Tons of of Washington state employees descended on the Capitol on Wednesday, staging a sit-in outdoors the governor’s workplace and a march to the gates of the manager mansion to protest potential furloughs amid a large finances shortfall.
Employees from the Washington Federation of State Workers and different native unions pushed for a so-called wealth tax slightly than reducing their earnings or state packages to fill the estimated $16 billion finances gap. Gov. Bob Ferguson has shunned the income concept as an untested idea that may appeal to court docket challenges.
Protesting employees made two passes to Ferguson’s workplace. The primary time they encountered a closed door and chanted from outdoors for the governor to satisfy with them. A short while later, they returned and a small crowd, together with federation president Mike Yestramski, received inside however didn’t meet with the governor.
“One of his people came out and said we’ll let him know you were here,” Yestramski mentioned. “I think we made our message clear.”
Ferguson was not on campus Wednesday. He was working in Seattle.
As a part of his suite of proposed finances cuts, Ferguson has floated two years of one-day-per-month furloughs for state employees. Potential finances saving choices additionally embody closing state amenities, like reentry facilities for individuals leaving jail and residential care amenities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Senate Democrats’ working finances plan, unveiled final month, contains 13 unpaid furlough days within the fiscal yr beginning July 1. Home Democrats keep away from furloughs fully.
The governor and Democratic lawmakers each look to honor collective bargaining agreements with 5% wage will increase over the subsequent two years for state staff. Nonetheless, state employees say the impact of the furloughs will eat up many of the negotiated pay hikes.
Employees started Wednesday with an hour-long rally on the Capitol grounds, subsequent to Tivoli Fountain, by which labor leaders and legislators repeatedly blasted the first-term governor for not standing behind them after public sector unions supplied their full-throated assist for him within the 2024 election.
Audio system talked of the chaos that might ensue if hundreds of state employees staged a one-day walkout in protest of the furlough concepts.
“Governor Ferguson, the choice is yours. We gave you your job. We can take it from you too,” mentioned Milö Nicholas, a public well being employee and vp of Native 443 that represents state staff in Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties.
Rep. Brianna Thomas, D-Seattle, mentioned the governor appeared to have forgotten who helped get him elected. She vowed to face robust towards balancing the budgets on the backs of the employees.
“Bob may be a chessmaster, but he sure as s**t ain’t beating me in a street fight,” she mentioned.
Yestramski took the stage final on the outside rally. He has referred to as Ferguson a “pseudo Democrat” and a “ratfink.”
“I heard the governor might be a little upset with us. He doesn’t like being called out,” Yestramski mentioned. “You know what we don’t like? Being scammed.”
Yestramski mentioned he had not met with Ferguson since he took workplace.
He referred to as on Ferguson to “look us in the eye and tell us why you are prioritizing billionaires over the working people of this state. He’s too busy to meet with us. We’ve all got time right now,” Yestramski instructed the cheering crowd because it then headed to the Capitol.
Contained in the rotunda, their booming chants “No cuts, no furloughs, tax, tax the rich” could possibly be heard within the Home and Senate chambers the place lawmakers had been voting on laws.
Democrats from the 2 chambers at the moment are negotiating a remaining finances plan.
Democratic legislative leaders mentioned Wednesday they plan to launch new concepts for elevating income subsequent week in keeping with the governor’s needs.
“My members and I in the House are all going to get pushed to our limit in a year like this. Every member of the Senate is going to get pushed to their limit in a year like this, and so is the governor,” Home Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, instructed reporters. “The point that we’re trying to get to is probably a somewhat narrow path.”
The legislative session is scheduled to finish April 27.
