Ashley Fueston, Vice President of the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) — American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Council 28— joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Walkout for Washington and their tentative agreement for the 2025-2027 General Government contract.
WFSE, or AFSCME Council 28, represents over 50,000 state and public service workers in Washington. Fueston said the council’s purpose has been advocating for public workers, their families and communities across the state since 1943. Fueston has received the Steward of the Year Award from Local 443 and, in 2019, the Rising Star Steward Award from the WFSE. She won the awards as part of her work on the Strategies for Success life skills training program for individuals receiving government benefits struggling to make ends meet.
The negotiation process for the General Government contract began in April this year. Fueston discussed the purpose of starting negotiations almost five months before the end of the current agreement. Following the contract demands from WFSE being submitted, management offered a 1 percent raise in the next year, followed by no increases for the remainder of the contract. Fueston discussed the reaction from members and their efforts to get a better offer from management.
On Sept. 10, WFSE members at more than 130 work sites across the site walked off the job to draw attention to the need for a fair contract. The walkout, now known as the Walkout for Washington, resulted in a new 2025-2027 General Government tentative agreement two days later. Fueston discussed the benefits of the tentative agreement and the upcoming ratification vote.
For more from Fueston, please listen to the show above.