Washington Public Employees Association Votes on New Pact for Retroactive Pay Raises

Washington State Employees Vote on New Pact to Secure Lost Raises

Olympia, WA — Thousands of state government and community college employees in Washington are casting their votes on a new agreement that could restore the 3% pay raises they missed out on earlier this year. Nearly 5,300 members of the Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA) are participating in the ratification vote, which began on August 22 and will conclude on September 14.

In July, these employees were left without the scheduled pay hike due to a timing issue; their two-year contract was not approved in time for state lawmakers to include it in the budget. Now, the revised agreement, if ratified and funded by the Legislature next year, promises not only a retroactive 3% salary increase but also a year’s worth of back pay.

The urgency of the vote is underscored by state law, which mandates that public sector unions must finalize new contracts by October 1 to be considered for funding in the upcoming two-year budget. The current budget has already allocated funds for multiple contracts that include pay increases and other salary-related adjustments, such as raising the minimum wage for state workers to $18 an hour.

Last fall, WPEA members overwhelmingly rejected a tentative agreement that included similar pay hikes, citing concerns that it amounted to a pay cut amid rising living costs. Union negotiators warned that rejecting the proposal would lead to “uncharted territory” for their members.

The affected employees work across 14 community colleges and nine state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources and the Liquor and Cannabis Board. After a challenging negotiation period, the WPEA and the Office of Financial Management reached a tentative agreement in March, which members ratified just weeks before the legislative session ended.

While the new agreement offers a path for employees to receive the 3% raise and an additional 2% next year, the eligibility for back pay varies between state government and community college employees. State workers would receive retroactive compensation regardless of their employment status on July 1, 2026, while community college employees must be on the payroll at that time to qualify.

Union officials expressed mixed feelings about the outcome of the negotiations, acknowledging that while they did not secure everything they aimed for, significant gains were made, and detrimental proposals were defeated.

As the voting period continues, union officials are holding off on further comments until the results are in. The outcome of this vote could significantly impact the financial well-being of thousands of public employees across Washington, as they seek to recover lost wages and secure a more stable financial future.

This story is republished from the Washington State Standard, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet that provides original reporting, analysis, and commentary on Washington state government and politics.