OLYMPIA — Thousands of Washington public employees plan to walkout for a short, coordinated protest Monday, August 31, as contract talks with the state remain stalled.
The Washington Federation of State Employees, known as WFSE or AFSCME Council 28, said members at about 125 locations across the state will take part in the “Walkout with Washington” on August 31. Most protests are scheduled during lunch or other paid time, typically lasting about 30 minutes. Organizers say the goal is visibility, not a prolonged work stoppage that would shut down services.
WFSE represents roughly 52,000 workers who are staff employed at state agencies, the University of Washington and other four-year schools, community and technical colleges, the Department of Corrections, social-service offices, transportation crews, and some healthcare settings. The union is the state’s largest public-employee organization and is affiliated with the national AFSCME.
Talks for the 2027-29 contracts began in the spring. Workers received a 3% general wage increase in 2025 and another 2% in July 2026. Union leaders say those raises have not kept pace with inflation, housing costs, or growing caseloads. They also point to recruitment and retention problems that they say leave remaining staff with heavier workloads.
Negotiations for the 2027-29 contracts got underway this spring. Workers had already received a 3% raise in 2025 and another 2% this July, but union leaders say those increases have not kept up with inflation, housing costs, or steadily rising caseloads. They also point to ongoing trouble hiring and keeping staff, which they say only adds to the workload on those workers who remain.
The trigger for the walkouts came after a mid-July bargaining session where, according to union bargainers, the state’s team, led by the Office of Financial Management under Gov. Bob Ferguson, indicated no additional compensation money had been authorized for the next biennium. WFSE repeatedly described the position as “not a dime.”
“We didn’t come to the negotiating table expecting rainbows and unicorns,” the general-government bargaining team wrote in a July update. “But what the Governor’s team of negotiators brought to us yesterday wasn’t just tough—it was offensive and self-defeating.”
The walkout is aimed at Ferguson’s administration, OFM negotiators, and leadership at universities and community colleges.
In recent months the governor and OFM Director K.D. Chapman-See have warned agencies of “significant” shortfalls in the 2027-29 biennium and instructed them to prepare cuts while avoiding new taxes. Ferguson has said his priorities are preserving core services, protecting vulnerable residents, and maintaining the state’s credit rating.
WFSE President Mike Yestramski, a psychiatric social worker at Western State Hospital, has framed the dispute as both a pay issue and a service issue.
“Years of cuts and ballooning workloads for employees in high-stakes jobs, like protecting vulnerable children, maintaining public safety, and caring for intellectually and developmentally disabled folks, is a recipe for avoidable suffering and billions in liability,” Yestramski said.
He added that members “should be able to pay their rent, buy enough groceries to feed their family.”
The union is asking the public, allied labor groups, and supportive small businesses to join.
The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, which represents more than half a million union members in the state, has publicly said it will join Monday’s walkout, writing on X: “We’re walking out with state workers on Monday to support their fight for a fair contract! Actions are planned in dozens of locations statewide and everyone is invited to support the public workers we all rely on. Find an action near you.”
A similar statewide walkout on September 10, 2024, drew thousands of participants at more than 130 sites. Union officials said tentative agreements on the 2025-27 contracts began arriving within two days. Organizers present the 2026 action as a repeat of that tactic.
In Snohomish County, walkouts are expected at the following locations between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.:
- DCYF,DSHS – Walkout with Washington – Arlington
- AGO – Walkout with Washington – Everett
- DCYF, DSHS – Walkout with Washington – Everett
- Everett Community College – Walkout with Washington
- WA State Employees – Walkout with Washington – Everett
- WA State Employees – Walkout with Washington – Lynnwood
- University of Washington Medical Center – Montlake – Walkout with Washington
WFSE is directing supporters to an Action Network campaign page where they can search by ZIP code for all statewide locations, specific times, etc. Telework employees are being asked to join the nearest in-person site. Event details and RSVPs: https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/wfse-walkout-with-washington.
A larger union action in Olympia is already scheduled for September 5 if talks do not advance after Monday.
Author: Mario Lotmore
