WA - Council 28 | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

October 21, 2024

After months of negotiations, Washington state workers celebrate strong new contract

Washington state workers who are members of AFSCME Council 28 have ratified a new contract that includes strong wage increases and expanded leave.

October 02, 2024

A prestigious post with U.S. Marshals gives Washington probation officer more ways to serve his community

Our latest Public Safety Spotlight is WFSE member Jose Gonzalez, a Washington corrections specialist.

September 12, 2024

Washington state workers and AFSCME members walk off the job to demand a fair contract

Thousands of state workers in Washington who are AFSCME members walked off the job to demand livable wages, safe staffing levels and more.

September 05, 2024

Heroes of the Gray Fire: WFSE members hold the line

A Washington state wildfire brought out the best in AFSCME members.

February 29, 2024

In Pierce County, WA, WFSE staff win fight to work longer to better serve the community

AFSCME members at a county prosecutor’s office in Washington state negotiated more working hour in their new contract.

December 20, 2023

Solidarity makes a $6 million difference for Washington state corrections workers

Washington state corrections workers win a multimillion dollar grievance settlement.

November 28, 2023

Tacoma Art Museum workers unionize after a yearlong struggle

A yearlong struggle ends in smiles as workers form a union at Tacoma Art Museum.

February 28, 2023

AFSCME cultural workers spotlight Black artists

AFSCME cultural workers take to Instagram to spotlight Black artists.

November 04, 2022

Workers at Tacoma, Chicago museums highlight growing organizing momentum

The Field Museum and the Tacoma Art Museum provide the latest examples of the organizing momentum in the cultural sector.

September 15, 2022

Washington state interpreters choose to form a union through AFSCME

Language interpreters in Washington state chose to form a union through AFSCME – rejecting the Freedom Foundation’s attempt to block it.

June 27, 2022

Already a seasoned fighter for workers, McEntee scholarship winner is just getting started

Congratulations are in order for our 2022 Gerald McEntee scholarship winner, WFSE’s Caiti Hall.

February 04, 2022

As prescription drug prices climb, Congress must allow Medicare to negotiate

Congress must allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which would eventually lower drug prices for all Americans, not just retirees.

January 19, 2022

WFSE members ensure minimum wage law applies to all Washingtonians

A private prison company in Washington state exploited immigrant detainees by paying them as little as $1 a day. AFSCME members successfully ended that practice by taking the company to court.

July 08, 2021

Washington state union activists protect vacation days

See the union difference in action for workers at Washington state’s homes for adults and children with developmental disabilities.

June 03, 2021

King Conservation District staff union unanimously ratifies first contract

Discover the many reasons why King County conservation workers in Washington state formed a union

December 22, 2020

Early coronavirus vaccine recipient feels optimistic about what lies ahead

Myo Thant, a front-line worker in Seattle and a member of Council 28, is one of the first AFSCME members to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

July 14, 2020

Will Washington invest in billionaires or the rest of us?

The president of an AFSCME affiliate explains why cutting public services and the workers that provide them in a bad idea, especially during a pandemic.

June 15, 2020

2020 McEntee Scholarship Winner: WFSE’s John McClung

John McClung of Washington state is the 2020 Gerald W. McEntee Scholarship winner.

June 04, 2020

Urgent Investment in Public Health, Contact Tracers Workforce is Needed

AFSCME President Lee Saunders and two AFSCME contact tracer-members made the case for urgent investment in public health infrastructure.

May 27, 2020

‘Every Day is Sign-a-Card Day:’ How One Local is Growing During COVID-19

Organizing workers is tough, and especially so during the COVID-19 pandemic. But one Washington state local isn’t letting the crisis stand in the way.

April 22, 2020

‘Our Work is Essential to Keep Kids Safe’

A Washington state member whose job is to protect children from abuse speaks about the effect that the coronavirus pandemic is having on her job.

April 22, 2020

Social Workers Play a Critical Role During the COVID-19 Crisis

An AFSCME social worker stressed that it’s important for Congress to give aid to local and state governments so they can continue to prevent child and domestic abuse.

April 03, 2020

Behavioral Health Workers Share Challenges of Treatment During COVID-19 Pandemic

AFSCME Council 28 member Mike Yestramski, president of WFSE, described some of the challenges facing behavioral health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 10, 2019

First Contract Ratification Points to Power of Collective Bargaining

Washington state assistant attorneys general, who fought for collective bargaining rights in the legislature, overwhelmingly approve first contract.

June 19, 2019

Celebrating Tim Hughes of WFSE

Union activist, storyteller, a family man. Those are apt words to describe Tim Hughes, a leading conservative voice within AFSCME Council 28 in Washington state.

June 06, 2019

AFSCME Welcomes New Mental Health Care Providers in Washington

A dozen mental health practitioner leads and mental health practitioner clinical specialists at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center joined AFSCME to tackle the issues of discrimination, safety and fair pay.

May 01, 2019

Assistant Attorneys General Win Right to Collectively Bargain

With the full force of WFSE behind them, AAGs were finally able to secure collective bargaining rights.

April 24, 2019

We Honor the Life and Legacy of Sister Jacquie Jones-Walsh

Sister Jacquie Jones-Walsh was a civil rights leader in the Pacific Northwest and a longtime AFSCME Council 28 leader.

March 29, 2019

AFSCME Remembers Wanda Riley

We mourn the death of longtime AFSCME Council 28 member Wanda Riley, an activist particularly known for her fight for single-payer health care.

February 27, 2019

Attorneys for Washington State Seek Collective Bargaining Rights

Assistant attorneys general in Washington state seek collective bargaining rights from the legislature.

September 05, 2018

AFSCME Members Rally for Safe Staffing Levels After Attack on Co-Worker

They are seeking tougher worker-safety policies at a psychiatric hospital after one of their co-workers was attacked by a patient.

July 18, 2018

When Anti-Union Operatives Attack With Lies, AFSCME Fights Back With the Truth

“When the Freedom Foundation came knocking, our members trusted me and other union representatives to tell it to them straight."

May 31, 2018

For This Behavioral Health Professional, Being Part of a Strong Union Is Key

Being part of a strong union, Mike Yestramski says, is key to his ability to provide quality behavioral health services.

April 30, 2018

AFSCME Fights Outsourcing at the University of Washington

AFSCME members in Washington state are fighting to prevent outsourcing of laundry services at the state’s public medical school.

April 11, 2018

Deaf AFSCME Member in WA Wears Armor of Empathy to Fight for Others

Meet a deaf AFSCME Member in Washington state who fights for his community using empathy as his weapon.

September 25, 2017

Union Helps Member Who Lost Home to Brush Fire

Council 28 in Washington state steps up to help one of its members who lost her home in a wildfire.

March 10, 2017

WA Retirees Fight to Restore Basic Cost-of-Living Increases

In Washington state, retirees lobbied lawmakers this week to approve a cost-of-living increase this year. It would be the first since 2010.

September 06, 2016

All They Want is Respect – and a Fair Contract

Washington’s governor has refused to offer the state’s workers a two-year contract that reflects the work they do.

July 02, 2015

Coordinated Actions Win Raises, Stop State Shutdown

It took thousands of public employees rallying across Washington state at more than 100 locations over two days this May and June to urge state legislators to agree to a sensible budget and avert a shutdown of state services on July 1.

June 18, 2015

Washington Unity Rallies Seek Budget Solution

Public employees rallied across Washington state on June 18 to urge state legislators to agree to a sensible budget and avert a shutdown of state services on July 1.

April 06, 2015

They’re AFSCME Strong and Proud to be First to Take Up the Challenge

A new campaign, called AFSCME Strong, is focused on communicating and organizing, member to member. It is designed to leverage the strength of our member activists by training 5 percent of all AFSCME members on ways to connect with their co-workers.

WA - Council 28 Archive

After months of negotiations, Washington state workers celebrate strong new contract

A prestigious post with U.S. Marshals gives Washington probation officer more ways to serve his community

Washington state workers and AFSCME members walk off the job to demand a fair contract

Heroes of the Gray Fire: WFSE members hold the line

In Pierce County, WA, WFSE staff win fight to work longer to better serve the community

Solidarity makes a $6 million difference for Washington state corrections workers

Tacoma Art Museum workers unionize after a yearlong struggle

AFSCME cultural workers spotlight Black artists

Workers at Tacoma, Chicago museums highlight growing organizing momentum

Washington state interpreters choose to form a union through AFSCME

Already a seasoned fighter for workers, McEntee scholarship winner is just getting started

As prescription drug prices climb, Congress must allow Medicare to negotiate

WFSE members ensure minimum wage law applies to all Washingtonians

Washington state union activists protect vacation days

King Conservation District staff union unanimously ratifies first contract

Early coronavirus vaccine recipient feels optimistic about what lies ahead

Will Washington invest in billionaires or the rest of us?

2020 McEntee Scholarship Winner: WFSE’s John McClung

Urgent Investment in Public Health, Contact Tracers Workforce is Needed

‘Every Day is Sign-a-Card Day:’ How One Local is Growing During COVID-19

‘Our Work is Essential to Keep Kids Safe’

Social Workers Play a Critical Role During the COVID-19 Crisis

Behavioral Health Workers Share Challenges of Treatment During COVID-19 Pandemic

First Contract Ratification Points to Power of Collective Bargaining

Celebrating Tim Hughes of WFSE

AFSCME Welcomes New Mental Health Care Providers in Washington

Assistant Attorneys General Win Right to Collectively Bargain

We Honor the Life and Legacy of Sister Jacquie Jones-Walsh

AFSCME Remembers Wanda Riley

Attorneys for Washington State Seek Collective Bargaining Rights

AFSCME Members Rally for Safe Staffing Levels After Attack on Co-Worker

When Anti-Union Operatives Attack With Lies, AFSCME Fights Back With the Truth

For This Behavioral Health Professional, Being Part of a Strong Union Is Key

AFSCME Fights Outsourcing at the University of Washington

Deaf AFSCME Member in WA Wears Armor of Empathy to Fight for Others

Union Helps Member Who Lost Home to Brush Fire

WA Retirees Fight to Restore Basic Cost-of-Living Increases

All They Want is Respect – and a Fair Contract

Coordinated Actions Win Raises, Stop State Shutdown

Washington Unity Rallies Seek Budget Solution

They’re AFSCME Strong and Proud to be First to Take Up the Challenge