What will the 2013 Legislative Session mean to state employees? Here's what we already know:

• Over the past four years, public employees have sacrificed more than $1.5 billion in pay and benefits to address budget shortfalls.

• State employees have been placed on furlough, taken pay cuts, and agreed to pay a greater share of health care costs.

• State employees have basically taken the brunt of budget cuts and agency consolidations through layoffs, job changes and heavier workloads.

In fact, number of state employees has dropped sharply while the demand for services has continued to rise. The 2013 Legislative session promises to be exceptionally important for public employees.

Get informed:

• Join our mobile action alert text messages. Click here for details. 

• Subscribe to the Federation Holtine email service. Receive detailed reports via email that will keep you up to date on bills affecting public employees and action alerts.

• Join us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/wfsec28).

• Follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/wfsec28)

• Find ways to get informed, get involved and take action on WFSE.org.

Get involved:

• Come to Olympia. Sign-up to attend a scheduled lobby day or pick a day that works best for you.
  

Get connected so you can help ensure there are no further erosion of benefits.

• FUND THE NEW CONTRACTS –  End the 3% pay cuts in General Government and Community Corrections. Don’t block those contracts at 4-year higher education institutions with innovative compensation packages.
  

• HOLD THE LINE ON HEALTHCARE – Let negotiation on the new health care agreement proceed with the new administration.  Make adequate increases in overall state contribution to benefits, which was cut to $800/month last year.
  

• FIGHT AGAINST ATTACKS ON PUBLIC WORKERS – The state needs a qualified, trained workforce to support the vital jobs we perform for our communities. We can’t keep cutting the vital programs and positions that Washington families depend on to stay strong.
  

Lobby Day(s) information and registration

Find your legislators

Look-up bill information

RESOURCES:

• Cutting tax giveaways as a budget cutting alternative
• State Budget Reports (LEAP - see Governor and Legislative Proposals)
• WFSE/AFSCME 2013 Action Agenda