SPOKANE, Wash. — Hundreds of state workers around Washington walked off the job during their lunch break today to protest Governor Bob Ferguson’s pay and their own compensation.
The walkout was organized by the Washington Federation of State Employees, with 11 protests happening in the Spokane area.
“The governor keeps talking about how much state employees are doing for the state, but he’s not recognizing that we also need to have pay raises and we need to have stronger language in our contracts to protect all of our state employees,” said Shauna Lowery, a local union vice president who works at the Department of Children, Youth and Families.
Ferguson is paid $234,275 a year and received a 7% raise in each of the last two years. His salary is set by an independent citizens committee.
The Washington Federation of State Employees is in the middle of negotiating new contracts. Union leaders say most of its 56,000 members make $40,000 to $60,000 per year. They received a 2% raise this year and a 3% raise last year.
Union leaders say they are asking for pay that matches inflation and better benefits. However, they say the state has been unwilling to make any changes to the contracts.
One woman says many of her co-workers struggle to make ends meet.
“These are very real realities that people are having to live with, and when we don’t have our contract that ensures that we’re getting fair wages, it is unfair for everyone who serves the state and everybody who serves the public,” said Nahaci Torres, who works for the Department of Labor and Industries.
The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
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