ways and Means Committee ended up spending some two hours on the proposed closure of Yakima Valley School in its first hearing on the Senate budget plan released Monday. The public hearing continues today on other parts of the budget.

Meanwhile, a little noticed provision in the Senate budget bill (SB 5600) would set up closure of another residential habilitation center, Frances Haddon Morgan Center in Bremerton. The budget directs DSHS to write a plan to close the Morgan Center and present its findings by Jan. 15, 2010. So the fight now is to save both Yakima Valley School and the Morgan Center.

Back at the Senate hearing, members from several locals, including Local 1326 at Yakima Valley School, stood in unison as a panel of Federation members testified.

Proponents of institution closure painted a picture of Yakima Valley School and other RHCs as something out of Oliver Twist.

“The word ‘institution’ brings to mind something that Yakima Valley School and other RHCs are not,” said Julianne Moore, who works at YVS and is president of Local 1326. “We are people’s homes that the families have chosen….

“We are a highly qualified and dedicated staff. The state has invested a lot of dollars training us.”

Moore passed out to the committee the report showing that the state saves more money by keeping Yakima Valley School open than by closing it and shipping residents to nursing homes.

“I know you’ve got hard decisions to make….,” Moore told the committee. “Tell me you’re going to bet the same service somewhere else, cheaper. Because all the studies show they’re not.”

Moore said what the Senate budget proposes shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“At a minimum, caution needs to be taken in considering closing any RHC,” she said. “Moving in this hurried, unplanned way that DSHS is insisting on will have serious, negative ramifications.”

Sola Raynor, a Spokane Local 1221 member in DD field services, said the layoffs at Yakima Valley School will have harmful effects on the economy of Selah and Yakima County.

“Yakima Valley School is an investment that needs to continue through tough economic times,” Raynor said.

March 30, 2009

SENATE BUDGET WOULD CLOSE GREEN HILL SCHOOL, YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL, SEVEN HATCHERIES; PARKS PRESERVED; HOUSE PLAN OUT TUESDAY

The budget plan unveiled by the Senate this morning makes deep cuts in state programs, cuts 2,500 employees in higher education and 2,000 in General Government, but assumes a new funding mechanism to keep state parks open and holds out hope that voters will pass a revenue package to "buy back" some of the programs cut.

We must continue to oppose all cuts. Continue to call 1-800-562-6000 and oppose the cuts affecting you in the Senate budget, SB 5600.

You can find a link to the Senate budget documents on our website at www.wfse.org > State Budget & You.

But the Senate plan is not the final word. The House releases its plan tomorrow. Then the Senate, House and governor will work between then and April 26 to try to work out a final budget compromise.

With a $9 billion deficit, the Senate plan makes cuts of $3.85 billion to make up what current savings and the Obama federal economic stimulus package didn't cover.

This is all part of the global economic crisis that has hit just about every state government across America, as well as the federal government and businesses ranging from General Motors down to the local espresso stand in Naselle.

The Senate is bound to put out a balanced budget package. But leaders said they hope the public will look at it and warm to the idea of some type of revenue package on the November ballot to buy back programs and services that will be slashed.

But if you're looking for specific cuts to many specific programs and state jobs, you won't find it in the Senate plan. That's because the budget leaves it up to individual agencies, colleges and universities to determine where to make up the savings.

Here's what the Senate budget says:

Agencies are directed to achieve these reductions through strategies that will minimize impacts on employees, their families, their communities, and short- and long-term accomplishment of the agency's mission. Agencies are encouraged to use strategies such as reduced work schedules, use of voluntary leave without pay, and temporary furloughs that enable employees to maintain permanent employment status, full insurance benefits, full accrual of retirement service credit, and a living wage. The Senate intends to enact legislation that will protect employees' final compensation for pension purposes from the negative impacts of furloughs or other reductions in hours worked.

So in no particular order, here are key parts of the Senate budget. As we analyze the budget more, we will pass along more:

PAY AND BENEFITS

The Senate budget does not include money for negotiated pay raises. The Federation is still in re-negotiations on those issues and returns to the bargaining table Thursday in General Government, Friday in the Higher Education Coalition and April 9 at the University of Washington.

However, step increases for those in the Washington Management Service and exempt service will be frozen for at least two years.

On health benefits, the current 12 percent premium share for the 40,000 Federation-represented state employees under contract will remain, but if the premium share goes up for all employees, those with a contract will receive a rebate to maintain the current 12 percent share. You might ask why the rebate plan. Because the state Health Care Authority's computer system cannot handle two different rates for represented and unrepresented employees. But the bottom line in the Senate budget: Those without a union and without a contract could potentially pay more for health premiums.

Any other cost increases would be subject to collective bargaining agreements.

LAYOFFS

The Senate budget proposes about 4,500 job cuts in higher education and state agencies. But because you have a contract article on layoff procedures, every reduction in force will mean bargaining over those impacts. So we will be at the bargaining table to preserve the vital services you provide.

JUVENILE REHABILITATION

In a switcheroo compared to the governor's budget, the Senate plan would close Green Hill School in Chehalis and keep Naselle Youth Camp open. Neither plan makes sense in the overall continuum of care and we need to keep up the pressure to keep all juvenile rehabilitation programs open. The Senate budget also assumes $7 million for altered or new specialized capacity at Maple Lane School.

YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL

The Senate budget would go along with the governor's plan to close Yakima Valley School in Selah. But as we told you last week, a new analysis shows that the state actually saves more money by keeping Yakima Valley School open than shutting it down and jerking the residents to private nursing homes.

COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS

There is no talk of closing Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women, but the Senate budget goes along with the cuts sparked by SB 5288 that cuts community supervision for 12,000 dangerous criminals.

FISH HATCHERIES

The Senate budget goes along with the governor in recommending the closure of seven hatcheries: Bellingham, Voights Creek, Colville, Omak, Arlington, Mossyrock and McKernan. We obviously need to oppose these closures, although separate legislation (HB 1951) has been mitigated when it comes to privatizing the hatcheries.

HIGHER EDUCATION

The Senate budget does not break down the 2,500 job cuts between faculty and line-level, classified staff. But the overall cuts would be 9 percent at community and technical colleges and 19 percent at four-year institutions.

GENERAL ASSISTANCE-UNEMPLOYABLE

The Senate maintains 80 percent of the current GA-U caseload to serve about 12,700 people. The governor had wanted to eliminate the entire program.

PARKS

The Senate budget assumes new revenue generated by an "opt-out" voluntary $5 fee for license tab renewal that would be earmarked for state parks. That means no parks closures. Without that, some 50 parks would close. But a proviso in the budget does encourage the Parks Commission to actively pursue transferring ownership of some state parks to local governments, tribes and other entities. So we can't rest to easily here.

MENTAL HEALTH

The number of civil commitment beds at Eastern and Western state hospitals is reduced by 13 percent (or 120 beds) and a staffing boost OK'd last year is cut. A pilot project for improved service delivery would be discontinued.

TAX EXEMPTIONS

The Senate closes some tax breaks, including banks' exemption on paying the real estate excise tax and the tax break for buying a hybrid vehicle.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

We fight like hell. The global economic crisis has affected all parts of society. The test is now how we deal with it.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee holds public hearings on the budget today. The House unveils its budget plan tomorrow, followed by Tuesday hearings in the House Ways and Means Committee. Floor votes on each respective plan are expected later this week.

Keep the calls and e-mails and personal visits to legislators going. Check our website at www.wfse.org for regular updates and calls to action.

March 29, 2009

SENATE ROLLS OUT BUDGET MONDAY; WFSE/AFSCME MEMBERS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND HEARING

The Senate rolls out its budget Monday. It will be brutal. We expect many cuts. It will be worse than the governor’s proposal because the deficit has grown 62 percent since her plan came out in December.

But we need to keep the pressure on to find other revenue sources to head off the devastating cuts anticipated in the Senate budget.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee will hear the Senate budget at 3:30 p.m., this Monday, March 30, in Senate Hearing Room 4 in the John A. Cherberg Building on the Capitol campus.

Come to the hearing dressed in AFSCME green. Join us beforehand at 1:30 p.m. at Federation Headquarters, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Olympia. For information, call 1-800-562-6002.

The House is expected to unveil its budget Tuesday. The back-to-back unveilings are unusual—and probably indicate lawmakers want to move quickly on the budget and get out of town.

GREEN HILL SCHOOL

We believe one or another of the budgets will propose closure of Green Hill School or even Maple Lane School in addition to or in place of closing Naselle Youth Camp. Closure of any juvenile rehabilitation facility is unacceptable.

Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 and urge them to save Green Hill, Maple Lane, Naselle and other JRA facilities as vital to the continuum of care.

Advocates for Green Hill School have scheduled a community meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 8, at Centralia College’s Corbet Theater in Washington Hall.

Members of Locals 862 and Local 1926 are urged to attend.

Community Meeting Notice is
here.

DOC - ESSB 5288 Amended, Passed out of House Human Services Committee

The bill reducing supervision to 12,000 dangerous criminals that cuts hundreds of Community Corrections jobs, passed the House Human Services Committee Thursday. ESSB 5288 was amended, but we believe on balance it’s still a bad bill. Continue calls to 1-800-562-6000 to urge legislators to oppose ESSB 5288.

Read more here about the background of the bill and the calls to action.

WASHINGTON MANAGEMENT SERVICE

The Federation-initiated bill to bring transparency to the hiring and compensation in the Washington Management Service had a good hearing Thursday in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

The bill is scheduled for a committee vote on Monday.

ESHB 2049 requires each agency to report every year on the number of WMS employees and the number and cost of bonuses and performance-based incentives. The bill also makes it harder to exempt a vacant classified position.

Kerry Graber, an Ecology member of Local 443, said ESHB 2049 would correct the barrier her co-workers hit when trying to get information used in a thorough analysis they did. They had to file a public disclosure request.

The bill is a “start to shine the light through data disclosure,” Graber told the committee.

Federation Lobbyist Matt Zuvich said the bill is a long overdue opportunity to re-examine WMS, which has grown to several thousands from several hundreds when it began in 1993.

“We think that it’s time to take a good look at the top of the pyramid because that’s truly where reform can start,” Zuvich said.

March 26, 2009

BUDGET UNVEILING DELAYED

The Senate has delayed the unveiling of its budget proposal until possibly Monday. The House is expected to follow shortly after. Both are expected to be brutal in the face of a $9 billion budget deficit. But once the cards are on the table, we’ll know what we’ll be dealing with. Then we fight like hell until the last scheduled day of session on April 26. So stay tuned.

NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT KEEPING YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL OPEN SAVES MORE MONEY THAN CLOSING IT

The numbers don’t lie.

Advocates for Yakima Valley School and other residential habilitation centers caring for this state’s most profoundly developmentally disabled citizens have come out with a new report that shows that keeping Yakima Valley School open will save taxpayers more than twice what closure would.

What many haven’t realized is that closing an institution doesn’t mean the state no longer has to pay out money to care for the clients. They plan to shift residents to private nursing homes.

In doing that, the state would only save $1.5 million—and cause transfer trauma deaths and a number of other bad effects to residents.

But the new report shows that in all situations, RHCs are the most cost-effective alternative versus private nursing homes.

The report shows that using Yakima Valley School to its full capacity would actually generate savings of between $1.5 million and $3.5 million. The savings come because of the use of the 60 percent of the funding that comes from the federal government.

The cost per resident now is about $499 a day, of which the state pays $199. If Yakima Valley School were to increase to 112 “resident days,” the cost goes down to $472. An increase to 128 “resident days” brings the total daily cost to $386, or which the state’s portion is $154.

The cost could actually be lower with the new Obama federal economic stimulus dollars. With that money, the state’s cost would decrease to 33 percent of the total.

As the report concludes:

“Smarter management, efficiencies of scale, transparency and accountability in the cost of services provided by DSHS will give the greatest return for state tax dollars invested in the care of vulnerable citizens.”


READ THE "SMART MANAGEMENT" REPORT here.

Call NOW! 800-562-6000
It doesn't make "cents" to cut Yakima Valley School. Urge them to SUPPORT Yakima Valley School.

Calls are also needed directly to the budget writers’ offices:

House Ways & Means
Linville (D-42), Chair; Ericks (D-1), V-Chair; *Alexander (R-20); **Bailey (R-10); **Dammeier (R-25); Chandler (R-15); Cody (D-34); Conway (D-29); Darneille (D-27); Haigh (D-35); Hinkle (R-13); Hunt (D-22); Hunter (D-48); Kagi (D-32); Kenney (D-46); Kessler (D-24); Pettigrew (D-37); Priest (R-30); Ross (R-14); Schmick (R-9); Seaquist (D-26); Sullivan (D-47)

Senate Ways & Means
Prentice (D-11), Chair; Fraser (D-22), V-Chair Capital Budget; Tom (D-48), V-Chair Operating Budget; *Zarelli (R-18); Brandland (R-42); Carrell (R-28); Fairley (D-32); Hewitt (R-16); Hobbs (D-44); Honeyford (R-15); Keiser (D-33); Kline (D-37); Kohl-Welles (D-36); McDermott (D-34); Murray (D-43); Oemig (D-45); Parlette (R-12); Pflug (R-5); Pridemore (D-49); Regala (D-27); Rockefeller (D-23); Schoesler (R-9)

Find more at WFSE.org > Call NOW! > YVS

March 24, 2009

WFSE/AFSCME COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS MEMBERS HELP MOTHER OF SLAIN VANCOUVER GIRL

. . . BRINGS MESSAGE AGAINST BILL LOWERING COMMUNITY SUPERVISION OF OFFENDERS TO LEGISLATORS

Federation Community Corrections members helped the mother of Alycia Nipp, the 13-year-old Vancouver-area seventh-grader murdered Feb. 21 in a case where a homeless sex offender has been charged with her death, get her message against ESSB 5288 to legislators Tuesday.




Maranda Hannah and friends and relatives visited with lawmakers with the message that ESSB 5288 harms public safety by potentially releasing dangerous criminals, including sex offenders, back into the community without supervision by state Community Corrections officers.

She then met with reporters at Federation headquarters to answer questions.

Hannah said she hadn’t planned to go public until after the trial of the man charged in her daughter’s murder. But ESSB 5288 changed all that.

The idea that ESSB 5288 would balance the budget on the back of public safety spurred her to action.

“I’m so torn up inside….I don’t want to stand by and do nothing,” Hannah said.

Meanwhile, the union has produced a YouTube video where Community Corrections members further explain the growing concerns about ESSB 5288:

At the meeting with reporters at Federation headquarters, Hannah poignantly explained the shock she felt when she realized ESSB 5288 had been introduced.

“Releasing 12,000 dangerous offenders with no supervision by our state Community Corrections officers is not the way to balance the budget,” Hannah told reporters gathered at Federation headquarters in Olympia.

Many in the room teared up as Hannah’s sister, Amber, held up a photo of the murdered girl and Hannah told reporters: “If Alycia had been a color, she would have been yellow”—describing how bright a light she was in the lives of all who knew her.

“There is no price tag we can place on our children,” she said.

As the Tacoma News Tribune reported March 19, under ESSB 5288 the state Department of Corrections “would stop supervising thousands of low- and moderate-risk offenders after six months.” Community Corrections officers contend many high-risk offenders would actually fall into this category through misclassification, plea-bargaining and other events. ESSB 5288 is now in the House Human Services Committee.

CALL TO ACTION ON ESSB 5288
updated 3/27/09

Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge your two House members to oppose ESSB 5288. It harms public safety.

Find talking points and email option here - but only use email AFTER making a phone call.


REP. KAGI UNVEILS MAJOR AMENDMENT TO CHILD WELFARE BILL

UPDATED 3/27/09******

On 3/26/09, Sen. Jim Hargrove unveiled an amendment to strike all the language in HB 2106 and reinserts the SB 5943 language and still alters the collective bargaining law - making 2106 now the bad Child Welfare Services bill.

While it is a scaled back version calling for only 60% of Child Welfare Services to be privatized, the bill still requires substantial investment in the private agencies' start up, transition and capacity building costs at a time when direct services to children and families are being severely cut back. These costs will not be identified until after the contracting is mandated and the state is disadvantaged to negotiate reasonable costs.

What we like: The amendment does provide for WSIPP (Washington State Institute for Public Policy) to analyze the results of this effort against the outcomes by the agency and report to the Governor by July 1, 2013 for consideration to expand the privatization statewide.

Right now further evaluation of both versions of the bill are being analyzed.

ACT NOW!

  1. Call your legislators at 800-562-6000. Tell them:

    Please OPPOSE the 2SHB 2106 as it passed the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee. Continue to OPPOSE E2SSB 5943.

RESOURCES

At a hearing Tuesday morning (3/24/09), Rep. Ruth Kagi unveiled her amendment to strike all the language in the bad Child Welfare Services bill and replace it with language calling for a pilot project at two sites only.
[Striker Amendment
Text | Summary ]

The good amendment to E2SSB 5943 will be voted on later this week in committee.

As passed by the Senate, E2SSB 5943 would have privatized all of DSHS Child Welfare Services.

But the amendment brought forth to the House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee would take a more prudent and cost-effective approach.

Kagi, who chairs the committee, explained that her amendment would set up a parallel pilot project in two sites, with privatization but also with the ability of members to exercise their contractual rights to compete to provide the services.

The pilot project would then be evaluated to see if it worked and should be expanded or ended.

Watch the full hearing here.

BARGAINING UPDATE

In these tough times, re-negotiations of our contracts continue:

• The Higher Education Coalition Bargaining Team covering 12 Community Colleges, Central Washington University, The Evergreen State College and Western Washington University, bargained March 19 and will return to the table April 3.

• The General Government Bargaining Team returns to the table April 2.

• The University of Washington Police Management Bargaining Team negotiates this Wednesday, March 25.

• And the main University of Washington Bargaining Team heads back to the table April 9.

March 23, 2009

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE REFORM TAKES CENTER STAGE

President Barack Obama’s push for national health care reform is hitting a critical stage. And what happens on health care reform at the national level affects you here.

So we need to get calls into our members of Congress, especially Sen. Maria Cantwell and Sen. Patty Murray.

Call NOW! 888-436-8427:
  • Urge them to support the Obama budget on health care reform. We need quality, affordable health care we can all count on. Now is the time for a solution.
OR Email them here:

Sen. Maria Cantwell: http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Sen. Patty Murray: http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

To sign an online petition and get more resources: http://www.afscme.org/healthcare.cfm

Health Care for America Now! Visit the website for more resources.

Some 300 Federation shop stewards kicked off the campaign at their conference in SeaTac Sunday. They lined up at a bank of computers to send the “Support Health Care Reform” message to Congress.

The Obama health care plan is in line with the reform package recommended by delegates to the 2008 AFSCME Convention. That includes “a truly inclusive and accessible health care system in which no one is left out.”

Also: “A choice of a private insurance plan, including keeping the insurance you have if you like it, or a public insurance plan, without a private insurer middleman, that guarantees affordable coverage.”

GOVERNOR SIGNS WFSE/AFSCME-BACKED BILL TO END PUBLIC RECORDS HARASSMENT OF CCOS

Gov. Chris Gregoire on Friday signed into law the Federation-supported legislation to stop the harassment of Community Corrections officers and staff by offenders who file frivolous and dangerous public records requests.

SSB 5130 allows CCOs and other law enforcement staff to get a judge to block a records requests used to harass an employee or which threatens is or her security.

Right now, convicted criminals use the public records act to get personal information on CCOs that includes when they come and go in the office and other harmful private information.

WASHINGTON MANAGEMENT SERVICE BILL UP FOR HEARING THURSDAY

The Federation-initiated bill to bring accountability and transparency to the Washington Management Service and exempt service comes up for a hearing this Thursday and we need calls in to get it out of committee.

ESHB 2049 gets a hearing at 3:30 p.m., this Thursday, March 26, in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. It will be held in Senate Hearing Room 4 in the John A. Cherberg Building on the Capitol campus.

Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge your senator to support ESHB 2049 to bring accountability to the Washington Management Service. If any members of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee are from your district, make doubly sure to call.

The members of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee are:
  • Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, 36th Dist. (chair)
  • Sen. Karen Keiser, 33rd Dist. (vice chair)
  • Sen. Jenea Holmquist, 13th Dist. (ranking minority member)
  • Sen. Rosa Franklin, 29th Dist.
  • Rep. Jim Honeyford, 15th Dist.
  • Rep. Curtis King, 14th Dist.
  • Rep. Adam Kline, 37th Dist.

HEARING ON BAD CHILD WELFARE BILL TUESDAY

The first House hearing on the bill to privatize Child Welfare Services is tomorrow, Tuesday.

The House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee takes up E2SSB 5943 at 8 a.m., tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24, in House Hearing Room E.

The bill in its current form is still a bad idea. So call your two House members at 1-800-562-6000 and urge them to oppose E2SSB 5943 in the form it passed the Senate. This is especially important if any of the members of the House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee are from your district.

Go here to take action.

SUPPORT NEEDED FOR "OPT OUT" PARKS FUNDING OPTION

We can save state parks through a $5 "opt-out" fee when drivers renew vehicle tabs. That would generate the needed $23 million if only 40 percent of drivers participated.

Under the plan being floated around the Legislature, drivers would contribute the $5 unless they checked a box to "opt out." Right now, the voluntary $5 contribution is on an "opt-in" basis.

The alternative is harsh: Closure of some 50 state parks and pink slips for hundreds of Federation members.

So, please call 1-800-562-6000 and urge legislators to support the "opt-out" parks funding plan in the state budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600.

March 20, 2009

DEFICIT GROWS TO $9 BILLION; SENATE BUDGET DELAYED; STAY TUNED FOR CALLS TO ACTION; GOLDMARK CALLS FOR EARLY RETIREMENT PACKAGE

The latest state revenue forecast released Thursday shows that the state budget deficit has grown to $9 billion, forcing the state Senate to delay the roll-out of its spending plan until later next week.

We believe deep cuts will be proposed. We’re preparing a number of calls to action once we get the details. Please check back here and on our website at www.wfse.org for those now-critical calls to action.

In terms of actual spending cuts, the $9 billion deficit translates to cuts ranging from $4.2 billion to $4.5 billion, according to top legislators quoted in the media. That level of cuts comes after using $3 billion in federal economic stimulus money, already enacted savings and funds transferred from other parts of the budget.

The Senate has delayed unveiling its budget plan from Monday until sometime later next week, we presume, to revise their plan downward.

We’re hearing rumors of what some of those devastating cuts may be. Once we get firm information, we will get calls to action out.

The Herald newspaper of Everett reports that Democratic lawmakers are drawing up a list of cuts that would cut 10,000 public workers—4,000 teachers, 4,000 in higher education (although it’s not clear how many would be faculty or classified staff) and 2,000 in General Government.

And one prominent elected official is calling on the Legislature and the governor to consider an early retirement package for state employees. That would blunt the impact of any layoffs by saving jobs through attrition.

State Public Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark made his plea in a March 16 letter to legislators and Gov. Gregoire. Goldmark heads the state Department of Natural Resources.

“As a state, we are looking at staff reductions of 10 to 20 percent,” Goldmark wrote. “Because of seniority in layoffs, the employees who lose their jobs will most likely be the most junior. There is no benefit to the state when younger employees are laid off only to be added to the unemployment rolls. Seasoned public servants, who have devoted a career to the work of the state, could be supported in a manner that allows early retirement. At the end of 2014, 41 percent of DNR’s workforce will be eligible for early retirement. Imagine the eventual cost to recruit, hire and train a replacement workforce in five to 10 years. We need a succession plan.”

Find updated and needed calls to action on WFSE.org > Call NOW! These calls to action are evolving, so check daily.

DSHS CONCERNED ABOUT DOC PLAN TO CLOSE MCNEIL ISLAND PRISON – COULD IMPACT SPECIAL COMMITMENT CENTER

The Seattle Times reports that Sen. Jim Hargrove, chair of the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee, says the Senate is considering closing McNeil Island Corrections Center.

But, says DSHS, not so fast. That action by the Department of Corrections could adversely affect the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island, which is run by DSHS.

The Special Commitment Center houses 280 of the state’s most dangerous sex offenders and employs more than 400 DSHS workers.

A DSHS spokesman said DOC is the “lifeline” for the Special Commitment Center, operating the passenger ferry from Steilacoom to McNeil Island, the fire department and emergency response team.

HEARING ON BAD CHILD WELFARE BILL TUESDAY

The first House hearing on the bill to privatize Child Welfare Services is Tuesday.

The House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee takes up E2SSB 5943 at 8 a.m., next Tuesday, March 24, in House Hearing Room E.

The bill in its current form is still a bad idea. So call your two House members at 1-800-562-6000 and urge them to oppose E2SSB 5943 in the form it passed the Senate. This is especially important if any of the members of the House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee are from your district.

The members of the House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee are:
Rep. Ruth Kagi, 32nd Dist. (chair)
Rep. Mary Helen Roberts, 21st Dist. (vice chair)
Rep. Larry Haler, 8th Dist. (ranking minority member)
Rep. Maureen Walsh, 16th Dist. (assistant ranking minority member)
Rep. Jan Angel, 26th Dist.
Rep. Roger Goodman, 45th Dist.
Rep. Larry Seaquist, 26th Dist.

BILL TO END PUBLIC RECORDS HARASSMENT OF CCOS PASSES HOUSE

The House on Wednesday passed the Federation-supported legislation to stop the harassment of Community Corrections officers and staff by offenders who file frivolous and dangerous public records requests.

The House passed SSB 5130 on a vote of 94-2. Because the House amended it, SSB 5130 must go back to the Senate for concurrence on the changes.

SSB 5130 allows CCOs and other law enforcement staff to get a judge to block a records requests used to harass an employee or which threatens is or her security.

Right now, convicted criminals use the public records act to get personal information on CCOs that includes when they come and go in the office and other harmful private information.

March 18, 2009

MENTAL HEALTH TO TAKE HUGE CUTS IN SENATE, HOUSE BUDGETS—CALLS NEEDED

Key legislators familiar with the upcoming Senate and House budgets confirm that the expected $8 billion-plus deficit will spark deeper cuts, including severe reductions at Western State Hospital in Lakewood and Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake.

This would include ward closures and much more. Other details are not available.

We know that the legislative budgets will be much more harsh than the governor’s plan because the deficit has grown since December.

The March revenue forecast comes out Thursday. The Senate budget could come out as soon as Monday, with a floor vote by Wednesday. Then the House would follow suit a couple days later. The rest of the session would then focus on ironing out differences between the two budgets.

On mental health and other programs, our focus will shift to that last month of the session when the real work on the budget takes place, often out of sight.

But first, let’s get calls in on this new target, mental health. By the way, mental health members have come to Olympia to lobby for a lot of programs outside mental health. Now it’s their turn to get your help.

So far, we know the huge mental health cuts will be in the House budget, so we need to start there. But call all your legislators. If we get word the cuts are in the Senate budget that comes out first, we’ll let you know.

CALL TO ACTION ON MENTAL HEALTH:

• Call 1-800-562-6000.

• The message: No cuts to mental health, including Western State Hospital and Eastern State Hospital. It harms the continuum of care and public safety by throwing patients onto the streets when cities and counties don’t have the resources to handle the consequences.

Call or email that message to your three legislators and Speaker of the House Frank Chopp.

If you have members on the House Health and Human Services Appropriations or House Ways and Means Committee, target calls to them.

• The members of the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee are:
Rep. Eric Pettigrew of the 37th Dist. (chair)
Rep. Larry Seaquist of the 26th Dist. (vice chair)
Rep. Joe Schmick of the 9th Dist. (ranking minority member)
Rep. Gary Alexander of the 20th Dist. (assistant ranking minority member)
Rep. Sherry Appleton of the 23rd Dist.
Rep. Eileen Cody of the 34th Dist.
Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson of the 36th Dist.
Rep. Doug Ericksen of the 42nd Dist.
Rep. Norm Johnson of the 14th Dist.
Rep. Mark Miloscia of the 30th Dist.
Rep. Dawn Morrell of the 25th Dist.
Rep. Al O’Brien of the 1st Dist.
Rep. Mary Helen Roberts of the 21st Dist.
Rep. Maureen Walsh of the 16th Dist.
Rep. Alex Wood of the 3rd Dist.
• Members of the House Ways and Means Committee are:
Rep. Kelli Linville of the 42nd Dist. (chair)
Rep. Mark Ericks of the 1st Dist. (vice chair)
Rep. Gary Alexander of the 20th Dist. (ranking minority member)
Rep. Barbara Bailey of the 10th Dist. (assistant ranking minority member)
Rep. Bruce Dammeier of the 25th Dist.
Rep. Bruce Chandler of the 15th Dist.
Rep. Eileen Cody of the 35th Dist.
Rep. Steve Conway of the 29th Dist.
Rep. Jeannie Darneille of the 27th Dist.
Rep. Kathy Haigh of the 35th Dist.
Rep. Bill Hinkle of the 13th Dist.
Rep. Sam Hunt of the 22nd Dist.
Rep. Ross Hunter of the 48th Dist.
Rep. Ruth Kagi of the 32nd Dist.
Rep. Phyllis Kenney of the 46th Dist.
Rep. Lynn Kessler of the 24th Dist.
Rep. Eric Pettigrew of the 37th Dist.
Rep. Skip Priest of the 30th Dist.
Rep. Charles Ross of the 14th Dist.
Rep. Joe Schmick of the 9th Dist.
Rep. Larry Seaquist of the 26th Dist.
Rep. Pat Sullivan of the 47th Dist.

SERIOUS PROBLEMS RAISED ON FISH HATCHERY PRIVATIZATION BILL

The bill the Federation opposes to privatize at least seven fish hatcheries ran into a wall of questions Wednesday when supporters couldn’t tell senators how the converted hatcheries would be run and funded.

And internal disputes within rival commercial fisheries groups came to the surface, further muddying exactly why the bill is needed.

The Federation continued its strong opposition to the bill, Second Substitute House Bill 1951. It came up during a hearing before the Senate Natural Resources and Ocean and Recreation Committee.

“It’s putting the cart before the horse,” Federation Lobbyist Matt Zuvich told the committee. “We do not support or endorse the closure of hatcheries.”

Sen. Val Stevens of the 39th District who repeatedly asked why any the state would want to close any hatchery when salmon runs needed to be enhanced shared Zuvich’s fundamental point.

Zuvich raised concerns that if the legislation passed and the private groups got their way that they’d lose the scientific knowledge needed to run the hatcheries.

The intent of the bill is to keep the seven hatcheries targeted by the governor for closure open by allowing private groups to operate them.

The bill isn’t supposed to have any fiscal impact because the private groups are supposed to take over operations.

But several fisheries enhancement groups that had other concerns with the bill couldn’t reassure the senators that they could raise all the funds to take over hatchery operations.

They gave squishy answers about raising donations, getting grants and other fundraising schemes, like selling carcasses and eggs.

It was also unclear if the groups supporting the bill instead assumed they’d just lease back the hatcheries from the state with current employees. But again, senators asked questions that showed they were not confident the groups had really thought through what that meant.

Sen. Karen Fraser of the 22nd District, Sen. Brian Hatfield of the 19th District and others on the committee raised concerns about the impact on pensions, salaries and benefits if the private groups in fact could hire back existing state employees.

Representatives from the Department of Fish and Wildlife acknowledged they couldn’t give a firm answer about the viability of the private-public partnership plan until they saw the business plans of each potential group taking over each hatchery. The department also said it had concerns that the bill if signed into law would supersede its existing authority.

And the commercial fisheries groups split on support of the bill, with one saying HB 1951 “creates a profit motive for what is now in the public trust.”

So stay tuned. A bill that sailed through the House is facing tougher questions in the Senate. Call 1-800-562-6000 to oppose 2SHB 1951, the fish hatchery privatization bill.



Watch the full hearing here.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TRANSFER BILL GETS ANOTHER BIG BOOST



The bill allowing Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers to transfer service credit from PERS 2 and PERS 3 to LEOFF 2 had a good hearing Tuesday before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

The Federation continued its strong support for SHB 1953. It passed the House 95-0.

March 16, 2009

STATEWIDE “DAY OF ACTION” TOMORROW

The Federation is turning out hundreds of members at worksites across the state tomorrow, including at the state Capitol in Olympia itself.

Local 443 will sponsor a lobby day and noon rally for its members at the Capitol as part of the statewide "Day of Action." The Local 443 "Day of Action" rally will be at 12 noon, tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17, at the Tivoli Fountain on the Capitol campus in Olympia.

More than 60 other events are planned around the state, including in Spokane, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, Bellingham, Bremerton, Retsil, Buckley, Selah, Moses Lake, Omak, Medical Lake, Cheney, Yakima, Tri-Cities, Ellensburg, Vancouver, Kelso, Longview, Centralia, Chehalis, Tumwater, Lacey and elsewhere in Olympia.

The statewide "Day of Action" comes two days before the next revenue forecast comes out, which will trigger a flurry of legislative budget action.

The idea behind the "Day of Action" is not to just bring members from across the state to the Capitol but to bring their message from all across the state to lawmakers on a single day.

Federation members have waged a session-long campaign against the "all-cuts" budget approach that threatens the vulnerable, public safety, health, recreation and the environment. Hundreds of members have been present at the Capitol almost every day this session for lobby days centering on their particular issues.

Go to our website at www.wfse.org > Day of Action Info & Resources for more details, a list of event sites and to sign up to get a special text message on that day.

CALLS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER ON THE BUDGET

But don’t lose sight of our major challenge: Fighting the “all-cuts” budget. This week, you will play a critical role.

With that in mind, it is critical to continue calls in against the “all-cuts” budget. The official March revenue forecast comes out Thursday. That will set off a flurry of budget action. Legislators need to get these messages now. So….

• Call your two House members and senator at 1-800-562-6000.

• Urge them to reject the all-cuts budget proposed by the governor in HB 1244 and SB 5600.

Go here for more information on Federation Calls to Action.

Ecology employee reported missing

WFSE/AFSCME urges anyone with information on missing member Nancy Moyer to contact authorities. Here is information from the Department of Ecology:

by Gary Zeiler, fiscal manager, Lacey

Nancy Moyer works in the Revenue and Receivable Unit of the Fiscal
Office in Lacey. Nancy did not report to work on Monday, March 9, 2009.
A missing persons report was filed by her family earlier this week. KING
5 News carried the story on the late night broadcast March 11 and again
on the morning news March 12.

Nancy came to work for Ecology in May 1996 in the Air Quality Program as
a clerk typist 2. In October 1996, Nancy moved to the Fiscal Office as
an accountant 1 and was later promoted to an accountant 2.

We are all very concerned and saddened by this situation, and have kept
Nancy's family in our thoughts.

If you have any information for law enforcement, you may contact Detective Dave Haller at
Thurston County Sheriff's Department, (360) 786-5279 and refer to case #T-09-255-03.

For more information, please go to www.nancymoyer.com.

A $55,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information that will aid in her return home.

March 13, 2009

CALLS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER ON THE BUDGET

But don’t lose sight of our major challenge: Fighting the “all-cuts” budget. Next week, you will play a critical role. Tuesday, March 17, is the statewide “Day of Action” to get hotline calls into your legislators on the budget. Go to our website at www.wfse.org for more details and to sign up to get a special text message on that day.

With that in mind, it is critical to continue calls in against the “all-cuts” budget. The official March revenue forecast comes out next Thursday. That will set off a flurry of budget action. Legislators need to get these messages now. So….

• Call your two House members and senator at 1-800-562-6000.

• Urge them to reject the all-cuts budget proposed by the governor in HB 1244 and SB 5600.

• These cuts hurt Washington’s quality services.

• Instead, let’s look at sensible solutions to save our state, the vulnerable, public safety, health, recreation and the environment.

Go here for more details.

GOOD – AND BAD – BILLS CLEAR LATEST DEADLINE

Here is a rundown of your major bills of interest still alive after the latest floor vote cutoff March 12:

• SHB 1953, allowing Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers to transfer service credit into LEOFF 2. Passed the House. Now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

• ESHB 2049, bringing new accountability measures to the Washington Management Service and the exempt service. Passed the House. Now in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

• ESHB 1792, increasing search and arrest authority provisions of offenders by Community Corrections officers. Passed the House. Now in the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee. Public hearing set for March 19.

• HB 1878, authorizing the transfer of accumulated leave of employees at the state School for the Blind and the state School for the Deaf. Passed the House. Now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

HB 1920, the bill explicitly allowing legislators to meet state employees at the worksite, did not come to a vote of the full House.

BAD BILLS:

Three major bad bills that harm our members and public services are still alive. Calls are still needed to stop them.

• E2SSB 5943, the bill privatizing Child Welfare Services. Passed the Senate. It will now go to a House committee. Ultimately, 98 House members will decide the future of Child Welfare Services. They need to hear from you. Call the Legislature’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and urge your two House members to oppose E2SSB 5943, the Child Welfare privatization bill.

• 2SHB 1951, the bill privatizing the seven fish hatcheries targeted by the governor for closure. Passed the House. Now in the Senate Natural Resources and Ocean and Recreation Committee. Public hearing March 18. Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge your senator to oppose 2SHB 1951, the fish hatchery privatization bill.

• ESSB 5288, the bill reducing the categories of offenders supervised by Community Corrections officers, passed the House. Now in the House Human Services Committee. A public hearing took place March 4. Call 1-800-562-6000 to urge your two House members to oppose ESSB 5288, the lowered supervision bill.

March 12, 2009

RE-NEGOTIATION OF GENERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT RECESSES UNTIL LATER THIS MONTH

Renegotiation of the 2009-2011 General Government contract because of the tough economic times started Wednesday. After more than 12 hours of hard bargaining, the negotiations recessed at about 10:30 Wednesday night. Talks will resume later this month.

A provision in the current contract allows discussion of full details only when final agreement is reached. But it is realistic to say the Federation’s General Government Bargaining Team went to the table to balance the sobering reality of a projected $8 billion budget deficit with protecting the integrity of the collective bargaining process.

We’ll let you know when the next bargaining date is.

BAD CHILD WELFARE BILL PASSES; FOCUS SHIFTS TO HOUSE

Despite the best efforts of Federation members, the Senate Wednesday night passed the bad bill privatizing Child Welfare Services.

The vote on E2SSB 5943 was 33-15 with one excused.

The bill now moves to the House. So shift calls against it to your two House members. Call 1-800-562-6000 to oppose SB 5943.

NEW CALL TO ACTION. Go here to send a message.

March 10, 2009

WORKER PRIVACY ACT DESERVES A VOTE

The Worker Privacy Act (SB 5446 and HB 1528) is ready for a vote in both the House and Senate. The deadline for floor votes for most bills is this Thursday, March 12.

The Worker Privacy Act would allow workers in Washington state to choose whether or not to participate in employer communication on issues of individual conscience, including politics, religion, charitable giving and unionization. It cracks down on the employer practice of “captive audience meetings” where workers must endure anti-union rhetoric and threats.

The legislation has very strong support among state legislators, with 47 sponsors in the House and 21 sponsors in the Senate, and plenty of votes to pass, according to vote counts by the Washington State Labor Council staff who have discussed the issue with legislators. It has already inspired several thousand emails, thousands more phone calls and many letters of support to legislators.

All six of the unions that represent workers at Boeing have signed a letter of support for the Worker Privacy Act, and have urged legislators to vote on it. Plenty of legislators share their support and are eager for a vote as well. Reps. Tami Green (D-Tacoma) and Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim), among others, have written heartfelt letters to their colleagues urging a vote. Prime sponsors Rep. Mike Sells (D-Everett) and Sen. Margarita Prentice (D-Renton) are working hard to make sure the Worker Privacy Act doesn't die without a vote.

The Worker Privacy Act deserves a vote! Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge legislators to support the Worker Privacy Act, SSB 5446 and HB 1528.

SOLIDARITY IN FIGHT TO SAVE YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL, OTHER INSTITUTIONS

Rainier School Local 491 in Buckley on March 5 voted to donate $2,000 to Yakima School Local 1326 to support the fight to save Yakima Valley School. Local 1326 members are due back in Olympia Tuesday to continue their in-person fight. Meanwhile, Green Hill School members hold their lobby day Tuesday to get out front on rumors that their juvenile rehabilitation facility is being targeted by the Senate—in addition to the governor’s proposal to close Naselle Youth Camp.


HATCHERIES PRIVATIZATION BILL PASSES HOUSE—URGE SENATE TO OPPOSE

Second Substitute House Bill 1951, the bill privatizing the seven fish hatcheries the governor has targeted for closure, passed the House Friday, 96-0. It now goes to the Senate. There’s still time to oppose HB 1951.

Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge your senator to oppose 2SHB 1951, the bill privatizing seven fish hatcheries. It puts the cart before the horse because we need to oppose the governor’s all-cuts budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600.

MAKE THE CALL TO SAVE DOC JOBS

STOP MASSIVE CUTS IN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS! Governor’s budget lays off 500 Community Corrections staff!

Those with less than three years of service would be laid off!

It is time to make our voice heard. It’s time to unite with our fellow 40,000 WFSE/AFSCME members. Demand that the governor listen to DOC members’ concerns. Her “all-cuts” budget harms public safety and lays off dedicated Community Corrections staff!

Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000. Tell them to save Community Corrections jobs by opposing the governor’s all-cuts budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600. Also: urge them to oppose SB 5288, the bill reducing community supervision and ask them to support HB 1792, the bill increasing Community Corrections officers’ search and arrest authority.

Or, go
here to send an e-mail to your legislators opposing the DOC cuts.

CALLS STILL NEEDED TO OPPOSE THE BILL PRIVATIZING CHILD WELFARE SERVICES

The bad bill privatizing Child Welfare Services continues to move. Substitute Senate Bill 5943 is coming up for a vote on the Senate Floor. This is the bill that calls for the contracting out of all child welfare services (CPS and Investigations are exempted.)

We need calls and emails opposing the passage of this bill

Call legislators at 1-800-562-6000 (8am-8pm M-F/9am-1pm Sat).

Tell them: Please oppose SSB 5943. This investment in private business will cost 400 social workers their jobs and benefits, and vulnerable children will be at risk.

Or, go here to send an e-mail to your legislators opposing SSB 5943.

**********UPDATE 3/10/09

BAD CHILD WELFARE SERVICES BILL ADVANCES

The bad bill privatizing Child Welfare Services is a step closer to a vote of the full Senate. Monday, the Senate Rules Committee moved it to the Second Reading Calendar, a big step in getting a floor vote. This is the bill that calls for the contracting out of all child welfare services (CPS and Investigations are exempted.)

We need calls and emails opposing the passage of this bill
.

March 6, 2009

GET READY FOR LEGISLATORS’ TOWN HALL MEETINGS

Legislators will have a flurry of town hall meetings the weekend of March 14. This is a good time to bring the fight against the all-cuts budget straight to your legislators.

We’ll have a rundown of the ones we have. But you can see the town hall meetings scheduled by House Democrats by logging onto:

http://hdcadvance.blogspot.com/2009/03/complete-line-up-of-legislative-town.html

PARKS COMMISSION HITS WALL OF OPPOSITION AS IT UNVEILS PLAN TO CLOSE ANOTHER 36 PARKS

It was only a draft list of parks to be mothballed (AKA closed), but the list unveiled Thursday at a public hearing of the state Parks and Recreation Commission in Tumwater hit a wall of opposition from the union and parks users.

The parks already targeted in the governor’s budget are: Brooks Memorial near Goldendale; Bogachiel near Forks; Fay Bainbridge and Fort Ward on Bainbridge Island; Fort Okanogan near Brewster; Camp Moran Environmental Learning Center on Orcas Island; Joemma Beach on Key Peninsula in Kitsap County; Kopachuck near Gig Harbor; Lake Sylvia near Montesano; Old Fort Townsend in Jefferson County; Osoyoos Lake near Oroville; Schafer near Elma; Tolmie in Thurston County; Wenberg in Snohomish County; Nolte near Enumclaw; and Squilchuck near Wenatchee.

The 36 new targets the commission would forward to the Legislature to fill a $29 million funding gap are: Jarrell Cove, Fields Spring, Federation Forest, Sacajawea, Rainbow Falls, Beacon Rock, Lewis and Clark, Fort Columbia, Alta Lake, Columbia Plateau Trail, Wallace Falls, Lake Easton, Yakima Sportsman, Maryhill, Illahee, Dash Point, Potlatch, Twin Harbors, Ginkgo/Wanapum, Flaming Geyser, Peace Arch, Saltwater, Ocean City, Fort Ebey, Wenatchee, Confluence, Lake Wenatchee, Fort Flagler, Mount Spokane, Millersylvania, Memorial, Sun Lakes-Dry Falls, Larrabee, Fort Casey and Saint Edward.

“These are dire times but we cannot sacrifice the investment in our state parks,” said Federation Statewide Parks Local 1466 President Brian Yearout. “They are some of this state’s crown jewels. If we lose them, we believe we will never get them back.”

Yearout and other speakers urged the commission to consider a number of revenue alternatives, including raising some user fees.

“We may be reluctant to ask users to pay a little more,” Yearout said. “But we have to remember, this is Washington and these are the people’s parks.”

Federation President Carol Dotlich asked the park commissioners to speak “truth to power” and to take back the message to the governor and legislators that the loss of state parks is inconsistent with the vision of the citizens of Washington.

“State parks are gifts to the citizens of our state,” Yearout said. “The people’s parks are crown jewels that the public will continue to support.”

CALL TO ACTION TO SAVE PARKS

Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 (8am-8pm M-F/9am-1pm Sat) and urge them to reject the closure of state parks in the governor’s all-cuts budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600. Citizens will support these crown jewels if given a chance.

NASELLE YOUTH CAMP AND YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL FACE RENEWED ATTACKS

Federation members from Naselle Youth Camp and Yakima Valley School had been making great progress in turning the tide against closure. But with fears of an ever-growing deficit, legislators are backtracking and both facilities are back under the gun.

CALL TO ACTION TO SAVE NASELLE YOUTH CAMP AND YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL

Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 (8am-8pm M-F/9am-1pm Sat) and urge them to reject the proposed closures of Naselle Youth Camp and Yakima Valley School. Tell them that closing these facilities will have dire consequences for our state’s most vulnerable populations. We need to challenge the Legislature to take a serious look at the state’s business model of top-heavy administration and inadequate revenue generation before we look at closing these two valuable resources.

We will have links on our website to target members of the House Human Services Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee with e-mails.

CALLS NEEDED TO OPPOSE THE BILL PRIVATIZING CHILD WELFARE SERVICES

The bad bill privatizing Child Welfare Services continues to move. It’s in the Senate Rules Committee waiting to be scheduled for a vote of the full Senate.

URGENT CALL TO ACTION ON SB 5943!

Senate Bill 5943 is coming up for a vote on the Senate Floor. This is the bill that calls for the contracting out of all child welfare services (CPS and Investigations are exempted.)

We need calls and emails opposing the passage of this bill

Call legislators at 1-800-562-6000 (8am-8pm M-F/9am-1pm Sat).

Tell them: Please oppose SB 5943. This investment in private business will cost social workers their jobs and benefits, and vulnerable children will be at risk.

MARCH 12 DEADLINE LOOMS - YOUR CALLS NEEDED

• Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge your legislators to oppose SHB 1951, the bill privatizing seven fish hatcheries. It puts the card before the horse because we need to oppose the governor’s all-cuts budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600.

• Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge legislators to support SHB 1953, the Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers’ service credit transfer bill. SHB 1953 is a matter of fairness. Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers are the only LEOFF 2 enrollees denied the PERS service credit.

• Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge legislators to support HB 1920, the bill explicitly allowing legislators to meet with state employees at the worksite.

• Call 1-800-562-6000 to support the Worker Privacy Act, SSB 5446 and HB 1528. The Worker Privacy Act would allow workers in Washington state to choose whether or not to participate in employer communication on issues of individual conscience, including politics, religion, charitable giving and unionization.

WMS ACCOUNTABILITY BILL PASSES HOUSE

The bill bringing accountability to the Washington Management Service and exempt service passed the House March 4 on a vote of 95-0. SHB 2049 provides transparency on the numbers of WMS and exempt positions and the special pay they receive.

IMPROVED COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS SEARCH AND ARREST AUTHORITY BILL PASSES HOUSE

SHB 1792, the bill establishing search and arrest authority for Community Corrections officers passed the House Thursday on a vote of 97-0. It’s been improved with a striking amending authored by Rep. Kirk Pearson of the 39th District.

March 5, 2009

COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS OFFICERS TAKE FIGHT AGAINST FLAWED EARLY RELEASE PLAN TO STATE HOUSE

Federation Community Corrections members today took their fight against the flawed legislation that would end community supervision of many more “low-risk” offenders to the state House.

ESSB 5288 has already passed the Senate 38-8. Some elements have been changed for the better, but it still relies on the flawed assessment tool that can misclassify dangerous high-risk offenders as low-risk—and removing all supervision.

“We’re making legislation based on a tool that’s only 50 percent accurate,” said Ginger Richardson, a Community Corrections officer 2 in King County and president of Federation Local 308.

“So basically, everybody can take out a coin and flip it and determine who gets to be supervised and who doesn’t. That is not smart legislation. It’s not the time to make legislation based on an assessment tool that’s only been used since August and already has documented errors.”

The lower supervision levels in ESSB 5288 harm the fight against domestic violence, she said.

“We are the first line of defense for domestic violence victims,” Richardson said.

Richardson was joined by three other Federation Community Corrections members at the hearing before the House Human Services Committee.

Dana Hufford, a CCO 2 in Seattle and member of Local 308, said ESSB 5288 contradicts the progress gained in the past two decades for supervising sex offenders.

Judith Lang, a CCO 2 in Seattle and member of Local 308, said community supervision of offenders does help their rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.

And Cindy McHie, a CCO 3 in Walla Walla and president of Federation Local 396, said community supervision needs to be strengthened, not scaled back.

“I think it could harm community safety…,” McHie said. “There are a lot of really concerning people on supervision whose supervision would be eliminated by this bill….

“If you cut funding now, our communities will pay later.”

CALL TO ACTION ON ESSB 5288:


Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 to oppose ESSB 5288, the bill cutting community supervision of offenders. It’s based on a flawed assessment tool, threatens community safety and will end up costing the state more in the long run.

FISH AND WILDLIFE LOBBY LEGISLATORS AGAINST PRIVATIZATION OF HATCHERIES, FOR ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PENSION CREDIT BILL

Dozens of Federation Fish and Wildlife members from hatcheries and enforcement thronged to the Capitol today to oppose one bill and support another.

They pressed lawmakers to oppose SHB 1951, the bill privatizing the seven fish hatcheries targeted by Gov. Gregoire’s budget for closure. They said it’s premature to even consider a bill based on the governor’s all-cuts plan which may change. The bill is now in the House Rules Committee, which would schedule the bill for a vote of the full House.

The Fish and Wildlife members also urged legislators to support SHB 1953, the bill allowing Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers to transfer service credit from PERS 2 or PERS 3 to the LEOFF 2 retirement system. The bill passed the House Ways and Means Committee Monday night on a vote of 22-0. It, too, is in the House Rules Committee.

FISH AND WILDLIFE CALLS TO ACTION:

• Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge your legislators to oppose SHB 1951, the bill privatizing seven fish hatcheries. It puts the card before the horse because we need to oppose the governor’s all-cuts budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600.

• Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge legislators to support SHB 1953, the Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers’ service credit transfer bill. SHB 1953 is a matter of fairness. Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers are the only LEOFF 2 enrollees denied the PERS service credit.

March 2, 2009

HIGHER EDUCATION COALITION SETS BARGAINING DATE

The Higher Education Coalition Bargaining Team has set March 19 as the date for their return to the bargaining table to re-negotiate the 2009-2011 contract because of the tough economic times.

The General Government Bargaining Team returns to the table March 11.

HEALTHY WASHINGTON LOBBY DAY MARCH 11

The Healthy Washington Coalition, which the Federation belongs to, holds a lobby day to focus on health care reform, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday, March 11. We need a good turnout.
Find information online and also at www.healthywacoalition.org.Download the flyer here..You're invited to join the Healthy Washington Coalition on Wednesday, March 11th for Healthy Washington Lobby Day in Olympia.

At Healthy Washington Lobby Day, you'll meet your lawmakers, receive training on the top health care issues facing our state, and join with hundreds of others to take action for health care reform.

This is the opportunity for you to let your lawmakers know how important health care reform is to you. The economic crisis has put enormous strain on family, business, and state budgets. In response, deep cuts to health care safety net programs have been proposed. This is precisely the wrong direction.

Healthy Washington Lobby Day will be an opportunity to send a message to lawmakers that we need a visionary response to the economic crisis. We need to fix health care to help fix the economy.

Lawmakers should use health care dollars provided by the federal economic stimulus package to prevent cuts to health care safety net programs, while also developing a blueprint for comprehensive reform to guarantee all Washingtonians quality, affordable health care.

Washington Lobby Day
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
10:00 am-4:00 pm
Olympia

CALLS NEEDED TO OPPOSE FISH HATCHERIES PRIVATIZATION BILL

The bill that puts the cart before the horse to privatize the fish hatcheries targeted by Gov. Gregoire for closure is in the House Rules Committee, which schedules votes of bills for the full House.

Please call your House member at 1-800-562-6000 to oppose SHB 1951, the fish hatchery public-private partnership bill. The bill has until March 12 to pass the House, so there’s time to stop it now. It’s tied to the governor’s all-cuts budget, and we need to oppose the all-cuts approach. So while calling to oppose SHB 1951, also ask your House members to oppose the all-cuts budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600.

Fish and Wildlife members come to Olympia Wednesday for their lobby day to deliver the message against SHB 1951. The governor has put seven hatcheries on the chopping block: Mossyrock, McKernan, Bellingham, Palmer Ponds, Arlington, Colville and Omak. Among other things, closure cuts the $900 million generated by hatcheries for the economy. And it diminishes the preservation of a valuable resource.

BILL TO SAVE $10 MILLION CLEARS COMMITTEE

SB 5930 to save the state $10 million by requiring non-represented state employees to pay more for health insurance, cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee Monday.

The bill would require that state employees not covered by a union contract would pay 15 percent of the cost of their health premiums. The 40,000 state employees represented by the Federation wouldn’t be affected because they have contracts; they would continue to pay 12 percent. An amendment proposed by Sen. Joe Zarelli to keep non-represented employees at the same level failed on a vote of 7-14.

Child Welfare Services privatization bill clears committee--but not without controversy; calls needed to oppose fish hatchery privatization bill

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday night passed out the Child Welfare Services privatization bill. But it was not unanimous and committee members like Sen. Karen Fraser contended it amounted to huge privatization put into law without really studying it. The fight to oppose it continues--call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 to oppose SSB 5943.

Video will be posted when available at www.wfse.org > State Budget and You > Session Archives.

SSB 5943 (1st Substitute)

PANEL PASSES CHILD WELFARE PRIVATIZATION BILL—BUT NOT WITHOUT CONTROVERSY

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday night passed out the Child Welfare Services privatization bill. But it was not unanimous and committee members like Sen. Karen Fraser contended it amounted to huge privatization put into law without really studying it.

“I’m not convinced we’ll see any substantial savings,” said Fraser of the 22nd District.

So the fight to oppose it continues. Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 to oppose SSB 5943.

In the committee’s public hearing Monday afternoon, the Federation’s Dennis Eagle, director of legislative and political action, said SSB 5943 is “fatally flawed” and a “slap in the face” at the dedicated DSHS social workers the bill would eliminate in favor of lower-paid private workers.

“Hiring trained social workers is not like turning on a faucet,” Eagle said.

SSB 5943 “simply exchanges one set of problems for another,” he added.

SSB 5943 now goes to the Senate Rules Committee. So it’s no guarantee it will pass. It must first get to the full Senate and then to the House.