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.

Two days following the walkouts, tentative agreements for 2025-27 contracts began rolling in. 

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The walkouts were held at nearly 130 sites across the state and garnered extensive media coverage.

• Clark College classified staff walk out to protest low wage offers from state
• Lakeland Village employees walk out demanding higher wages, among 50,000 other state employees
• ‘Public employees deserve better’ state workers say as they walkout over contract talks
• Public service workers strike across Washington, demand better wages and conditions
• Public Service workers walk out over staffing crisis, pay cuts
• Public workers walk out in show of force
• State employees conduct walkouts across Washington for fair union contract, staffing 
• State employees walk out across WA for fair pay, better conditions
• State workers walk out across WA to call for wage increases
• Thousands of Washington state employees take part in lunch hour walkout
• Walk out for Washington- Union members demanding fair contracts
• WWU public service employees join statewide walkout amid union contract negotiations
• WWU, WCC employees join statewide walkout over compensation

“Your actions and the solidarity that you show with your fellow public servants is what allows us to secure the fair contract that we deserve—one where office assistants don’t have to rely on food banks, one with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, one that allows us to tackle retirement, recruitment, and retention issues, and opens the door for a better future for all of us."

- Ryan Schmautz, WFSE local 443 member and LNI management analyst.

Why we walked out

• Read the press release for the walkouts.
• Read the media advisory for the walkouts.

With limited time remaining to conclude negotiations, public employees have been increasingly frustrated with the state’s compensation offers. Taking inflation into account, these offers would amount to pay cuts for the hardworking people who repair Washington’s bridges, care for vulnerable citizens, safeguard natural resources, and countless other indispensable work.

Without a fair contract, there is nothing to alleviate the turnover that’s wreaking havoc on public agencies. Public employees are facing insufficient staffing levels and unsafe working conditions. As workers leave state service in pursuit of higher wages elsewhere, institutional knowledge is lost as well.

WFSE members serve every community in Washington. To be able to do their jobs safely and effectively, they need a contract with a living wage that honors their commitment and skill—and they’ll keep fighting till it’s secured.

Allied Unions Join Walkouts

Members of WPEA, SEIU, and other unions and community groups joined in solidarity, and Washington State Senator Rebecca Saldaña, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and Washington State Labor Council President April Sims joined various walkout sites to lend support.

“I’m here today to support WFSE in their fight at the bargaining table, bringing 13 million working people’s voice and support from across this country, because you are not alone,” Shuler said at the University of Washington walkout.

Find the Wins in Your 2025-2027 Union Contract