WFSE docs show at least 1900 dissidents
Posted by Sonya Jones - July 23, 2008Thoughts? Add Comment -
Christina said on Jul 24 2008 at 9:01am
I am one of those 1900 people that recieved both letters. After I recieved the first one I got a check in the mail for $27.00 from WFSE for overpayment! Kinda makes you wonder huh.
Since the second letter I have been forced to pay WFSE rep fees in order to keep my job. I would like to point out that in the first letter, WFSE stated I owed member fees, I never said I wanted to be a member so their assumption is way off. Like most of the other 1900 people, I haven't paid any of my back fees, I thought i'd wait and see what comes of it. BTY, one of my counterparts recieved the letters for $55.00! She failed to pay for her first month employment. geezzzzz
I have nothing agaisnt Unions, but I don't need a babysitter. I am a professional that negotiated my own pay and benifets when I hired on. I should have a choice and Washington should be a right to work state.
WFSE, if you're SO great, why hold the persons job over their head.
anonymous said on Jul 24 2008 at 3:22pm
i am not one of those 1900 people, but i do not agree with us being force to pay union dues and it keep going up. Some of the rep. dont care about anyone but themself, ive been in situation where i over heard a rep. bashing on their client, behind their back. Not the kinda Rep. i want to represent me.
Swoop Hawker said on Jul 24 2008 at 8:09pm
I am a Non-Member forced to pay Union dues. The fact of the matter is that it is a conditional of employment for our State Agency. Recently, as a non-member, I was sent an accounting statement that showed the Union spent over 30 Million dollars of dues money on Political Contributions -- Unacceptable!
Further, the work of the Union is done by the so-called Shop Stewards who for the most part neglect to perform most of the duties they were hired to perform as a State Worker -- Unacceptable again!
We need a unified effort to "oust" the Union. Or at a minimum, make membership optional. My opinion is that they are not needed at all.
Jones said on Jul 24 2008 at 8:54pm
Thank you all - this is the beginning of the unified effort Swoop longs for...
Fight Corruption! said on Jul 25 2008 at 6:57am
No State Employee should EVER be REQUIRED to pay money to a union - especially when you consider the fact that the writers of those laws acept tremendous amounts of political contributions from those very same unions. These contributions are from the very same money they extort from employees based on that requirement. It is ABSOLUTELY UNETHICAL!
anonymous said on Jul 25 2008 at 8:52am
The date and location where voting for mandatory union dues was kept private the majority of employees had no opportunity to vote. Once mandatory union contributions were announced I was informed I had to pay or be fired, this mandate came from my employer. The entire process was unfair.
After being forced to pay dues I read an article in a newsletter from the Union where they boasted of the high increase in membership as if people voluntarily made this choice, this was not the case.
The union has managed to find a way to reach into our pockets without our voluntary consent. They have now managed to take more money from our salaries in the same manner with their rate hike.
I don't feel like the union supports our interests, I believe they support their own interests.
We were forced to contribute or be jobless. Many of us have no interest in belonging to the union or paying dues for non-membership. The forced contribution was handled secretly and felt like fraud and the increased contribution appears to be brought on by greed coupled with the ability to get away with it. It is contemptable. I can't believe this can happen and that there is nothing we can do about it.
I don't want to belong to the union and don't think there should be a charge for non-representation.
It Should Be YOUR Choice! said on Jul 25 2008 at 5:41pm
Having a union represent employees should be the employees' choice - not the unions' - and not the government's. Most unions that represent state employees were certified years and years and years ago - Once they are certified, the ONLY way to remove them is through a DECERTIFICATION Elelection. And, the ONLY way to get that election is to sign the DECERTIFICATION Cards.
There's more information about decertification, non-association, and more - as well as a printable card at the following web site...
www.freeconscience.org
John said on Jul 26 2008 at 1:03pm
I am a Member, forced to join and pay Union dues as a matter of conditions for employment with a State Agency. As a Union member, I am aware that my dues went to help pay over 30 Million dollars on Political Contributions without clarification with me.
THis is completely Unacceptable for someone to take my money and that indicated they are representing me at various Political Action and Party groups that do not hold my interest nor concerns for my state and country.
What's more for my union dues I get nothing or essentially nothing... No benefits, no retirement, no medical, nothing. And as for rperesenting us all one needs to do is read the contract and see disciplinary measures or protection from bad and/or mismanagement are not there, no teeth, nothing to force upper management to care.
It is my belief that if this were an open shop sort of system then the Union would be more responsive to their membership needs. Don't give a member nothing then nothing is what you get in return.
Further, the work of the Union is done by the so-called Shop Stewards who for the most part neglect to perform most of the duties they were hired to perform as a State Worker -- Unacceptable again!
We need a unified effort to "oust" the Union. Or at a minimum, make membership optional. My opinion is that they are not needed at all.
af said on Jul 27 2008 at 10:59am
I recently went all the way through an arbitration on a greivance. What a joke! At every step of the way the union wanted me to "settle." What was most disappointing is the fact that a "union" attorney was so unprepared for arbitration because in his mind his purpose was to convince me to settle. I believe that he came to the arbitration hearing ready to settle. when I decided that wasn't what I wanted to do, he spend alot of his time on his cell phone cancelling prior committments he had made for the same day. He did not prepare any witnesses; nor had he prepared the case. The attorney general for the state had prepared and the union attorney had not. Needless to say, I lost the arbitration. My case was not made. I don't feel that I should continue paying union dues to a union who is ready to sell you out and not work on your behalf if you don't do what they want you to do.
John said on Jul 29 2008 at 7:02pm
I am not against unions. I just happen to be against this union. I personally have a problem with: my dues going to political action committees and getting information in the mail basically telling me how I should vote, expenditures on things like respect and no bullying buttons, increased dues, forced membership and I could go on and on and on. Where was the union when I first started working for the state? Did the union negotiate at what level I started at for me? NO. Did the union even stop by my desk in the first years I was employed to welcome me? NO Did the union ever tell me about the benefits of union membership? NO Have they given away some of our rights? YES Obviously this is all my opinion but when I know of union stewards that are stewards only because they get fed once a month at lunch for free it just seems to me the patients are running the insane asylum.
By the way, the only group that can be accused of bullying is the union. When the higher ups basically tell us how to vote, we know what is best for you, etc. Seems to me that is bullying.
monte hanks said on Jul 30 2008 at 1:07pm
Before the vote -union stewards were overheard stating negitive comments on timelyness of assisting non dues paying FTE's.--lack of good faith
Before the vote- Neither union stewards or officers made a good faith effort to let non due's paying FTE's know they had the right to vote on the initial bargaining contract. -- lack of good faith
Contract did not go to legislature as presented but rather straight to the Gov for signing. Suspicious.
FTE's intiminated for not sdues payrole deducted-some paid with checks.
Gave mis leading information by stating that non members or religion members could only donate compairable funds to who the union selected which were union orgainizations.n
And last by sure to not be least Rank and File FTE were not allowed to choose who sat on their safety committie. FTE's were asked for nominations and then job stewards and other non rank and file union affiliated persons made the choise for the employees. People were told that the contract stated the union had rights to pick the safety committe?? So if union officers/management get to select members then the banner "Its your union" is false. Any union I ever belonged to or had a part in my growing up the union was its rank and file members not the officers, stewards or the orgianizers or anyone in the chain of managing union affairs.
This so called union looks more like a money laundering operation for a political orgainizaton. We need to work to support our family other wise lots of folks would be tossing rotting food matter at the union meetings. They have not come through with one little shred of positive for the rank and file to date. But its pretty obvious to see who really has profited with this hositile take over of state employee lively hood. the WFSE is a dog org that is bleeding state employees for self gratification. fast no spell check gotta go back to work.
LLL said on Jul 30 2008 at 6:46pm
Get with your state representatives and senators and have a bill introduced to undue what they did. This Union and SEIU put forth these so called, "collective bargaining" bills.
We stopped SEIU this last legislative session, but they will be back and are looking to target the representatives and senators that helped kill their bill last session.
I would go that route rather than try to de-certify. That which the legislature voted for, they can unvote for.
Google "SEIU reform" and see some more horror stories.
I have my own story, but for another time.
Get with your representatives and senators. It will work. Hanging out in the last two legislative sessions I saw your representatives and senators were getting awful tired of getting bullied, too.
Make sure you expose the unions if they are targeting representatives and senators who did the right thing and voted ethically.
Steve Eacker said on Aug 13 2008 at 9:40pm
Swoop Hawker said on Sep 21 2008 at 3:59pm
Here is a suggestion -- Ask your Union to offer a "dues holiday" or "union economic stimulus" which means the Union would waive dues for a period of time until this economy improves. It will never happen. But it would show just how much the Union could care-less about it's "Members" like you.
Swoop Hawker said on Sep 21 2008 at 4:06pm
I talked with a WA State Senator about introducing legislation to weaken the union. He smiled, and rightfully so. The party in control of the Legislature ALL recieve money from the unions. The more members in the union, the more money they get for their campaign's.
REALLY want to make a difference, let's talk about an Eyman type Initiative that asks one question of Washington Voters:
Question: Should citizens of this State have the right to chose to join a Union?
An Initiave would reverse the RCW's that make this a "Forced Unionism" state.
Concerned State Employee said on Mar 26 2009 at 10:24pm
The contract is almost up, just in time for the 2009 budget cuts. Now is the time, let's vote these guys out. We almost did it several years ago. Let's get organized. I am sick of all of it. After many years with the state I have discovered I have no senority over people outside my county, despite the fact others I have trained over the years live in another county a few miles away. I had to learn the hard way that I may be out of a job due to working in a small county when those I trained and new hires a mile across the county line will keep their jobs. The worst part is when I called the union about it they were not aware of the language in the contract. This is the last straw for me. I want them out!
With held for obvious reasons said on Aug 10 2009 at 9:37pm
Hello,
Right now I have filed several grievances against my immiediate supervisors through my Union and felt that I needed someone to represent me to the Union Field Rep (Gary Hill).
Nothing was done, nothing accomplished, and the only thing I have is his promise to look into it. Given his track record I don't see anythig getting done on it either.
Isn't anyone going to take on this crap they call a UNION? I keep paying my dues and seem to get less and less from them. At least I found a good lawyer so maybe something good may come from my issues but I expect nothing from the union except excuses or nothing, no phone calls, no meails, no letters, nothing. Even though the contract said I should.