News

During Walkout for Washington, Thousands of WFSE Members Walk Out for Fair Contract

On Tuesday, September 10, thousands of WFSE members at over 130 worksites walked out of their jobs to draw attention to the need for a fair contract.

Food Banks and Frustration: University of Washington Workers Demand Better

Months into bargaining with the University of Washington, WFSE members feel disrespected by UW’s resistance towards better pay and benefits for the staff that keep the university clean, safe, and f

DSHS: Assaults on Staff at CSTC Must End

WFSE members at the Child Study and Treatment Center run the only state-operated and funded psychiatric hospital for children and youth ages 5-17.

Assaults have been rising dramatically due to management inaction.

23 staff were injured on the job between December 9, 2023 and January 31st 2024.

AFSCME members support President Biden’s new student debt relief plans

AFSCME members support President Biden’s new student debt relief plans

Photo credit: The White House

Security when it matters: Pay raises for unionized workers reached multi-decade high in 2023

The last few years have seen a rise in worker momentum, with unionized workers raising their voices to demand higher pay, safer working conditions and more.

DCYF Member Fights to Pass Bill Protecting Children, Fellow Workers

Like many DCYF workers in Washington, Taylor Andrews-Garcelon loves her clients but has felt her job get more stressful and dangerous in the last few years. 

“I value all of my clients and their relationships with their kids,” she said. “Despite Washington being so much further ahead than other states, I see it as unsustainable for the people in the field doing their jobs.”

Andrews-Garcelon has seen cases of fentanyl-exposed children under 2 skyrocket in recent years. She’s been threatened at gunpoint on the job. And she has been denied backup in unsafe home situations. 

Biden forgives student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers

AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised the White House’s announcement Thursday that the Biden administration will forgive student loans for an additional 78,000 borrowers — including many AFSCME members — under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

AFSCME congratulates Judge Nicole Berner on winning Senate confirmation

AFSCME President Lee Saunders congratulated Nicole Berner, a longtime labor lawyer and general counsel of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), on being confirmed to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Mr. Montoya goes to Washington

Mr. Montoya goes to Washington

Photo: Nicholas Voutsinos/ AFSCME

AFSCME supports Biden’s vision for America and will help him execute it

In this year’s State of the Union speech, President Joe Biden highlighted his administration’s achievements over the past three years and vowed to continue fighting for working people.

AFSCME applauds his accomplishments and strongly supports the Biden-Harris administration’s vision for the future, which includes defending our nation’s democracy, protecting a woman’s right to choose and making the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes, among other things.