Concentrated Call-to-Action-3: Maple Lane School

As we near the Senate’s unveiling of their version of the 2011 supplemental budget, we have our third concentrated call to action.

Maple Lane School is targeted for fast-track closure by June 30, 2011. It’s a facility for juvenile offenders in south Thurston County.

CALL TO ACTION ON MAPLE LANE SCHOOL

Call the Legislature’s toll-free message center at 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators:

• Stop the fast-track closure of Maple Lane School in the 2011 supplemental budget (ESHB 1086/SB 5095) and the 2011-2013 biennial budget.
• Maple Lane has a specialized population of youth who could be easily victimized if transferred to tougher institutions.
• The state’s own consultants’ report said closing Maple Lane made no sense.
• And oppose SB 5132, the bill that allows a governor to close any state DSHS institution, including Maple Lane, without legislative approval.

And don’t forget our first two calls to action: Call 1-800-562-6000 and tell legislators to restore funding for DSHS Interpreter services in the supplemental budget (ESHB 1086/SB 5095) and the 2011-2013 biennial budget; and tell them to stop the fast-track closure of Frances Haddon Morgan Center by June 30 and the closure of Yakima Valley School in December 2012.

Stand by for more concentrated calls to action this week as we get closer to the rollout of the Senate supplemental budget.

Speaking of Frances Haddon Morgan Center and Yakima Valley School . . .

Two bills that target residential habilitation centers, especially Frances Haddon Morgan Center in Bremerton and Yakima Valley School in Selah, got a blistering review at a Senate hearing Monday afternoon.

Senate Bill 5132 would actually transfer authority to close the RHCs, Maple Lane School and other DSHS institutions from the Legislature to the Governor (updated - originally reported as from the Goernor to the Legislature). 

Its real aim is to exploit the financial crisis to make tragic policy.

“It is no secret that the DDD (Division of Developmental Disabilities) leadership in DSHS would like to close the RHCs,” Federation Executive Director Greg Devereux told the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee. “(SB 5132) gives them that authority without legislative review regardless of outcomes for the clients.”

The provisions to strip the statutory authority for the Morgan Center, YVS, Fircrest School, Lakeland Village, Rainier School, Maple Lane, Green Hill School, Naselle Youth Camp, Echo Glen Children’s Center, Eastern State Hospital and the Child Study and Treatment Center are “additional abdications of the Legislature’s role,” Devereux said.

The bill’s provision barring admissions to those under 21 “is an absolute travesty” that has led DSHS to propose shipping such clients out of state, said Julianne Moore, a Yakima Valley School worker and president of Local 1326.

Moore said SB 5132 and a similar bill just targeting the RHCS with a specific mandate to close the Morgan Center and YVS, leave little “common ground” to get to on the issue.

“I am outraged,” she said. The audience of Federation members in AFSCME green shirts and parents and families erupted in applause, but were quickly admonished by the committee’s chair, Sen. Karen Keiser of the 33rd District.

Jeff Johnson, president of the Washington State Labor Council, said the RHCs have a valuable role to play.

“RHCs have a high quality and dedicated workforce,” Johnson said. “If you go and visit, you can’t but help and see that.

“They’re highly trained folks that deal with individuals with explosive behavior problems….A stable, long-term workforce is what is needed.”

Buckley Mayor Patricia Johnson said closure of Rainer School would devastate the economy of her town.

The union and families did support another bill, SB 5249, sponsored by Sen. Maralyn Chase. SB 5249 defends and supports RHCs and gives residents more rights.

Concentrated Call-to-Action-2 for Residential Habilitation Centers

As we near the Senate’s unveiling of their version of the 2011 supplemental budget, we have our second concentrated call to action.

Because the issue of residential habilitation center closures comes up for a Senate hearing today, we urge you to concentrate your calls today to save Frances Haddon Morgan Center in Bremerton and Yakima Valley School in Selah.

The Morgan Center is set for fast-track closure June 30. Yakima Valley School is targeted for closure by the end of next year. Legislation up for hearing today could potentially wipe out these and all residential habilitation centers, juvenile rehabilitation centers and mental health institutions.

CALL TO ACTION ON RESIDENTIAL HABILITATION CENTERS 

Call the Legislature’s toll-free message center at 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators:

• Stop the fast-track closure of Frances Haddon Morgan Center in the 2011 supplemental budget (ESHB 1086/SB 5095) and the 2011-2013 biennial budget.
• Stop the closure of Yakima Valley School in the 2011-2013 biennial budget.
• It is more cost-effective to care for these high-need developmentally disabled clients in established residential habilitation centers than in often-unknown community settings.
• And oppose SB 5132, the bill that allows a governor to close any state institution without legislative approval.

And don’t forget our first call to action: Call 1-800-562-6000 and tell legislators to restore funding for DSHS Interpreter services in the supplemental budget (ESHB 1086/SB 5095) and the 2011-2013 biennial budget. 

Stand by for more concentrated calls to action this week as we get closer to the rollout of the Senate supplemental budget.

WFSE/AFSCME joins in mourning murder of Monroe Corrections Officer

The entire Federation family mourns the on-the-job murder of Teamsters Corrections Officer Jayme Biendl late Saturday while on duty alone in the chapel at the Monroe correctional complex.

A three-strikes-and-your-out inmate is suspected of strangling her. She becomes the fifth Corrections employee murdered on the job in the state's history. Community Corrections Officer Michael Erdahl was the previous tragedy, in 1985.  

The Federation and other unions have warned that budget cuts and staff cuts will have tragic results to workers and the public.

Time to gear up for Senate Supplemental Budget: Call to Action for Interpreters

It’s possible the Senate will roll out its version of the 2011 supplemental budget next week. So there are many problems with the budget forwarded to them by the House.

So starting with this message and continuing into next week, we will have a concentrated call to action on each of the major problem areas that need to be fixed. 

CALL TO ACTION TO SAVE INTERPETER SERVICES 

Call the Legislature’s toll-free message center at 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators: 

• Restore funding for DSHS Interpreter services in the supplemental budget (ESHB 1086/SB 5095) and the 2011-2013 biennial budget.
• Lives are at stake.
• The state can save money by reforming the system.
• These cuts hurt Medicaid providers, patients and interpreters.
• Please restore the funding and fix the system for DSHS Interpreter Services. 

Stand by for more concentrated calls to action next week as we get closer to the rollout of the Senate supplemental budget.

Information meetings on General Government contract begin on Monday

The information meetings on the General Government tentative contract agreement start Monday and continue until mail ballots are due Feb. 11. These meetings also give General Government members the option of dropping off ballots in person if they don’t want to drop it in the mail. 

The complete list of contract information meetings is online at www.wfse.org and in the special 40-page newspaper on the contract that General Government members received in the mail. 

Here are the contract information meetings set for Monday, Jan. 31:

• Western State Hospital, 9601 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W., Hamilton Conference Room, Lakewood, 1/31/11, 6-8 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.
• Department of Ecology Headquarters, 300 Desmond Drive S.E., Headquarters Room #S16-S17, Lacey, 1/31/11, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
• Center for Childhood Deafness and Hearing Loss, 611 Grand Blvd., Vancouver, 1/31/11, 2-4 p.m.
• Naselle Youth Camp, 11 Youth Camp Lane, Visitors Center, Naselle, 1/31/11,  1-4 p.m.

Here are the contract information meetings set for Tuesday, Feb. 1:

• Frances Haddon Morgan Center, 3423 6th St., Room #804, Bremerton, 2/1/11, 6-8 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.
• Bremerton CSO, 4710 Auto Center Blvd., Large Conference Room, Bremerton, 2/1/11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Echo Glen Children’s Center, 33010 S.E. 99th St., Room TBD, Snoqualmie, 2/1/11, 2-4 p.m.
• Yakima Valley School, 609 Speyers Road, Lobby of the Main Building, Selah, 2/1/11, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Aberdeen WorkSource, 511 W. Heron, Room #112, Aberdeen, 2/1/11, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Department of Health, Town Center 1-Room #163, 101 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, 2/1/11, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
• Washington State School for the Blind, 2214 E. 13th St., Vancouver, 2/1/11, 7-9 a.m.
• Green Hill School, 375 S.W. 11th St., Visitors Center, Chehalis, 2/1/11, 1-5:30 p.m.

Here are the contract information meetings set for Wednesday, Feb. 2: 

• Washington Veterans Home, 1141 Beach Drive, Lower Chapel, Retsil, 2/2/11, 6-8 a.m., 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m.
• Bellingham DCFS, 1720 Ellis St., Suite 100, Conference Room A, Bellingham, 2/2/11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Mount Vernon CSO, 900 E. College Way, Skagit and Swinomish Room, Mount Vernon, 2/2/11, 5-7 p.m.
• Moses Lake Employment Security Department office, 309 E. 5th, Room #135, Moses Lake, 2/2/11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Moses Lake DOT, Shed 2381, Ramm Road, Moses Lake, 2/2/11, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Vancouver DOC West office, 9105-B, N.E. Highway 99, Second Floor Conference Room, Vancouver, 2/2/11, Noon-1 p.m.

All meetings are posted on the Main Calendar (as GG Contract Info Mtg) on WFSE.org.

A complete list of meetings by Field Office is posted in the Bargaining Center > General Government > Contract Information Meetings.

Union joins legislators in boosting bill allowing lawmakers to meet with state employees at the worksite

When Jeremy Taylor-Sparks, a Local 443 member at the state Health Care Authority in Lacey, and other members invited Rep. Sam Hunt to a lunchtime meeting to update them on plans to eliminate the Basic Health Plan, his management told him “Rep. Hunt would not be welcome on the premises.”

“And (management) let us know that if he did, that she would just cancel the meeting,” Taylor-Sparks told the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee Thursday (Jan. 27).

Why would Hunt and other legislators be persona non grata at a lunchroom meeting?

As Taylor-Sparks and Hunt explained, the state Legislative Ethics Board advised that such a meeting might involve lobbying of legislators or a political plug by lawmakers.

The hearing was on House Bill 1179, sponsored by Hunt, who chairs the committee.

He said he and other legislators had the same experience a few years ago and proposed similar legislation. But they were told it was basically a mix-up by the ethics board and wouldn’t happen again.

Then it did.

“This is déjà vu all over again,” Federation Lobbyist Dennis Eagle testified.

Hunt said “out of frustration” he brought the bill forward again.

HB 1179 clarifies it’s ok for state employees to attend informational or educational meetings with a legislator or other elected official and that it’s OK to use state facilities to do so, as long as it’s not political.

“I think that legislators have the right – and state employees more importantly have a right to meet with their legislators and to hear what might be happening,” Hunt said. “Not to lobby, but to get information presented to them.”

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation raised concerns about the bill.

Bill aims to lower health insurance premiums

The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee on Wednesday heard Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s bill (SB 5247) that aims to lower health insurance premiums by limiting the amount of surpluses by non-profit health providers that exceed the expected payout of claims. 

“(They) can’t continue to build surpluses with double-digit rate increases,” Kreidler told the committee.

Social Worker licensing bill introduced that effectively changes job requirements for

Senate Bill 5513 introduced today is another social worker licensing bill that effectively changes the job requirements for child protective workers. SB 5513 mandates a graduate degree under RCW 18.225 for CPS workers engaged in:

• investigations of alleged child abuse or neglect; 
• assessment of risk of abuse or neglect to children; 
• or providing or referring to law enforcement or to remedy conditions that endanger the health, safety and welfare of children. 

SB 5513 is sponsored by Sen. Pam Roach of the 31st District, Sen. Margarita Prentice of the 11th District, Sen. Jim Hargrove of the 24th District and Sen. Val Stevens of the 39th District.

SB 5513 has been referred to the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee, chaired by Hargrove.

Hearing set on bills to close, and bills to retain institutions

The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee on Monday takes up Senate Bill 5132, the “poison pill” legislation that would remove the statutory authority for state institutions. That would give a governor, not the Legislature, sole power to shut down vital facilities caring for developmentally disabled citizens, juvenile offenders and mentally ill adults and children.

The hearing will be 1:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 31, in Senate Hearing Room 4 in the John A. Cherberg Building on the Capitol Campus.

SB 5132 takes away the statutory authority for: residential habilitation centers – Frances Haddon Morgan Center, Yakima Valley School, Lakeland Village, Rainier School and Fircrest School; juvenile rehabilitation facilities – Maple Lane School, Green Hill School, Naselle Youth Camp and Echo Glen Children’s Center; and the three state mental health institutions, Eastern State Hospital, Western State Hospital and the Child Study and Treatment Center.

The committee will also take up SB 5459 that we told you about yesterday that mandates closure of the Morgan Center by June 30 and Yakima Valley School by the end of 2012.

Also on the Monday agenda is a commendable bill. Sen. Maralyn Chase of the 32nd District has put forward SB 5429 that retains the statutory authorization for the residential habilitation centers and declares that the RHCs “must be fostered and supported by the state.” There is language on choice of placement and protections in case of closure or discharge.

A bill similar but not identical to Chase’s was introduced today in the House: House Bill 1620, sponsored by Rep. Sherry Appleton of the 23rd District.

Bill mandates closure of Frances Haddon Morgan Center and Yakima Valley School

A bill introduced today mandates closure of the Frances Haddon Morgan Center by June 30, 2011, and closure of Yakima Valley School by Dec. 31, 2012.

That’s in Section 6 of Senate Bill 5459.

Like earlier legislation, SB 5459 removes the statutory authority for Frances Haddon Morgan Center, Yakima Valley School and other residential habilitation centers.

Senate Bill 5459 also says that no admission to an RHC can be considered a permanent placement. And any RHC could only provide services to developmentally disabled citizens if the Legislature approved funds and if they met admissions criteria set down by DSHS. It also has transition language.

What isn’t clear is if the sponsors intend to mitigate the damage of the closures advocated by the governor by promoting transition of residents into the successful state-run community program called SOLA. The bill includes language restricting the ability of SOLAs (State-Operated Living Alternatives) to reject clients. SOLAs were created 20 years ago to preserve the continuum of care for residents moving from state institutions into the smaller state-run community settings.

And the bill’s intent section declares that those in institutions are happy with their services but deserve to receive equal services when they move to the community.

So we have to talk to the sponsors to see if the words on the page mean something else. But there is no doubt: SB 5459 would close Frances Haddon Morgan Center and Yakima Valley School and remove their explicit legal existence under law, along with the statutory authorization for Lakeland Village, Rainier School and Fircrest School.

SB 5459 is sponsored by Sen. Adam Kline of the 37th District, Sen. Karen Keiser of the 33rd District and Sen. Debbie Regala of the 27th District. The bill has been referred to the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee.

Bill would promote public-private partnerships in DFW, NR and Parks

Another bill we really have to study the intent behind is Senate Bill 5481. 

Introduced today, SB 5481 would create a Natural Resources Partnership Office to promote public-private and public-public partnerships in the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources and state parks. 

Does it aim to save natural resource services and jobs or does it aim to promote contracting out?

SB 5481 is co-sponsored by Sen. Cheryl Pflug of the 5th District and Sen. Ed Murray of the 43rd District, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The bill has been referred to the Senate Natural Resources and Marine Waters Committee.

Debt collection bills would contract out hundreds of state employee jobs.

No hearings have been scheduled yet on two bills introduced last week that would ship collection of all debts more than 90 days past due to private collection agencies.

Both Senate Bill 5284 and House Bill 1374 have language on displaced employee. But in the end it’s a privatization bill that targets state employees in a number of agencies responsible for collecting debts, like support enforcement officers overseeing child support payments.

SB 5284 is sponsored by Sen. Steve Hobbs of the 44th District. HB 1374 is sponsored by Rep. Christopher Hurst of the 31st District.

While no hearings have been set, it’s never too early to voice your opposition. Call the Legislature’s toll-free message center at 1-800-562-6000 and tell your legislators to oppose SB 5284 and HB 1374.

Community Corrections members testify in support of bill giving them greater discretion to search offenders

Federation Community Corrections members John Conaty and Ginger Richardson, both of Local 308 in King County, on Tuesday boosted legislation giving them greater discretion in searching offenders and improving other resources and tools available to them.

House Bill 1209 would allow Community Corrections officers to perform random searches of an offender, and the offender’s homes, car or other personal property if they have reasonable cause the offender violated a condition of his or her sentence.

The bill came before the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee. It’s sponsored by Rep. Kirk Pearson of the 39th District.

“We are in support of this bill because it broadens our discretion…,” Conaty said. “In order to be effective, we must have the latitude to develop and implement the best responses to that (offender’s) behavior.

“The job is very dynamic that we have. We must be able to react to the offender’s behavior and be proactive as we prevent new crimes and (protect) victims.”

The Department of Corrections and other speakers voiced concerns about the constitutionality of the bill.

The union also went on record to support an amendment to another bill, HB 1020,that would reinstate and continue the 50 percent earned release time statute for certain offenders. The union’s Community Corrections members support an amendment that if the bill passes, those on early release would also have some community supervision. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson of the 36th District, said she’s not opposed to such a change.

Watch a clip of their testimony at WFSE.org > WFSE Testimony on TVW > HB 1209

House passes supplementatal budget, moving fight for Interpreters, Maple Lane and Morgan Center to Senate

The House today passed the 2011 Supplemental Budget (HB 1086) and in doing so did not adopt amendments to save interpreter services, Maple Lane School and Frances Haddon Morgan Center.

The House members did adopt an amendment to continue tolling in Community Corrections.

Rep. Bob Hasegawa’s amendment to stop the outsourcing (and elimination) of the medical interpreter program as we know it now was withdrawn. The final supplemental budget retained Rep. Ross Hunter’s language to do a pilot project to do away with the current interpreter program in favor of video and telephone interpretations likely provided through offshore contracts.

And they rejected Rep. Gary Alexander’s proposed striking amendment that had language to block the closure of Maple Lane and the Morgan Center by June 30.

The supplemental budget would also eliminate the Basic Health Plan by April 30.

So now we take the fight for what wasn’t saved to the Senate, which will shortly come out with its own supplemental budget plan.

Oppose bad bills eroding your rights

Senate Republican leaders want to “reform” state government not by saving programs or finding new revenue, but by scapegoating you.

Their package of bills introduced Friday would do away with your collective bargaining rights over economic issues (SB 5349), eliminate your ability to negotiate over contracting out (SB 5345) and make this a “right to work” state, which is a code word for the “right to work for less” (SB 5347).

Please call your senator at 1-800-562-6000 to oppose SB 5349, SB 5345 and SB 5347. Legislators should find real solutions and stop scapegoating public servants who’ve already sacrificed with pay cuts and higher health costs.

Calls for Interpreters, Maple Lane, Morgan Center, DOC tolling still needed as supplemental budget heads to full house

We still need calls in on the supplemental budget, HB 1086. We'll give you that updated call to action in a moment.

But first details on where we're at on the supplemental budget:

The House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday evening passed out the supplemental budget that covers the next four months of the current biennium. It is House Bill 1086.

The committee DID NOT adopt the amendment from Rep. Bill Hinkle of the 13th District to stop the fast-track closure of Maple Lane School by June 30 and they DID NOT adopt the amendment from Rep. Joe Schmick of the 9th District to stop the closure of Frances Haddon Morgan Center by June 30.

The committee did adopt the bad amendment on medical interpreter services from the committee's chairman, Rep. Ross Hunter of the 48th District. The bad amendment would largely wipe out our 2,000 interpreters in favor of a pilot project to replace them with video and telephonic technology. There'd be one pilot project in Eastern Washington and one in Western Washington. But live in-person interpreters make the difference, not a video screen.

The supplemental budget now goes to the full House, which is expected to vote on HB 1086 starting at 10 a.m. Friday.

So here's the updated call to action:

PLEASE CALL YOUR TWO HOUSE MEMBERS VIA THE LEGISLATURE'S TOLL-FREE MESSAGE CENTER, 1-800-562-6000.

Tell them on HB 1086:

1. Save the funding for medical interpreter services at current levels. Otherwise it goes away March 1. Reject the Hunter amendment on pilot projects that replace interpreters with electronics.
   
2. Stop the fast-track closure of Maple Lane School and Frances Haddon Morgan Center.
   
   
3. Oppose elimination of the tolling tool in Community Corrections.

Again, call 1-800-562-6000. Tell your House members to restore funding in HB 1086 for medical interpreters at current funding levels, stop the fast-track closures of Maple Lane School and Frances Haddon Morgan Center and oppose cutting tolling in DOC.

Save Interpreter Services, Maple Lane School, Frances Haddon Morgan Center, union urges

Federation speakers pressed House budget writers Tuesday to save interpreter services, Maple Lane School, Frances Haddon Morgan Center and in important Community Corrections tool.

All are slated for fast-track elimination in the next few months unless supplemental funds are appropriated.

Allison Ostrer, one of the Federation's newest Interpreters United activists, urged lawmakers to save the medical interpreter services program slated for elimination March 1.

"Interpreters speak for those who otherwise would not be heard or understood," she told the House Ways and Means Committee. "Patients need a live, in-person, unbiased, educated interpreter with them in their essential medical encounters."

If the program is cut, 4,600 patients a week won't be able to communicate with doctors, she said. Providers won't be able to afford interpreters, patients will end up in emergency rooms or children will be pressed to translate to ill parents.

"Imagine, a child telling her mother she has terminal cancer, a child trying to explain a surgical procedure to her grandmother," she said.

Right now, 48 percent of the interpreter budget goes to middlemen-agencies and brokers, Federation Lobbyist Alia Griffing said.

"Any way you look at it, cutting interpreter services makes no sense," Ostrer said. "Washington needs to work with interpreters to create a better, more efficient system that eliminates the current multiple layers of middlemen who weigh it down and skim off millions of dollars in their own profits."

Oleg Gouts, another interpreter, said the program began after 15 civil rights complaint were filed in 1991.

"This is a civil rights and medical issue," he said. "I ask you, does one person have more rights to a doctor because she speaks English? Cutting interpreters is not just morally wrong, it will cost the state more money."

INSTITUTIONS

Griffing zeroed in on the proposed closures and the elimination of tolling in the Department of Corrections.

Promised safety precautions for transferring Maple Lane's juvenile offenders haven't materialized, Griffing said.

"None of that has happened, which creates safety concerns for our staff, the juveniles being transferred and the juveniles at the facility that is receiving these individuals," she said.

The closure of Frances Haddon Morgan Center also makes no fiscal or common sense, Griffing said.

"It's not going to be any cheaper to have these folks in the community given the generally greater acuity that is served at RHCs (residential habilitation centers)," she said. "And since most of these residents will end up in the community at private facilities, rather than transfer them to state facilities, we see this in essence as jobs being contracted out again where there's no real savings."

CORRECTIONS

Griffing urged the committee to reject the elimination of the tolling tool in Community Corrections.

"Released offenders won't spend enough time in the Community Corrections system to receive services for mental health or chemical dependency that they would currently receive," she said. "Sixty percent of the offenders would be released directly into the public without any treatment."

The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to vote on the 2011 Supplemental Budget (House Bill 1086) Wednesday afternoon. This is the short-term budget to cover the budget gap in the next four months. The much larger budget for 2011-2013 is still to come.

ALSO OF INTEREST:

Federation Lobbyist Matt Zuvich raised concerns in the House Ways and Means Committee Tuesday about HB 1247, which revises the staffing levels for Secure Community Transitional Facilities (SCTF) tied to the state's sexually violent predator program. HB 1247 would remove the requirement that an SCTF with six or fewer residents be staffed by a residential rehabilitation counselor 2 or higher. "Allowing the agency to create a classification of employee that requires all the training and experience that the current position has I assume that would also come with a pay cut doesn't seem right to me," Zuvich said.

Senate Bill 5249 introduced Wednesday would move Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers into the Washington State Patrol. It's been referred to the Senate Transportation Committee.

House Bill 1321 introduced Wednesday would give state park rangers general law enforcement authority with equal priority for law enforcement training. HB 1321 has been referred to the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee.

Senate Bill 5247 introduced Wednesday by state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler aims to control health insurance premiums by requiring nonprofit health carriers to charge rates closer to what coverage actually costs. It's been referred to the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee.

• Watch testimony on TVW here.

Concerns raised over plan to wipe out DIS, GA, DOP

The Federation Tuesday morning raised concerns over the governor’s plan to create a new Department of Enterprise Services that would wipe out the Department of Information Services, Department of General Administration, Department of Personnel and Department of Printing.

The new department would supposedly consolidate “back office” duties in state government.

DIS would actually be parceled out to three agencies: the new Enterprise Services agency, a proposed charter agency on consolidated technical services and what remains of the Office of Financial Management.

The proposal came before the House General Government Appropriations Committee. The governor’s representatives said a bill would be introduced by Monday.

Jeff Paulsen, a Local 443 activist in the Department of Information Services and a member of the union’s task force on information technology shared services, said his agency has been a good provider of cost-effective services to other agencies.

“So we’re concerned about the governor’s statement that the new agency will emphasize competition to get the best price for services,” Paulsen said. “To us that could mean an increased rush to contract out state services best done in-house.”

He urged lawmakers to proceed with caution.

Federation Lobbyist Alia Griffing said employees represented by the Federation transferred in any consolidation must retain their collective bargaining rights.

And there should be no rush to privatization because of provisions in the contract and law on managed competition. That’s the system allowing state employees to keep work targeted for contracting out in-house if they can show they can do it cheaper, faster and more efficiently.

ALSO:

• House Bill 1209 introduced Monday aims to help Community Corrections officers. It would allow CCOs greater flexibility in determining sanctions for supervision violations and in searches of offenders. The bill has been referred to the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee.

• And another proposed constitutional amendment has been introduced to extend pay cuts to state elected officials. HJR 4204 has been referred to the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee.

Governor puts Maple Lane School, Frances Haddon Morgan Center on auction block

The Legislature hasn’t even started to debate Gov. Chris Gregoire’s plan to close Maple Lane School and Frances Haddon Morgan Center, but she’s already put them and other state property on the auction block.

The Seattle Times reports today the state is looking for a real-estate broker to help with the sales.

Also on the auction bock is the former Northern State Hospital in Sedro-Woolley, now known as the North Cascades Gateway Center that houses state and non-profit programs. It’s cared for by the General Administration members of Local 476.

But on Maple Lane and the Morgan Center, the irony is the Legislature has not gone along with the closure plans. The governor wants to accelerate the closure of Maple Lane, a facility for juvenile offenders in south Thurston County, to June 30, 2011. And she proposes shutting the Morgan Center in Bremerton and moving its 54 residents to other facilities.

We should note she also proposed closing Yakima Valley School by 2013, but that Selah facility is not on the list of properties for sale.

The news of the sell-off plan comes just three days after the governor introduced Senate Bill 5132 that would take away the statutory authority for all state DSHS institutions. That would allow a governor to wipe out any and all institutions without legislative approval.

ALSO:

• The House held its first hearing on Rep. Mike Armstrong’s bill to break up the Department of Social and Health Services. House Bill 1029 came before the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee Monday. It would rename DSHS the Social and Health Care Authority and create three new departments: Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Services, Long-term Care and Rehabilitative Services, and Children and Family Services. The governor’s representatives opposed the bill.

• The Federation joined other unions Monday to oppose SB 5135, a bill giving a tax break to businesses on unemployment insurance while the worker coalition is calling for additional child/dependent credits. The bill came up for a hearing in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

BULLETIN 1/17/11: DOT worker killed by falling tree during weather-related work

UPDATE: 1/17/11: 

Department of Transportation member Billy Rhynalds (pictured right) died in the line of duty late Sunday after being hit by a falling tree during a rainstorm on Highway 203 south of Carnation. 

Rhynalds, 65, was a 12-year veteran of the department. He was a member of King County State DOT Local 378.

The worker was setting up safety cones to keep motorists away from downed powerlines. That's when the cottonwood tree fell and hit him and his truck.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, and many children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters. The entire Federation family joins in mourning this deep loss.
POSTED 1/16/11:  A Department of Transportation member died in the line of duty late Sunday after being hit by a falling tree during a rainstorm on Highway 203 south of Carnation.

The worker has not been identified pending notification of family.

The worker was setting up safety cones to keep motorists away from downed powerlines. That's when the tree fell on his truck and killed him.

The entire Federation family joins in mourning this deep loss.

Members gathered in the Federation Headquarters for a lobby day this morning were stunned to hear of the news. They held a moment of silence.

Domingo Avila, a DOT member of Local 1020 in Everett, knew the fallen member.

"He was always the first one stepping up to do whatever needed to be done," Avila told the group of Federation member activists.

Avila said his friend went to Disneyland once, and took neighborhood kids he knew could never afford to go.

"That's the kind of person he was, a really nice man," he said. "I was very honored to call him my friend and to have known him for these years."

As we get more details we will post them here.

• Seattle Times news coverage

"Poison pill" bill allowing DSHS secretary to close all state institutions introduced

A bill requested by Gov. Chris Gregoire taking away the legal status of all state DSHS juvenile rehabilitation institutions, residential habilitation centers and mental health hospitals was introduced Friday.

Senate Bill 5132, sponsored by Senate President Pro-Tem Sen. Margarita Prentice, would go beyond current administration attempts to close Maple Lane School in JRA and Frances Haddon Morgan Center and Yakima Valley School.

SB 5132 takes away the statutory authority for those plus: the other residential habilitation centers, Lakeland Village, Rainier School and Fircrest School; the other juvenile rehabilitation facilities, Green Hill School, Naselle Youth Camp and Echo Glen Children’s Center; and the three state mental health institutions, Eastern State Hospital, Western State Hospital and the Child Study and Treatment Center.

SB 5132 does have one provision aimed specifically at the Morgan Center. That’s the provision restricting RHC residents to those 21 and older.

This is a “poison pill” bill that could wipe out these vital services for thousands of vulnerable children, youths and adults. Without statutory protections, it’s easy for a governor and DSHS to close institutions. Just look at the tragedy in Corrections when Pine Lodge Corrections for Women and Ahtanum View Corrections Center closed last year. They had no statutory language authorizing them, so the governor and DSHS, not the Legislature, ordered them closed.

This poison pill institutions closure bill has been tried before in many forms, most recently in 2003 and 2007, where legislation hit a brick wall of AFSCME green in one House committee and died, but did pass the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee.

This latest bill, SB 5132, has been assigned to that same Senate committee, whose chair is still Sen. Jim Hargrove.

No hearing has been set in the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee.

But we can’t wait to mobilize. The political landscape is much different than in 2003 and 2007.

CALL TO ACTION:

1.    Call the Legislature’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators to oppose SB 5132, the institutions closure bill. It goes too far and throws the most vulnerable under the bus.

2.    Tell your co-workers, family and neighbors. Get them geared up to attend any public hearings on SB 5132. And when it is scheduled, tell them to contact legislators to oppose it. The scope of this bill impacts everyone in the state. We all need the safety net and when it’s not there it’s not there for all 4 million Washingtonians.

3.    Stay tuned here on the hotline and Federation website (www.wfse.org) for updates.

Constitutional amendments to extend pay cuts to elected officials introduced

In the wake of House Bill 1115, two proposed constitutional amendments have now been introduced to also extend the 3 percent pay cuts to legislators, the governor, other statewide elected officials and judges.

If passed, either or both SJR 8202 and SJR 8203 would extend pay cuts imposed on non-elected state employees to elected state officials. If the Legislature approves either or both, voters would decide in December.

Both have been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Bill would allow legislators to meet with state employees at worksites

Remember a few years back when the Department of Ecology told legislators it was illegal for them to hold an informational meeting with employees in an agency meeting room?

Well another bill to clarify it’s ok for legislators to meet with state employees has been introduced by Rep. Sam Hunt of the 22nd District. It makes it clear what apparently management common sense fails to do. Meetings at state worksites between employees and their legislators are OK as long as they are not political.

The bill, HB 1179, has been referred to the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee.

Bill to change social workers' status hits opposition from Federation

For the second year in a row, the Federation voiced opposition to legislation to narrow the field of who can be a state social worker.

Senate Bill 5020 would allow only those licensed by the Department of Health or with a bachelor’s degree from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education to use the title of social worker.

State social workers can have a wider range of degrees, with experience before and on the job key.

And as Federation Lobbyist Alia Griffing told the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee Thursday, the job title issue went to a demand to bargain session with the state earlier this week.

“As we know this is a field in high demand and there is a national shortage of qualified social workers and Washington state is no different. This bill further narrows the pool of applicants….

“The agency (DSHS) couldn’t tell us why this job series needs to be changed and we believe that this is a bill is in search of a problem.”

Joel Pettit, a social worker 3 in Olympia and a member of Local 443, was part of that demand-to-bargain session.

He said DSHS social workers earn their title not just through their education but also from training from the department and on-the-job experience.

“On a daily basis I’m called to testify as an expert witness not only through my education but also through my experience and my training…,” Pettit said.

When he contacts law enforcement agencies, “they don’t want to hear that I’m a case manager or that I’m a case coordinator. My title as a social worker carries grave weight with them. With that word comes an expectation of competence, comes an expectation that I know what I’m doing, that I have the training commensurate with what I’m supposed to be doing for these children and families.

“I have a tremendous obligation to approach everything through the lense of a moral compass that says that I seek justice for the families I work with and also for the hundreds of co-workers that I work with who may not have a social work degree. Many of these people have been doing social work since before the degree was available.”

Committee chair Sen. Jim Hargrove said the bill needs significant work if it is ever to move out of his committee.

Maple Lane closure would jeopardize residents, Local 1926 member testifies

Local 1926 member Craig Larsen told a House committee Thursday that the ramped up closure of Maple Lane School would jeopardize many of the youthful offenders treated in the south Thurston County juvenile rehabilitation campus.

The governor’s plan to close Maple Lane would save only about $18 million, while there’s a plan to spend $15 million to $20 million to expand Green Hill School in Chehalis to take some of the Maple Lane residents.

But the two institutions are not interchangeable, he told the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee.

“You can’t house our kids at Green Hill,” Larsen said. “They would become victims there.”

Two state studies in 2006 and 2009 argued against closure of Maple Lane.

“I think if you go back and re-study those studies you can come to a reasonable conclusion it does not make sense to shut us down fiscally or for these kids,” Larsen said. “We still have two buildings out there that were not paid for yet.”

Ecology, Natural Resources, Parks members raise red flag over cuts and consolidation

A panel of Federation Ecology, Natural Resources and Parks members raised red flags over proposed cuts in their agencies at a Thursday hearing before the House General Government Appropriations Committee.

Ecology:

Scott Mallery, an Ecology member of Spokane Local 1221, said the reduction in the water rights program is bad for the economy.

A water rights permit “develops the economic growth and development that we need in the community,” Mallery said.

And if lawmakers are looking for places to save money, they can start with cutting Washington Management Service and exempt positions state government, he said.

Mallery said they make up 8.5 percent of the workforce but make up 15 percent of salary costs. Cutting just 15 WMS and exempt positions could save $2.5 million, he said.

And a leaner management structure would save money, too, Mallery said.

“You need to look at streamlining, reducing it and restructuring it,” he said.

Natural Resources:

Weikko Jaross, a forest analyst with the Department of Natural Resources in Olympia and a member of Local 443, voiced concern about the governor’s proposal to move the Natural Heritage Program from DNR to a new superagency, the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The Natural Heritage Program preserves this state’s rare and imperiled plant and animal species and ecosystems.

“What this means to the average citizen of the state is that if they want to recreate, if they want to build, if they want to have that outdoor experience, it is the Natural Heritage Program that helps them in protecting those imperiled, rare plant species and animals,” Jaross said.

The program should remain in DNR, where it’s a natural fit with an agency that manages more than 12 million acres of state forestland, he said.

Parks

The governor’s plan to make state parks “self-sustaining” through user fees and no state general fund money may mean the death of the “crown jewel” state parks system.

That’s what Brian Yearout, president of the Federation’s Statewide Parks Local 1466, told the committee.

The state’s 120 parks attract 40 million visits a year and most pay camping fees or contribute when they renew their license tabs.

While some increase in fees may be reasonable, Yearout said, “we believe it is unreasonable to cut off all general funds and rely on user fees only. That could mean the closure of many if not most of our 120 state parks and a vital, affordable family recreational destination.”

“The state is financially strapped,” he added, “but those users value state parks and are also financially strapped.”

The irony is the governor wants to merge parks with other natural resource agencies.

“And if the ‘self-sustaining’ proposal of user fees is not enough and parks close, there won’t be much left to even merge into a new agency,” Yearout said.

Haborview Medical Center vigil for decency and respect, this Friday

A candlelight vigil to shed light on the unfair treatment of call center and other employees at Harborview Medical Center by the University of Washington administration is 5 p.m., this Friday, Jan. 14, at the corner of Ninth Avenue and James Street on Seattle’s First Hill.

The administration has trampled workers’ rights and has unfairly fired and disciplined employees.  All Federation members and families are invited to turn out.

Legislation introduced to extend pay cuts to legislators, governor, other state elected officials

Rep. Gary Alexander, ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, on Wednesday introduced a bill to extend the recently negotiated 3 percent pay cuts in General Government to the governor, all 147 legislators, other statewide elected officials and state judges.

House Bill 1115 says that anytime the Legislature approves a salary reduction for state employees, the same must apply to state elected officials.

In technical terms, Alexander’s bill directs the independent citizens’ commission that sets salaries for elected officials to impose such pay cuts.

HB 1115 has been referred to the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee. You can call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and urge a hearing on HB 1115, the state elected officials pay cut bill.

TESC bargaing team declares impasse

The Evergreen State College Bargaining Team Monday declared impasse in their contract negotiations.

That’s a formal call for mediation by the Public Employment Relations Commission. The impasse declaration frees the team to share openly details on the status of contract negotiations. An on-campus meeting is being set up.

The TESC team last bargained Dec. 22. It wasn’t completely unproductive. The team reached tentative agreement on:

Article 2 – Non-discrimination
Article 3 – Workplace Behavior
Article 7 – Hours of Work
Article 18 – Miscellaneous Paid Leaves
Article 24 – Commute Trip Reduction and Parking
Article 53 – Printing of Agreement (Distribution of Agreement)

But several key issues remained stalled. So the impasse centers on:

Article 8 – Overtime
Article 11 – Vacation Leave
Article 17 – Suspended Operations
Article 35 – Layoffs and Recall
Article 40 – Union Activities
Article 43 – Compensation
Appendix F – Assignment Pay 

General Government Contract Ratification

As promised in the wake of the Jan. 3 approval of the ratification plan by your General Government Bargaining Team, a summary of the tentative agreement and text of the 2011-2013 contract to be voted on are now online. 

At WFSE.org, click on the General Government Contract Ratification flash (center, top); or go to Bargaining > General Government and scroll down to locate the summary article and links to full text.

You’ll get a special 40-page newspaper with the summary, text and other information next week. Ballots will go out the week of Jan. 24. Mail ballots are due back Feb. 11.

Corrections, Fish & Wildlife members raise concerns about Governor's plans

The House General Government Appropriations Committee Tuesday morning took up the governor’s proposed cuts in Community Corrections and the merger of several natural resources agencies.

Judy Kuschel, a Community Corrections office in Vancouver and a member of Local 313, cautioned against the removing of “tolling,” a tool when offenders violate the terms of their supervision.

“Many offenders may choose confinement over having to prove they can remain lawful in the community,” she said. “It’s often easier to serve time in custody rather than make difficult changes to live lawfully in our community. It takes time to refer and complete the treatment programs necessary in the community to reduce recidivism.

“Finally, this decision is counterproductive in terms of message. It rewards non-compliance and will make our commitment to reducing recidivism through programming more difficult because we will have less time to achieve it.”

Tim Young, a Fish and Wildlife member of Local 443 and a member of the Federation’s Natural Resources Task Force, raised serious concerns about the natural resources merger.

The governor proposes a new Department of Conservation and Recreation that would include the State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Recreation and Conservation Office, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and law enforcement duties now performed by the Department of Natural Resources.

The Federation hasn’t taken a formal position, but the union task force survey of natural resource agency members showed that 51 percent opposed the consolidation, Young said.

Young said the members surveyed supported other efficiencies before merging, like streamlining business practices, reconciling conflicting administrative rules and laws and addressing management overhead.

“Currently these agencies are pretty well strapped and I think there’s a question about whether this is a good time to merge agencies” he said. “Merging agencies as we experienced when Fish and Wildlife were merged the focus often turns to  managing the bureaucracy rather than delivering services to the public.”

Watch the full hearing here

Legislators see AFSCME GREEN from the get go

Legislators saw about 200 Federation members from around the state Monday who visited each and every one of the 147 lawmakers’ offices with greetings of good luck – and the message about saving essential services.

The opening day event was punctuated by a concluding rally on the Capitol steps where members waved “Save Our State” signs and signs to save other programs and institutions.

“How the Legislature deals with this deficit defines their values and measures the level of compassion and responsibility that exists within the state of Washington,” Federation President Carol Dotlich told the rally crowd gathered on a chilly day that started out with snow showers.

“Without a doubt we have a lot of battlegrounds,” said Ginger Richardson, a Community Corrections officer and member of Local 308 in Seattle. “There is a deficit, but they do not need to take the deficit out of public safety or public servants.”?

“You are in fact the safety net and you are being demonized by folks who don’t have a clear understanding of what state employees do…,” said Jeff Johnson, president of the Washington State Labor Council. “There are more ways to solve this deficit problem. Cuts are not the answer.”

“The Labor Movement is going to be behind this fight,” said Lynne Dodson, secretary-treasurer of the WSLC. “You don’t start the economy by laying off workers….You jump start the economy by insuring that we have basic services that we, public services that we need, and that the safety net is in place.”

Session starts today

Fasten your seatbelts. The 105-day 2011 legislative session starts today. We’re in the fight of our lives for the services the people of the state depend on.

A delegation of Federation members from across the state will spend the morning visiting each and every one of the 147 lawmakers to deliver your message. A small rally will take place at noon on the Capitol steps. If you’re in the area, stop by the Capitol at noon.

This is the first of a daily presence big and small by Federation members at the Capitol throughout the session. A Furlough Lobby Day is set for Jan. 28.

If you haven’t joined the Federation Action Team, go to .wfse.org and click on Action Center.  You can find information about scheduled Lobby Days here - contact Legislative and Political Action at 800-562-6002.

The Legislature’s first budget briefings start today in the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Other committee meetings of interest this first week:

TUESDAY:

• The House General Government Appropriations Committee looks at the governor’s budget proposals in General Government, Natural Resources and Corrections. They’ll take public testimony, 8 a.m., House Hearing Room C, John L. O’Brien Building.

• The House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee gets a briefing and takes public testimony on the governor’s supplemental budget plan for health and human services programs, 8 a.m., House Hearing Room B, John L. O’Brien Building.

• The House Ways and Means Committee takes public testimony on the governor’s supplemental and biennial budget plans, 3:30 p.m., House Hearing Room A], John L. O’Brien Building.

THURSDAY:

• The House General Government Appropriations Committee holds a public hearing on the governor’s plan to merge natural resources agencies, 1:30 p.m., House Hearing Room C, John L. O’Brien Building.

• The House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee gets a briefing and takes public testimony on the governor’s 2011-2013 budget plan for health and human services programs, 8 a.m., House Hearing Room B, John L. O’Brien Building.

• The Senate Government Operations Committee holds a public hearing on SB 5007, one of the bills to control frivolous and costly information requests by inmates, 10 a.m., Senate Hearing Room 2, John A. Cherberg Building.

• The Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee holds public hearings on more bills aimed at frivolous inmate information requests, SB 5019, 5024 and 5025, and another social worker title bill, SB 5020, 10 a.m., Senate Hearing Room 1, John A. Cherberg Building.