Hundreds of Washington state workers descended on the Capitol on April 6, staging a sit-in outside the governor’s office and a march to the gates of the executive mansion to protest potential furloughs amid a massive budget shortfall.
Workers from the Washington Federation of State Employees and other local unions pushed for a so-called wealth tax rather than cutting their earnings or state programs to fill the estimated $16 billion budget hole. Gov. Bob Ferguson has shunned the revenue idea as an untested concept that will attract court challenges.
Protesting workers made two passes to Ferguson’s office. The first time they encountered a closed door and chanted from outside for the governor to meet with them. A short time later, they returned and a small crowd, including federation president Mike Yestramski, got inside but did not meet with the governor.
“One of his people came out and said we’ll let him know you were here,” Yestramski said. “I think we made our message clear.”
Ferguson was not on campus on April 6. He was working in Seattle.
Brionna Aho, Ferguson’s communications director, said in an email, “We value our state employees. Our team has been in regular and close communication with WFSE at multiple levels, including numerous calls and meetings with our senior leadership.”
As part of his suite of proposed budget cuts, Ferguson has floated two years of one-day-per-month furloughs for state workers. Potential budget saving options also include closing state facilities, like reentry centers for people leaving prison and residential care facilities for people with developmental disabilities.
Senate Democrats’ operating budget plan, unveiled last month, includes 13 unpaid furlough days in the fiscal year starting July 1. House Democrats avoid furloughs entirely.
The governor and Democratic lawmakers both look to honor collective bargaining agreements with 5% wage increases over the next two years for state employees. However, state workers say the effect of the furloughs will eat up most of the negotiated pay hikes.
Yestramski said he had not met with Ferguson since he took office.
He called 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 told the cheering crowd as it then headed to the Capitol.
The legislative session is scheduled to end April 27.