VOL. 44 NO.

www.discoverpass.wa.gov

JUNE 2016

Faces of our future:

Meet our 2016 union scholarship winners. See 8

State Employee
The official newspaper of the
WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE
EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON

Now good on either

of two vehicles!

Strong
contracts
matter

Members in General Government and Higher Ed

making a difference in the bargaining process.
See how on pages 3-5.

Eastern State
Hospital,
Local 782,
Medical Lake

INSIDE: Privacy protected at least until July 29 court hearing on our

motion for a permanent injunction against Freedom Foundation

Details, page 8

Celebrating the lives of three beloved

DOT members lost in tragic accidents
As the headlines fade about their separate tragedies, we remember Bruce
Cowing, Tom Werda and Cole Charlie
Younger Wilson
A champion for
safety who worked on
the Hood Canal Bridge.
An activist who
paved the way for others in the Department of

Transportation to win reallocations awarding appropriate pay for higherlevel work.

A maintenance technician based in Ephrata
remembered for his volunteer work for Hurricane Katrina and strumming his guitar and singing a song he wrote and
posted on YouTube.

Bruce Cowing, Local 1181

Cole Charlie Younger Wilson (Local 1299), in screen shot of 2009 YouTube video posted earlier this month by one of his older siblings (https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=r0EeWr7hkZE). Inset: Wilson and wife Audra. The two
died in a car accident while traveling back from a vacation in Mexico.

In all its been a sad few

months for Department of
Transportation members and
their WFSE/AFSCME family
as all mourn the loss of three
DOT members Bruce Cowing, Tom Werda and Cole
Charlie Younger Wilson -in tragic accidents that dominated the news.
As the headlines fade,
we continue to celebrate their
lives and the differences they
made.

See DOT, page 2

Remembrances:

Tom Werda, Local 1060

The entire WFSE/AFSCME family mourns

and sends its thoughts and prayers to the
family and colleagues of Bruce, Tom and
Cole.
To help the survivors, you can make a donation to the WSDOT Memorial Foundation: http://www.wsdotmf.org/

SHOP STEWARD CORNER

Shop Steward of Year nominations due Sept. 30

LAURIE MERTA
SHOP STEWARD OF YEAR
ELIGIBILITY:

Locals and individual members

may nominate shop
stewards who have
demonstrated outstanding skills to
help their members
and to build up the union at the grassroots level.
NOMINATION:
Submit written nomination (you may use the
printed nomination form at right) with the information listed on the nomination form printed at right.
Send completed nomination forms to: WFSE/
AFSCME Award Committee, 1212 Jefferson Street
S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.
You can also submit nominations online at www.
wfse.org.
Nominations must be received by Sept. 30, 2016.
All written nominations must include a statement of the required facts as listed on the nomination
form at right.
REVIEW:
A committee, appointed by the WFSE/AFSCME
president and approved by the Executive Board, will
review the nominations and select the recipients. In
those instances where the nomination is from other
than a local, local officers may be asked to provide
additional information. The committee may select
multiple recipients.
If this form is not completed in its entirety, the
nomination may not be considered.

WFSE/AFSCME Laurie Merta Shop Steward of the Year Award 2016

STATEMENT OF FACTS
I, , nominate

Person submitting nomination

Name of nominee

for Shop Steward of the Year Award.

Nominees address:
Work phone: (
)
Home phone: (
)
Local union number:
How long a member:
How long a Shop Steward:
Agency:
Current job class:
Union offices held:
Description of why nominee should be considered for the award, such as: keeping the members
informed about union issues; organizing in support of the contract; recruiting and mentoring
stewards; representing members; enforcing the contract; advocating for workers rights (attach
additional sheets if needed):

If this form is not completed in its entirety, the nomination may not be considered.
Date:

Nominators name:

Nominators best contact information: PHONE

Person submitting nomination

E-MAIL

Send completed nomination forms to: WFSE/AFSCME Award Committee,

1212 Jefferson Street S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.
Nominations must be received by Sept. 30, 2016.
AWARDS:
The award will be presented at WFSE/AFSCMEs Shop Steward Conference Oct. 22-23 in Seatac.

IN MEMORIAM: 3 lost DOT lives

DOT,

from page 1
Bruce Cowing,
Hood Canal Bridge, Local 1181
Bruce H. Cowing died
May 16 when his truck accidentally went off the Hood
Canal Bridge where hed just
finished his shift as a mainte-

IN
MEMORIAM

State Employee
WASHINGTON

Washington State Employee (USPS 981200) is published monthly, except February

and July, for $5.08 per year by the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME
Council 28 AFL-CIO, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E.
Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Affiliated with
the American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Periodicals postage paid at Olympia, WA
and at additional offices. Circulation:
42,000.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Washington State Employee, 1212 Jefferson
St SE Suite 300 Olympia WA 98501-7501
Sue Henricksen, President
Greg Devereux, Executive Director
Editor Tim Welch
e-mail: tim@wfse.org Internet: www.wfse.org
Member, ILCA

Page 2

nance technician 2-bridge. He

was 59.
He is the 60th DOT worker
to have lost his life on the job
since 1950 and the fifth DOT
member of the Washington
Federation of State Employees/AFSCME to have died in
a work zone since 2000.
Cowing had been a
WFSE/AFSCME member
since 2011.
He leaves behind a wife,
two sons, a foster son, a bonus
daughter, five grandchildren
and two great-grandchildren.
Bruce was so loved
by all and will be greatly
missed, according to his official obituary.
A celebration of life was
scheduled for June 18 in Port
Ludlow.
The family has requested
they not be contacted. We are
respecting their privacy and
only passing along what has
been reported in the media
and from DOT.
The family released a
statement through DOT after
crews recovered his body

May 27. The statement said in

part:
These last 10 days have
been the hardest days our collective family has had to face.
We are united in extending
our gratitude to the search
crews who have worked so
many long hours to recover
our loved one, and to the WSDOT Hood Canal Bridge crew
and management for their
kindness and compassion
throughout this ordeal.... As
we move forward to put our
loved one to rest and begin
the healing process, we thank
all those who have extended
thoughts, prayers and condolences.
DOT Acting Secretary
Roger Millar called Cowing a
champion for safety:
Those who knew our
coworker will remember him
as a champion for safety. He
will be remembered for his
willingness to respond to any
need at the bridge, to help
other employees with tasks,
and to be fully involved in his
job.

Tom Werda,

Concrete, Local 1060

Tom Werda, the Department of Transportation member whose 2012 reallocation
paved the way for others,
died May 21 in a crash involving his pickup truck alongside Interstate 5 in Whatcom
County. The Local 1060 member was 52.
Services were held May
28 in Concrete.
It was Werda who in 2012
pushed for a reallocation
from maintenance mechanic
3 to MM 4 based on being a
statewide expert. He and the
union pushed on even after
an initial denial, but he prevailed. That opened the door
for other maintenance mechanic 3s to be reallocated to
an MM4 based on expertise,
WFSE/AFSCME Council
Representative Phyllis Naiad
said at the time.
I feel vindicated,
Werda said in February 2013
when he gathered with other
DOT members who won the

reallocations based on the

precedent Werda set the year
before.

Cole Charlie Younger

Wilson,
Quincy, Local 1299

Cole Charlie Younger

Wilson and his wife, Audra,
died April 21 while traveling
home from their vacation in
Mexico. He was 41.
Cole Wilson was a maintenance technician 3 out of
Ephrata. Hed been a WFSE/
AFSCME member of North
Central Washington Local
1299 since 2012.
A celebration of life took
place May 28 in Quincy.
He and wife made a difference on the job and in the
lives of others.
They repaired homes
damaged by Hurricane Katrina. They later returned
to Louisiana to help build
100 homes, according to the
Wenatchee World.

ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OPTION. If youd like to save paper and postage, you can receive this newspaper electronically. Go to www.wfse.org and hover
over NEWS & INFO, located in the top menu bar. Select from the drop-down list: WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYEE - Newspaper. Use the form
on this page to register for the electronic version. Or e-mail us at info@wfse.org, or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300,
Olympia, WA 98501. If youre a represented non-member fee payer and you dont wish to receive this publication in any format, e-mail us at contactus@wfse.org, or write: WFSE/AFSCME, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E., Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501.

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

June 2016

STRONG CONTRACTS MATTER: Higher Education

Celebrating historic joint WFSE-SEIU bargaining at UW

Wow, have
things ever changed
in bargaining at the
University of Washington.
A June 7 Unity
Rally at the UW-run
Harborview Medical
Center turned into
a celebration of the
historic announcement of joint WFSE/
AFSCME Local
1488 and SEIU 925
bargaining over
compensation and
other economic issues.

AFSCME Green-SEIU Purple Alliance debuted at June 7 Unity Rally at Harborview.

Past rivalries
melted away as Local 1488 members
in AFSCME Green
t-shirts hoisted purple-and-yellow SEIU
signs and SEIU
members cheered a
string of Local 1488
speakers.
We want to
deal with economic
issues now, Lo-

A CLOSER LOOK

A regular series on how members are going beyon the bargaining table to advocate for strong contracts. This month: The University of Washington.

Historic partnership in UW bargaining: WFSE/AFSCME Local 1488 and SEIU 925

cal 1488 President
Paula Lukaszek told
the 350 who gathered for the Unity
Rally.

Lukaszek leads June 7

Unity Rally march.

But more than

economic issues
are at stake.
The Local 1488
Bargaining Team
will push the UW for

fair treatment, adequate staffing and

an end to bullying,
Lukaszek said.
Were tired of
the university bullying people, she
said.
It doesnt cost
them any money to
treat us fairly and
stop the bullying.

Community College
team bargains
priorities

Evergreen team
blazes way to
39 tentative
agreements
Big news at EWU The Eastern Washington
University Bargaining Team reached tentative
agreements on 24 contract articles at the end of their
first week of bargaining June 9.

The bargaining team for Classified Staff at The

Evergreen State College in Olympia reached tentative
agreement on 39 articles during negotiations on the
next, 2017-2019 collective bargaining agreement.
Those came during the teams first three sessions May
19, 20 and 25.

The bargaining team for members on 12 Community College campuses kicked off
bargaining May 19. Its about respect, recruitment and retention, workload, safe
workplaces and other top priorities.
University started June
re-opener negotiations
Also: Bargaining at
20. Western Washingat Renton Technical
Central Washington
ton University was set to
College were set for
University started June
start this month. Wage
June 21.
14. Washington State

For updates on all Higher Education teams: http://wfse.org/neverquit/

How Local 1488 members reversed contracting-out

Local 1488s win-win deal benefits Harborview Medical Center
patients and taxpayers
Its a case of insourcing.
Starting next
month, Local 1488
members will take
in more work at the
Ninth and Jefferson
Building (NJB) on
the campus of Harborview Medical
Center in Seattle.
The hospital is
run by the University of Washington
under contract with
the owners, the people of King County.
WFSE/AFSCME currently represents the clinical
staff and those who
provide customer
service (patient service specialists). But

June 2016

for years, Wright

Runstad & Company had managed
the rest of the buildings operations.
But in July, Local 1488 members
will replace the private contractor and
take over the Trades
portion of building
maintenance.
By October, Local 1488 members
will take over custodial and security.
Harborview
will hire in phases
eight additional
Trades workers
(like plumbers,
electricians and
groundskeepers),
seven more security

Local 1488 member Stephanie Swazer (left) with

WFSE/AFSCME Council Rep James Dannen outside
Ninth & Jefferson Building in Seattle.

Veteran security officer

Calvin Williams (Local
1488).

officers and 13 custodians.

down walls, Swazer said.

Having Local
1488 members doing the work will
boost morale overall, she said.
Williams said
the move makes
sense because union
security officers just

For Local 1488

members like
medical assistant
Stephanie Swazer
and security officer
Calvin Williams,
the change is long
overdue.

Swazer, who
works in the Sleep
Clinic, says she and
others bristled after
being required to
perform custodial
duties the private
contractors refused
to do.
They wanted
us to dust, wipe

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

know the campus

better.
Overall, hospital staff, visitors and
patients will feel
a lot better having
Harborview security officers there,
he said.
Williams, a
36-year employee,
takes pride in the
job he and other
Local 1488 security
officers do.
Im sure my
department will do
the best we canwe
always do..., Williams said.
Its a big responsibility but I
think were up to
the task.
Williams and
WFSE/AFSCME
Council Representative James Dannen
credit a mutual

problem-solving
with management.
Dannen said he,
WFSE/AFSCME
Labor Advocate
Jennifer Dixon and
NJB clinic members
were successful in
making the case that
our members could
better perform the
duties assigned to
the contract employees because of
superior skills and
training.
Our members
would provide
increased operational efficiencies
such as streamlining reporting lines,
providing aroundthe-clock availability for performing
maintenance and
a consistent, more
modern approach to
providing security
services.

Page 3

STRONG CONTRACTS MATTER: General Government

Team, members across state telling governor, management:

The WFSE/AFSCME General Government Bargaining

Team on the first day of negotiations May 17 at the Expo
Center at the Thurston County Fairgrounds in Lacey.

A strong contract matters!

Our General Government
Bargaining Team moves
forward with dozens of
tentative agreements
What can we about this? Join us for the June 29 Day of Action !
As bargaining on tougher issues and compensation nears,
our voice needs to be heard.
Watch for information or help set up Day of Action events on
Wednesday, June 29. This is the day to show the governor
and management that were serious about a strong
contract. They need to see you sending that message at
June 29 Day of Action events.
Watch for information at your worksite & wfse.org.

Our General Government

Bargaining Team reached tentative agreements on nearly
one-third of our next contract
in the latest round of bargaining June 7 and 8. The team
reached tentative agreement
with Gov. Jay Inslees negotiators on 28 issues, including 23 articles. Many of the
agreements were housekeeping, with some gains and no
takeaways. Note: all agreements on individual articles

are tentative until the entire

contract is finished later this
summer.

But tougher issues are

coming to the table send
a strong message for a fair
contract on the Day of Action June 29.
In the latest round of bargaining, our team continued
to set the tone: This is about
winning a strong contract that
fairly addresses pay, health
care and the workload crisis.
Its about setting the right priorities not focusing on limitations.

Whatever happened
to Baby Jayden?
The social media brainchild of Local 843
Childrens members raised public awareness about the recruitment and retention
crisis among workers who keep kids safe
DSHS Childrens services workers in King County
caught the imagination of the
public and caused a social
media sensation with their
May 17 action.
They placed hundreds
of baby dolls nicknamed
Baby Jayden in and around
Seattle to illustrate the harm
crushing workloads and noncompetitive pay are having on
providing services to abused
and neglected children.
The workers brainstormed the idea after attending the recent WFSE/
AFSCME Mobilize Now!
conference where they picked
up communications training
on how to use social media to

mobilize the public.

We came up with this
idea that, well, what if we
actually had physical dolls to
represent these children that
are ultimately, at the end of
the line, all the political decision-making said and done,
the people that are impacted,
social services specialist
Charles Loeffler (Local 843)
told the Washington News
Service radio network May
18.
Each of the Baby Jayden
dolls placed at landmarks
and other locations carried a
card asking those who came
across them to post a message
on social media urging the

One of the Baby Jayden tweets sent out May 17.

governor and lawmakers to
do more to lower caseloads
and provide competitive pay
to stop the recruitment and
retention crisis among Childrens social workers.
Loeffler hopes the success of the Baby Jayden social

Get General Government Bargaining text updates:

Staying up to date is as close as your smart phone.
Text GG to 237263 to receive text-message updates
from the team.
Page 4

media event will be used elsewhere by WFSE/AFSCME

members to raise awareness
about the Mission Critical nature of their jobs.
Theyre doing important
work as well and we need to
use social media to spotlight

the very many diverse functions that state workers do,

Loeffler said.

MORE ONLINE
http://wfse.org/babyjaydenraising-public-awareness/

For more information on General Government

bargaining and to get a message to your team, go
to:

http://wfse.org/neverquit/gg/

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

June 2016

STRONG CONTRACTS MATTER: May 17 Mission Critical images

The process of bargaining is participatory. It cant be successful without all of
us joining together EVERYWHERE. And we did just that with more than 100
worksite events at 82 locations around the state on the first day of General
Government bargaining May 17. We showed everyone how Mission Critical our jobs are. Here are a few images.

Washington Soldiers Home,

Orting (Local 53)

Skamania-Klickitat Local 716

Community Corrections, Tacoma
(Local 53)

DSHS-Tacoma Centennial Building (Local 53)

ABOVE: Labor & Industries, Bremerton (Local

1181)

ABOVE & LEFT: Fircrest

School-DSHS, Shoreline
(Local 341)

LEFT: Local 1054, Colville

Child Study & Treatment Center, Lakewood (Local 793)

Department of Transportation-Geiger Shed, Spokane (Local 504)

Washington Veterans Home, Retsil (Local 482)

DSHS member wins

union poster contest

Howard
Simonson

June 2016

Howard Simonson, a DSHS

member of Local 443 in Olympia, is the winner of the unions
DSHS Members Poster Contest
that spotlighted the theme of
unity.
Its exciting, Im very happy,
said Simonson, an information
tech systems/application specialist 6.
Simonsons poster used a
crossword puzzle motif with intersecting words like unwavering
and teammates arranged in a
way that DSHS stood out in red
and UNITY in green.
Everyone works hard for
unity, he said. Its everywhere
and we just dont recognize it. So
thats why I spelled it out.
Honorable Mention went to
Misty Connall of Chewelah, a
Local 1054 member and WorkFirst program specialist with
DSHS.
Simonsons and Connalls
posters were displayed at the recent Arts Walk event in Olympia.

Local 1299 rocks PSRW

You may have seen the
hundreds of photos from last
months Public Service Recognition Week events (http://
wfse.org/photo-gallerypsrw/), but one locals amazing story stood out.
North Central Washington Local 1299, covering the
largest geographic area of any
local in the union, brought
Public Service Recognition
Week events to as many
worksites as possible.
We are doing rolling
worksite events for the entire week all over 1299s area
(Wenatchee, Moses Lake,
Omak, Okanogan, Ephrata),
Local 1299 President Carol
Van Arnam explained. I have
shop stewards helping at each
jobsite.
We did things like lunch,
donuts and coffee and various
food events for the members.

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

We shared information about

WFSE, the Never Quit campaign, and the contract bargaining process and ideas.
Tuesday I started my
day at 6 a.m. at the donut
store and was there three
times with my pickup leaving
full each time.
Events covered that
week by Local 1299 included:
Department of Transportation (Moses Lake, Ephrata,
Wenatchee, elsewhere); Washington State Patrol; DSHS
(HCS, DDDA, JRA, DCSF,
DCS, CSO, Voc Rehab); Early
Learning; Interpreters; Labor
and Industries; Employment
Security; Corrections; and Licensing.
Our goal was to reach
every member in Local 1299
and say how much we appreciated them, Van Arnam
said.

Page 5

www.smarthealth.hca.wa.gov

It pays to be
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smart about

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How do I know when I earned enough points to qualify?

Simplewith the SmartHealth website, you can see when youve reached your 2,000
points. No guessing, no calculator needed. SmartHealth takes care of the busy work
so you can focus on having fun.

Save $125 on your medical deductibles

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Do I have to participate in SmartHealth?

No.
Participation
entirely voluntary.program
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statesisSmartHealth

started last year.

If you participated in 2015 and youre a member at a
state agency or institution of higher education, you
know the SmartHealth program rewards you with a $125
What happens if I dont participate in SmartHealth?
wellness incentive for participating in healthy activities.
You wont qualify for the $125 wellness incentive in 2016.
If you met those requirements, youll save $125 on your
deductible this year. Taking part this year can save you $125 next
year, too.

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Yes. SmartHealth is available from your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Some basics about SmartHealth 2016

IfCan
youI participated
last year, youll
seewhile
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visit the SmartHealth
website
work? in the
Workplace
policies
vary,
so
its
best
to
check
with
your
employer
your
wellness program. SmartHealth has invested in aandbest-insupervisor first.
class website that makes healthy lifestyle activities fun,
challenging, and social. SmartHealths new website offers a
fresh look and feel with easy-to-use, interactive tools and engaging
has access
to my to
Well-being
activities.Who
No more
paper forms
fill out! Assessment and

Earn points, save money

activity results?

Your individual Well-being Assessment and activity data are private and confidential
under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This information
is only available to you to create your personal activity plan and track your progress.

What is the wellness incentive?

The PEBB Program and its contracted vendor, Limeade, will receive information about
PEBB membership
as a whole (not personalized
data)
to regularly
developwelland offer
Eligible subscribers
can qualify
forone
of these
activities to meet members health needs and interests.

ness incentives in 2017:

Who can I contact if I have questions?

ASmartHealth
$125 reduction
in thetoll-free
subscribers
2017 PEBB
You can call
Customer Service
at 1-855-750-8866
(Monday through
Friday, 7 medical
a.m. to 7 p.m.
Pacific
Time)
for
questions
about
the
SmartHealth
website. For
deductible.
questions about eligibility for the SmartHealth wellness incentive, visit www.hca.wa.gov/
OR
pebb/Pages/wellness.aspx
or contact the following:

A one-time
deposit
ofemployers
$125 into
the subscribershealth
savings acEmployees:
Your
personnel,
payroll, or benefits office.
All other subscribers:
PEBB
Benefits Services at 1-800-200-1004.
count (if enrolled
in a PEBB
consumer-directed
health plan in 2017).

Important date:
9/30/16: Deadline to reach 2,000 points

to qualify for the $125 wellness incentive.

Healthcare coverage in retirement: What you need to know

Costs for health insurance are not only continuing to rise, but they are also
an increasing percentage
of your income as you
age. According to the U.S
Bureau of Labor Statistics
health care expenses increase from 6 percent of
household spending at age
45, to nearly 13 percent of
household income by age
65 for the average American.
State employees have
an opportunity most Americans do not: You all have
access to health insurance
at retirement through the
Public Employees Benefits
Board (PEBB). Unfortu-

RPEC
CORNER
Online:
rpecwa.org

nately, many learn the

hard way that though the
premium may seem high,
especially for those not
yet Medicare eligible, it is
much more comprehensive
coverage with a discounted
rate than you can find on
the open market.
Almost every session,
RPEC has proposed legislation to allow a one-time
open enrollment for those
who had access to PEBB

OT, from page 8

amount, according to the settlement
agreement. But if the Legislature
does not fund it, the settlement
agreement is null and void.
The Feds determined these social

Page 6

coverage at retirement but

who turned it down, were
misinformed, or saw their
deferral terminated. The
cost for this proposal is so
large however, that it never
passes.
So its important as public sector employees near
retirement to understand a
few facts about your access
to health insurance coverage.
Eligible retirees have 60
days after their employment ends to enroll in
a plan under the Public
Employees Benefit Board
(PEBB).
If a retiree does not enroll

worker/social service specialist job

classes are overtime eligible and will
receive $9.75 million in damages from
Feb. 18, 2006 (or whenever employees
entered those job classes) until the date
of the settlement.
The settlement was signed May 20.
The dollar settlement includes

In SmartHealth 2016, youll earn

points based on certain requirements and activities. If you reach
2,000 points by Sept. 30, 2016,
youll qualify for the incentive that
will save you $125 in 2017


(See What is the wellness
incentive above).

in PEBB or request a deferral, they will lose the ability to access PEBB coverage
in the future.
Many retirees elect to
defer their enrollment in
PEBB, most commonly
because they are covered
under a spouses plan.
In order to maintain
eligibility for PEBB enrollment after a deferral, a retiree must be continuously
enrolled in other medical
coverage during their deferral period.
Retirees who are granted
a referral must request enrollment within 60 days of
their alternative medical
coverage ending.
PEBB benefits and cov-

$4.875 million in back wages and

$4.875 million in statutory damages.
DSHS had 30 days to identify
which employees are eligible. The Department of Labor has 60 days to tell
DSHS the amount each eligible employee will get.
For at least three years from May

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

erage can change. This is

why RPEC has a representative on the PEBB who
advocates on behalf of retirees.
The Retired Public Employees Council of Washington/AFSCME has
volunteer advisors who
can assist retirees in making informed choices about
their health care coverage.
The RPEC State Health
Care Benefits Advisors
(SHIBA) can be reached at
1-800-562-6097.
To contact the Public
Employees Benefit Board
(PEBB), please call 1-800200-1004.

20, 2016, DSHS will modify its

appointment letters for overtimeeligible DSHS Childrens Administration social service specialist staff
to include additional language about
Fair Labor Standard Act overtime
eligibility, clear guidelines to request
overtime and other information.

June 2016

WFSE/AFSCME MEMBERS ONLY BENEFITS

WFSE/AFSCME Howard Ocobock Memorial

SHARED LEAVE
REQUESTS
Heidi Castillo, a financial
services specialist with DSHS
in Moses Lake and a member
of Local 1299, is in need of
shared leave to care for her
daughter, who was born prematurely. Contact your human
resource office.
Karen Lewis, a tax specialist
3 with the Employment Security Department in Olympia
and a member of Local 443,
is in need of shared leave
for surgeries related to her
battle with cancer. Contact:
Kathleen Young at kayoung@
esd.wa.gov, or your human resource office.
Lee Trevino, a medical assistance specialist 3 with
the Health Care Authority in
Olympia and a member of Local 443, is in need of shared
leave to cover time he is away
from work during his extended
recovery from an ongoing
serious illness. He is a single
custodial father and has been
in recovery since March. Contact: Paula Williamson, (360)
725-3805, or your own human
resource office.
Retta Broadway, a financial
services specialist 4 with
DSHS in Mount Vernon and
a member of Local 1060, has
been approved for shared
leave. Contact your human resource office.
Shannon Coleman, a financial services specialist 3 with
DSHS in Everett and a member of Local 948, is in need
of shared leave because of a
serious health condition and
does not have enough accrued leave to cover all of her
absences. Contact your human
resource office.

FAMILY CAMPOUT
Sept. 16-18, 2016

Cornet Bay Environmental Learning/Retreat Center

Tammy Amos, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS in

Puyallup and a member of Local 53, has been approved for
shared leave because of a serious medical condition. Contact
your human resource office.
Cynthia Hernandez, a financial services specialist 3 with
DSHS in Kelso and a member
of Local 1400, has been approved for and is in need of
shared leave. Contact your human resource office.
Tracy Hackworth, a financial services specialist 3 with

June 2016

Check-in begins on Friday at 1pm.

Cabins have been reserved. WFSE/AFSCME will pay the $11.56 per night camp fee for
members; members pay $11.56 per night for any family or guests (children under 3 free).
Cornet Bay has 14 cabins that sleep 10, one that sleeps four, one that sleeps six, the duplex that sleeps 28 and bunkhouse 40.
Non-refundable registration fee of up to $30 per family for cancellations after Aug. 22.
Lodge and recreation hall with fully equipped kitchens available for meals. Bring your own
food for breakfast, lunch and Friday evening dinner.
Saturday night BBQ with hotdogs, hamburgers, condiments and chips provided. Each
family should bring one main dish to serve eight, plus a salad or dessert.
What is not provided: sleeping bags or bedding materials; kitchen linens and dishwashing
supplies; firewood; first aid equipment; recreational equipment.
Activities: fishing on lakes; kayaking and canoeing; hiking; horseshoes; golf course and
rifle range nearby; interpretive center; lighthouse and gun batteries at Fort Casey State
Park located 15 miles away.
No pets are permitted.
Boat ramps: The park provides five saltwater and two freshwater boat ramps, plus 710
feet of saltwater dock and 450 feet of freshwater dock. All motors are prohibited on Pass
Lake, and only electric motors allowed on Cranberry Lake. Watercraft launching permits
for $7 and a trailer dumping permit for $5 may be purchased at the park.

The park is outstanding for breath-taking

views, old-growth forests and abundant
wildlife. http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/

Deadline to register:
Aug. 22, 2016

QUESTIONS? Contact Tavie Smith at 1-800-562-6002 tavies@wfse.org

REGISTER ONLINE at WFSE.org/family-campouts/ or mail this form to WFSE HQ*

Deadline to register: Aug. 22, 2016

If you register and need to cancel, please do so by the Aug. 22 deadline so those on the waiting list can take your place.

The WFSE/AFSCME Members Only

Benefits Committee and the WFSE/AFSCME Statewide Executive Board invite
all WFSE/AFSCME members and their
families to come to this fun, overnight
get-together at one of the most beautiful
state parks maintained by members of
Parks Local 1466.

Lisa Zavala, a Workfirst program specialist with DSHS in

Mount Vernon and a member
of Local 1060, is in need of
shared leave because of a serious medical condition. Contact:
Cheryl Stailey, (360) 429-2801.
Delores (Dee) Howard, a developmental disabilities case
resource manager with DSHS
in Spokane and a member
of Local 1221, is off work because of an ongoing medical
condition. Contact your human
resource office.

at Deception Pass State Park

Cornet Bay at Deception Pass is set on

a saltwater bay, offers access to hiking
trails and freshwater lakes nearby.

LOCAL#:

NAME
Street
(

Home phone

City

State

Zip

Cell Phone

What activities are you interested in?

Home e-mail address

How many family members or guests will you

be bringing? ____________

Hiking

Birdwatching

Fishing on lakes

Interpretive Center

Basketball

Baseball

Horseshoes

Kayaking and canoeing

Volleyball

Soccer

Please pay $11.56 for each participating family member/guest by Aug. 22;
no charge for WFSE/AFSCME members and children under age 3.

*Mail this form to: Tavie Smith, WFSE/AFSCME Campouts, 1212 Jefferson St SE #300, Olympia WA 98501

Washington Federation of State Employees AFSCME Council 28 AFL-CIO www.wfse.org

DSHS in Olympia and a member of Local 443, has been

approved for shared leave and
is in need of shared leave because of a serious condition.
Contact your human resource
office.
Jennifer Brascher, a program
specialist 3 with DSHS in Lacey and a member of Local 443,
is recovering from total hip
replacement surgery. Contact:
Angela Petty, (360) 725-2594,
or your human resource office.
Dennis Trudeau, a social service specialist 4 with DSHS in
Aberdeen and a member of
Local 970, has been approved
for shared leave because of a
serious condition. Contact your
human resource office.

Claudia Hernandez, a financial services specialist 3

with DSHS in Aberdeen and
a member of Local 970, has
been approved for and is in
need of shared leave because
of a serious condition. Contact
your human resource office.
Shauna Keatts, a WorkFirst
program specialist with DSHS
in Kennewick and a member
of Local 1253, has been approved for shared leave to care
for her elderly parent. Contact
your human resource office.
Rebekah Wilder Aubertin, a
financial services specialist 3
with DSHS in Spokane, is in
need of shared leave because
of a serious medical condition.
Contact your human resource
office.

Tammy Knigge, a WorkFirst

program specialist with DSHS
in Kennewick, has been approved for shared leave.
Contact your human resource
office.
Eddie Isiordia, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS in
Sunnyside, has been approved
for shared leave. Contact your

human resource office.

Deandra Standley, a financial
services specialist 3 with DSHS
in Tacoma and a member of
Local 53, is in still in need of
shared leave. Contact: Clarissa
Cretell, (253) 476-7078, or your
own human resource office.

Yakima stewards Never Quit!

Congratulations to the graduates of the recent Stewards-in-Action training in
Yakima. Members from Locals 1253, 1326, 1291 and 396 attended.

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

Page 7

FACES OF OUR FUTURE: 2016 WFSE/AFSCME Scholars

Norm Schut Scholars

This years recipients of the $1,000 Norm Schut Scholarships (named

after WFSE/AFSCMEs first executive director) are:

Estevan Glatt
Son of Russell Glatt,
Local 1253, Tri-Cities

Selena Walsh Smith

Daughter of Megan Walsh,

Local 443, Olympia

Selena Walsh Smith, a 2016 graduate of Avanti High School in Olympia, will
pursue studies in environmental conservation at The Evergreen State College in Olympia. She is the daughter of Local 443 member Megan Walsh, a
legislative assistant for the state House of Representatives. Her reaction after
learning she was a 2016 Norm Schut Scholar: Oh my gosh, I just felt very
thankful, it was very humbling....My mom was super-thrilled. She inherited
from her parents an appreciation for the union. One thing I value about
unions is theyre not just for members, but also for society -- and the kids
in society today, she said.

Becky Floreck

Centralia College, Local 862

Estevan Glatt (son of Tri-Cities Local 1253 member Russell Glatt, left) will use his $1,000 WFSE/AFSCME Norm Schut
Scholarship to pursue a degree in computer science at Washington State University-Tri-Cities. The 2016 graduate of
Chiawana High School in Pasco said its just a big deal that I got this opportunity....Its a big deal my dad is in a union
that has this scholarship available. Hes worked hard for the union over the years. Estevan credits his dad with
instilling the value of public service; he even volunteers at a community food bank. Russell Glatt is proud his familys
ethic of volunteerism has rubbed off on his son. I do believe when you give of yourself, it comes back to you, said Russell, a WorkFirst social worker for the Department of Social and Health Services and a Local 1253 shop steward. I work
for people in poverty, Russell added. Im obviously in the middle class, so it gives Estevan the opportunity to see people
in great need. That empathy for the people his dad serves is another reason Estevan said hes so proud to be one of the
unions Norm Schut Scholars for this year.

Younglove & Coker Scholar

This years recipient of the $2,500 Younglove &

Coker Scholarship (funded through a generous grant
from our outside legal firm, Younglove & Coker):

Brenna Miller

Daughter of Christopher Miller,

Local 443, Tumwater

Brenna Miller, a 2015 graduate of Elma High School, is

currently pursuing a degree
in pre-physical therapy at
Grays Harbor College. Her
father, Christopher Miller, is
a program manager at the
Department of Labor and
Industries in Tumwater and a
member of Local 443.

Becky Floreck makes a difference in the lives of hundreds of families and children in her job as a program
assistant with the Early Childhood Education Assistance
Program (ECEAP) at Centralia College. That program
serves about 240 children. Our goal is to give resources to those families who
may not know about them, Floreck said. She wants to build on that commitment by using the 2016 Norm Scut Scholarship to pursue a degree in applied
management. My overall goal is to not only challenge myself with these
classes but to achieve this degree while working 40 hours a week while juggling a family, the Local 862 member said. Its to prove to myself and my
boys how important education is and that no matter what it takes to get
there and how hard it is--its all worth it.

MORE
ONLINE

Check upcoming scholarships for 2017:

http://wfse.org/scholarship-info/

ALERT: Applications for Althea Lute Memorial Scholarship

($5,000) due July 31. http://wfse.org/althea-lute-memorialscholarship/
DONT FORGET: The Neville B. Crippen Grant-in-Aid
Awards to help members advance their education or improve skills. http://wfse.org/neville-b-crippen-grant-in-aidaward/

Protecting your privacy

Well know July 29 if weve blocked the Freedom Foundation permanently
A court hearing is set for
July 29 on a permanent injunction blocking the Freedom
Foundation from getting your
private information.
The July 29 hearing will
take place in Thurston County
Superior Court.
A judge last month granted WFSE/AFSCMEs request
for a preliminary injunction
blocking release of your date
of birth to the Freedom Foun-

dation.
That
preliminary
injunction
stays in
place until
the July 29
Updates: wfse.org
court hearing.
Weve won an important
round in the legal fight to
protect your privacy from the
Freedom Foundation -- but

its not over yet, said WFSE/

AFSCME Executive Director
Greg Devereux.
The Freedom Foundations possible use of the
private information for commercial purposes played into
the judges ruling.
Thurston County Superior
Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson
issued the preliminary injunction May 27.

The judge said there was

a good chance that the Washington Federation of State
Employees/AFSCME and
other unions had a likelihood
of success prevailing on a
permanent injunction on the
commercial purposes argument.
WFSE/AFSCME had
argued the release of state
employees birthdates to the
Freedom Foundation would

violate the provisions of the

state public records act because the foundation intended to use the information for
commercial purposes.
The unions had provided
exhibits showing how the
foundation might do that, including a nine-page letter sent
to a WFSE/AFSCME member
on May 2 soliciting donations
of up to $5,000 to the Freedom
Foundation.

Feds order nearly $10 million in overtime damages to Childrens Administration social workers
The United States Department of
Labor has settled an overtime lawsuit
with the Department of Social and
Health Services under which social
worker 2s and 3s (now social service

Page 8

specialist 2s and 3s) will receive nearly

$10 million in damages.
The feds said the social workers
were being treated as overtime-exempt
when they should have been overtime-

eligible.
DSHS social workers with questions about the settlement can call a
special hotline set up by the Department of Labor: (206) 398-8039.

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

The settlement is contingent

on funding by the state Legislature. DSHS promises to request this

See OT, page 6

June 2016