Bargaining Updates

Save the date: We’re hosting a Union social after work on Sept. 10! It’ll be open-house style. We’ll provide the food, soda, and water. You can feel free to bring adult beverages, if you’d like. We’re going to take some time to connect with each other, have a good time, and talk a little bit of business. The location is TBD, but we’ll announce that soon. 

Hello Everyone,  

We met with the County today, and we submitted counters on multiple contract articles. We are expecting counters to those on Sept. 1, but it’s also important to note that the County still has not provided a full economic counter since our last proposal on June 30.  

While we know the County is still offering only a one-range increase for Parks Specialist IIs, they are “still gathering information” regarding “possible” wage adjustments for our other classifications. 

Action item 1: Purple up on Sept. 1

• We’re asking all members who are looking for a wage increase to represent their union and wear purple when we’re at the bargaining table on Sept. 1. If you don’t have any gear, please reach out to a member of the bargaining team, and we’ll get you set up 

Action item 2: Save-the-date and attend our social gathering on Sept. 10

• We’ll have the venue locked down soon, but please put a hold on your calendar for after your shift on Sept. 10 

Action item 3: Share this info with your colleagues who might not be in the loop

• Everyone needs to know that the County is refusing to offer fair wage increases, and we need to get everyone’s attention and participation as we gear up for more public-facing actions. Spread the word! 

Here's what else you can do in the meantime: 

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for details 

• If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link 

• Check out our updated Chapter website for meeting dates and other important information 

In Solidarity, your bargaining committee: 

Ryan Porter 
Kelly Hollowood 
Robyn Affleck 
Desiree Leonard-Hodge 
Dane Andrews 

Save the date: We’re hosting a Union social after work on Sept. 10! It’ll be open-house style. We’ll provide the food, soda, and water. You can feel free to bring adult beverages, if you’d like. We’re going to take some time to connect with each other, have a good time, and talk a little bit of business. The location is TBD, but we’ll announce that soon. 

Hello Everyone,  

We met with the County today, and Jim Crowe from the Office of Labor Relations presented yet another inadequate, unrealistic proposal that doesn’t come anywhere near addressing our needs as working class people in King County. Here’s what was in the County’s offer: 

• A one-range increase for Parks Specialist IIs 

• A scheme where most members would not receive their full retroactive general wage increase to Jan. 1, 2026 

• No additional consideration for seasonal employees who apply for full-time positions  

The only “substantive” change to this offer compared to their last was a one-range increase for a job classification that currently has nobody in the position. 

In the bargaining team’s view, we simply cannot accept this laughable offer. We have all experienced the rapid increase in the cost-of-living in this area, and one range is not enough. 

We’ve discussed potential actions with many of you in the past, and stay tuned for more info, as it’s clear we need to engage in more forceful collective action to push the County to do the right thing. 

We will present another offer in good faith when we meet with the County on Tuesday, and we’ll update you on the next steps then. 

Here's what else you can do in the meantime: 

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for details 

• If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link 

In Solidarity, your bargaining committee:
 

Ryan Porter

Kelly Hollowood

Robyn Affleck

Desiree Leonard-Hodge

Dane Andrews

Hello everyone,

We met with the County yesterday, and while they didn’t provide a counter to our last proposal, we had a few conversations to further explain our positions.

We maintained that our members do vitally important work to care for King County Parks, and that our current wage is not enough.

Our next bargaining sessions are scheduled for Aug. 18, Aug. 25, and Sept. 1.

The County has committed to providing a comprehensive counter proposal on Aug. 18, at which point, we will work on a counter as quickly as possible to keep this process moving.

Please keep an eye out for messages from us in the coming weeks. We still have work to do to build solidarity within our chapter and our coalition, and there are exciting things ahead for us.

Here's what you can do in the meantime:

• Print out this email and post it on the Union board in your shop

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for details

• If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link.

In Solidarity, your bargaining committee:
 

Ryan Porter

Kelly Hollowood

Robyn Affleck

Desiree Leonard-Hodge

Dane Andrews

Hello Everyone,

We had another bargaining session with the County yesterday, and we submitted our latest economic proposal.

After more than two hours of caucusing, the County was still not able to put together a response. They plan to send us a counter-proposal before our next session on July 15.

The “highlight” of the day was Jim Crowe from the Office of Labor Relations (OLR) telling us the County’s cost-of-living raises over the last 17 years have actually out-paced inflation!

So, please ask yourself: Does it feel like your wage has kept up with inflation?

We all know that’s not the reality of our experience. The fact is that $100 in 2015 is the equivalent to about $145 today. We know life is way more expensive today than it was only a few years ago.

The bargaining team has heard from countless members that we are struggling – like many working-class families – to keep up with bills, fuel, groceries, savings, and any kind of social life.

While the County’s bargaining team doesn’t want to be swayed by our lived experience,  with the support of King County taxpayers, we can apply significant public pressure to the people that have the power to help finalize a fair deal.

If you want to talk directly to Parks’ patrons and send a message to management that they need to live in reality when talking about real wage increases, then you need to attend our Solidarity Rally at Marymoor Park from 4-7 pm on July 10. Please RSVP here.

Here's what else you can do in the meantime:

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! 

• Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for questions or more details!!

• If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleague - 

Join SEIU925 using this link.

In Solidarity, your Bargaining Committee:

Ryan Porter, PSII, - Chapter President - KC Parks/SEUI 925 

Kelly Hollowood, PSII  - Chapter Vice President- KC Parks/SEUI 925

Robyn Affleck, PSII - Social Media Officer, Bargaining Team, Labor Management Team 

Dane Andrews, PSII - Bargaining Team, Labor Management Team, Steward

Desiree Leonard-Hodge, PSII - Collective Bargaining Team

Grant Engle - KC Parks/SEUI 925, Organizer & Representative

Hey- Happy Wednesday folks, 

In our current email campaign to management, to let them know we are not giving in regarding our expectations for respect for our jobs and getting paid livable wages to do them, we’ve gotten over 250 emails to everyone’s inbox on that list of management addresses, but we want more!!!! 

We have a bargaining date June 30th so let’s pack ‘em full before then! 

#1- If you have not already, please take a minute to click the link and fill out the info. It really takes only a minute. There’s a pre-written letter, you can customize if you like, and it will fill in your name automatically. Hit send and make you voice known!

#2-Check to see if all of your coworkers have sent it in- the more internal participation the better! Please encourage your coworkers, your sympathetic supervisor, any friends or colleagues you have at King County- in any department- to hit that link and share! 

#3- If you have any social media, please go ahead and post the attached flyer there and tag your friends and colleagues. 

Here's the digital copy of the flier, if any of you want to post or print more (You can get 10 free color copies a week at any King County library! Say hello to the KC Librarians fighting back against the abuse of AI instead of person centered labor while your there.)

Please print and post only on breaks or off hours. 

You can also just forward the links.

This is the link for patrons: https://act.seiu.org/a/parks-living-wage1

This is the link for DNRP employees: https://act.seiu.org/a/parks-living-wage2

We're hoping for some movement on June 30th, but we are planning for more action come July 10th. Stay tuned. 

Join our Signal group to stay in touch. 

Our Union Strength, our Collective Power depends on All of Us!

In Solidarity,

Ryan Porter

Kelly HollowoodRobyn AffleckDesiree Leonard-HodgeDane Andrews

Grant Engle

Hello Everyone,

We mentioned in our last bargaining update that we had plans to push the County into doing the right thing, and the World Cup isn’t the only big event to get rolling today!

We are flooding the email inboxes of Office of Labor Relations (OLR) and DNRP management and showing them we are standing together in this fight for a fair wage increase.

Click here to tell DNRP management that we deserve a living wage!

How does this work?

1. Click the link above

2. Enter your information

3. Scroll down and click “Send” – and that’s it! 

3. • Note: You can also customize the pre-written email. If you have something else you’d like management to hear, go ahead and personalize the message!

What’s the goal?
OLR and DNRP management receiving a swarm of emails sends a clear signal to them that we are united, we are organized, and we are determined to win a fair contract with meaningful wage increases.

Is this only for DNRP employees?
Nope! You can have friends, family, neighbors, casual acquaintances, or anyone who likes our beautiful parks use this link to send a message to OLR and DNRP management as a private citizen. You definitely know people who care about DNRP employees earning the living wage we deserve, so please encourage them to join the fun.

Let’s spread the word on this and make it as impactful as possible. We can pressure OLR and DNRP into doing the right thing. We just have to do it together.

Here are a couple other things you can do to get in the game with your colleagues:

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for details

• If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link.

In Solidarity, your bargaining committee:

Ryan Porter
Kelly Hollowood
Robyn Affleck
Desiree Leonard-Hodge
Dane Andrews

Hello Everyone,
 

We had another frustrating day at the bargaining table.
 

Jim Crowe from the Office of Labor Relations told us, "Absent any compelling data, the ability to get authority for range increases is severely hampered."

But here’s the thing:

·         We’ve already provided the County with wage data from similar jobs across Washington State multiple times

·         We’ve already told them that many of our members can’t even afford to live in King County

·         We’ve already told them our job duties have significantly expanded without a range increase since 2009

The bottom line is: The King County Office of Labor Relations will not consider anything we give them to be “compelling.” They do not care about the data and comparable wages we’ve provided. The County does not care about our collective struggle. They do not value our labor in any meaningful way.
 

Our only path forward is collective action.
 

Please keep an eye out for follow-up emails and texts on our next moves. We are planning big things for the summer that will make it loud-and-clear that we have no intention of taking  management’s bad deal.

Here's what you can do in the meantime:

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for details

• If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link

In Solidarity, your bargaining committee:
 

Ryan Porter

Kelly Hollowood

Robyn Affleck

Desiree Leonard-Hodge

Dane Andrews

Hey- Happy Wednesday folks, 

In our current email campaign to management, to let them know we are not giving in regarding our expectations for respect for our jobs and getting paid livable wages to do them, we’ve gotten over 250 emails to everyone’s inbox on that list of management addresses, but we want more!!!! 

We have a bargaining date June 30th so let’s pack ‘em full before then! 

#1- If you have not already, please take a minute to click the link and fill out the info. It really takes only a minute. There’s a pre-written letter, you can customize if you like, and it will fill in your name automatically. Hit send and make you voice known!

#2-Check to see if all of your coworkers have sent it in- the more internal participation the better! Please encourage your coworkers, your sympathetic supervisor, any friends or colleagues you have at King County- in any department- to hit that link and share! 

#3- If you have any social media, please go ahead and post the attached flyer there and tag your friends and colleagues. 

Here's the digital copy of the flier, if any of you want to post or print more (You can get 10 free color copies a week at any King County library! Say hello to the KC Librarians fighting back against the abuse of AI instead of person centered labor while your there.)

Please print and post only on breaks or off hours. 

You can also just forward the links.

This is the link for patrons: https://act.seiu.org/a/parks-living-wage1

This is the link for DNRP employees: https://act.seiu.org/a/parks-living-wage2

We're hoping for some movement on June 30th, but we are planning for more action come July 10th. Stay tuned. 

Join our Signal group to stay in touch. 

Our Union Strength, our Collective Power depends on All of Us!

In Solidarity,

Ryan Porter

Kelly HollowoodRobyn AffleckDesiree Leonard-HodgeDane Andrews

Grant Engle

Hello everyone,

We met with management yesterday for another frustrating stalemate of a bargaining session.

Management made it very clear there is no amount of comparable wage data we can provide that could convince them that we deserve meaningful increases.

Here are the main takeaways from the conversation, which demonstrate how the County’s “True North Values” don’t apply to us when they come to bargain:

• When we stated that many of our members cannot afford to live in King County, we were told that is not a “unique” situation.

• When we discussed the idea that there aren’t direct advancement opportunities for Parks Specialist IIs, we were told there are “growth opportunities in the County,” with the clear implication that PS2s would need to leave DNRP to access those opportunities

The people across the table from us have been very sensitive about the idea that we’re “misrepresenting” what they’re saying. However, they continue to parse words while clearly implying that they view our current wages as sufficient, that they can easily hire more people at our current wage, and that if we don’t like it, we can work somewhere else.

We are not going to stand for that. We care deeply about the quality of our work, the quality of our parks, and the patrons who voted overwhelmingly to fund our jobs. We are organizing a full-on rally at the next King County Council meeting at 1 pm on April 28. At the last County Council meeting, roughly a dozen of our colleagues spoke directly to Councilmembers and demanded the Office of Labor Relations (OLR) make a good faith effort to bargain a fair contract with us.

This time, we are going to do more than send a small group of people. We are aiming to pack the 10th floor of the county courthouse and send a clear message to the King County Council that OLR continues to devalue, dehumanize, and disrespect all of us with their cavalier attitude toward our livelihoods.

Here's how you can help:

• Attend the monthly meeting! Our next meeting will be on Zoom Wednesday, April 29 at 6:30pm.
   

• Join us for the upcoming King County Council meeting on April 28 and sign up for public comments and help us tell the Council why they should pressure management to treat us fairly and pay us a decent wage!
   

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for details.
   

• If you are not yet a member of our Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link.

Thank you all!

In Solidarity, your bargaining committee:

Ryan Porter
Kelly Hollowood
Robyn Affleck
Desiree Leonard-Hodge
Keyton Bilodeau
Dane Andrews

Hello Everyone,  

We're here with another bargaining update for our session on Feb. 18.  

We have not yet set a date for the next bargaining session and will make an announcement when a decision is made. 

After more than a month since our last session, management came to our bargaining session with a proposal that has changed very little. We have not moved any closer to an agreement on wages. 

Management has continued to dismiss our demand for substantial wage increases for our members across multiple classifications.  

They have held their insultingly low position since their first proposal and continued to ask us to provide more data to support our demand. Despite our repeated demonstration of skyrocketing costs, stagnating wages, and a wide variety of comparable jobs earning higher wages for similar or less work.  

They insisted that hundreds of applicants respond to every job posting and therefore they have no need to increase wages. When we pointed out that this constituted a threat to replace us all if we demanded higher wages, they were so personally offended, they could hardly speak.  

After they insisted that no data supported our demand, we decided to fill the whiteboard of the negotiation room with comparable job listings that showed local positions paying 10 and even 20 thousand more annually. We agreed to send them a spreadsheet after they recovered from their shock. 

Insults and condescension aside, they have backed down from their attempt to contract out our overtime event work. But otherwise, they have not made much movement toward reaching common ground.  

And so, we will continue to bargain and demand a better, long-overdue wage for our hard-working members. Next bargaining dates will be announced when they are scheduled, so stay tuned.  

In the meantime, here's how you can help: 

• Attend the monthly meeting! Due to resource management school, February’s meeting will be moved to Wednesday, March 4. 

• Join us for the upcoming King County Council meeting on March 24 and sign up for public comments and help us tell the council why they should pressure management to treat us fairly and pay us a decent wage! 

• Get your purple gear and signs ready for the upcoming mandatory parks open house on March 25. And demonstrate with us on your lunch break as we did for the appreciation event.  

• Join the Signal members group chat to stay in touch and hear what your fellow union members are talking about! Email kcparksseiu925@gmail.com for details. 

• If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link. 

Thank you all! 

In Solidarity,

Ryan Porter
Kelly Hollowood
Robyn Affleck
Desiree Leonard-Hodge
Keyton Bilodeau
Dane Andrews

Hello King County SEIU 925 members,

Yesterday was truly a significant day in the history of our Union Coalition.

A staggering number of SEIU members from the Public Defense, Wastewater, and Parks chapters took to the streets in three different locations  to demand a fair contract and real collaboration at the bargaining table from King County.

All three bargaining teams and groups of chapter leaders spent countless hours preparing and spreading the word about these rallies, but it was absolutely critical that so many of you stepped up to help promote the rallies and drive turnout.

We sent a clear message to the County that we demand respect, and we will not back down. Our next step is to get back to the tables with the County understanding that our bargaining teams have the full backing of membership.

Thank you again to everybody who attended, and we look forward to seeing even more folks at future rallies and meetings. Please keep an eye out for future bargaining updates and actions as we continue the fight.

If you have not yet joined your colleagues as a member of your Union, you can quickly sign up here.

Hello SEIU 925 Members,

We met with the County yesterday for our latest bargaining session, and we submitted another aggressive economic proposal to meet our needs as a Chapter.

We presented our position and passionate arguments to a minimal group from management in attendance, showing the priorities of management. The few members of management that attended made it clear to us that the new standard operating procedures for timekeeping, released recently, do not apply to our represented classifications.

They made it clear that even though these new SOPs cover all other employees of the department, including those not represented by unions, management will deny us equal treatment under the SOP until we ratify our contract.

As frustration mounts and bargaining drags on, we need to come together to show management that we will not be forced into a bad deal. We are planning a lunch break demonstration on the day of our upcoming appreciation event at King County Aquatic Center.

January 14th at 1:30pm when the event ends, we are asking our members to join us in the parking lot on their unpaid 30-minute break to hold signs and show management our dissatisfaction.

Please wear something purple to the event, and we’ll provide signs, buttons, and SEIU 925 bandanas to help show our solidarity.

We want to make sure we have the right number of signs and purple gear, so please RSVP for the action by clicking this link and filling out the short form.

This is a widespread action across our Union. Our union siblings in the Wastewater, Public Defenders, and Crisis and Commitment chapters will all be joining in public demonstrations the same day. See the attached flier for more information.

If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link.

In Solidarity,

Ryan PorterKelly HollowoodRobyn AffleckDesiree Leonard-HodgeKeyton BilodeauDane Andrews

Hello everyone,

We’re writing to give you an update on bargaining and a recent announcement from the County.

Our next two bargaining dates are Jan. 6 and Jan. 13. In the interest of transparency, the County cancelled our last scheduled bargaining date of Dec. 9, citing staffing concerns due to heavy rain that day.

Some of you may have also seen an announcement from the County stating that Union Chapters who have not yet ratified their appendix agreement (our individual contract) will not yet receive the 2026 General Wage Increase (GWI) or any other benefits from the already ratified Coalition Labor Agreement.

We believe this is a tactic by the County to put pressure on our Chapter and others who have not yet settled. This is a common strategy by employers: Find benefits they can legally withhold from a Chapter and push them toward accepting less than they’re worth.

We aren’t falling for it.

We expect full backpay of the 2026 GWI whenever we settle on a fair deal for all of us in the Parks Chapter, and we will fight for that accordingly.

With that in mind, we are asking all members who want to win a fair contract to attend the Employee Appreciation Brunch at the King County Aquatic Center on Jan 14. Please wear any SEIU 925 gear you have – buttons, bandanas, hats, etc. – or ask a member of the bargaining team to bring you some, and we’ll show the County we are united for winning a fair contract.

Stay tuned for additional details about other rallies being organized by our colleagues across the County that day as we gear up for a day of Union power.

Thanks for your time, and talk to you soon!

In Solidarity,

Ryan Porter
Kelly Hollowood
Robyn Affleck
Desiree Leonard-Hodge
Keyton Bilodeau
Dane Andrews

This is a friendly reminder that we have a virtual union meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 19th at 6:30 pm. Zoom link here.

Hello SEIU 925 Members, 

We met with the County yesterday, and while we’ve made movement on a few items, we remain *very* far apart on wages. The County has not shown a willingness to consider how the rapidly increasing cost-of-living has impacted our lives. 

We are hosting a Zoom member meeting at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, November 19. 

As we’ve previously discussed at the last two member meetings, it appears that we’re going to need to use collective action to show the County that we are united, and we will not accept a meaningless wage increase. 

For anyone who couldn’t make the last two meetings, we are asking all Union members to change their Teams profile pictures to one of the options in this folder. If you need help setting your profile picture, there is a document in that same folder with instructions on how to do it. 

Please keep an eye out for future updates. See you on Nov. 19! 

In Solidarity, 

Ryan Porter 
Kelly Hollowood 
Robyn Affleck 
Desiree Leonard-Hodge 
Keyton Bilodeau 
Dane Andrews 

Hello SEIU 925 Members, 

We met with the County yesterday and received a few counterproposals. We also submitted an economic counterproposal meant to address how the rapid increase in the cost-of-living has been affecting all of us the past several years. 

We also held a membership meeting on Wednesday evening over Zoom. Thank you to everyone who attended for the great conversation and idea-sharing session. 

It has become very clear that the County will try to hold onto every penny they can in this negotiation, and it’s up to all of us to push management to do the right thing and invest in our workforce. 

In a sign of solidarity, we are asking all Union members to change their Teams profile pictures to one of the options in this folder. If you need help setting your profile picture, there is a document in that same folder with instructions on how to do it. 

This may seem like a small gesture, but it’s a great way for management to see we are aligned and communicating with each other. Every time someone looks at your calendar, sends you a Teams message, or sends you an email, they’ll see that profile picture and that you’re a proud Union member. As discussed at Wednesday’s member meeting, this is a great starting point to show the County we’re working together. 

We are hosting a follow-up meeting at 6:30 pm this coming Wednesday (Oct. 29) over Zoom to give another bargaining update and talk more strategy. 

Let’s build on the momentum we gathered last meeting. See you Wednesday! 

In Solidarity, 

Ryan Porter 
Kelly Hollowood 
Robyn Affleck 
Desiree Leonard-Hodge 
Keyton Bilodeau 
Dane Andrews 

Hello everyone,

We met with the County again yesterday and received another round of counterproposals from management, as well as their first response to our economic proposal.

In short, the County’s economic counterproposal fell woefully short of any meaningful wage increases for our membership.

It is incredibly important that we work together as a union chapter to let the County know we deserve better.

We are going to discuss the next steps over Zoom at our formal Membership Meeting on Wednesday, October 22 from 6:30-7:30pm.

Please join the meeting for a critical update and planning session so we can show our collective strength.

In Solidarity,

Ryan Porter
Kelly Hollowood
Robyn Affleck
Desiree Leonard-Hodge
Keyton Bilodeau
Dane Andrews

Hello SEIU 925 Members, 

We met with the County again yesterday and received another round of counterproposals from management. We’ve made some progress in a few areas, but there is still some room to go.

The County had some clarifying questions around our initial economic offer, and informed us they needed a little more time to present a comprehensive counter. They will present their economic counter-offer at the next session.

We reiterated that the rapidly increasing cost of living in this region is the driving force behind our wage proposal, and we work incredibly hard to provide a great experience to parks patrons.

We are meeting with the County again on Thursday, Oct. 16. Show solidarity with your bargaining team by wearing SEIU 925 purple. We’ve had several members request SEIU 925 gear, and we’re distributing it as quickly as possible. Feel free to reach out to any member of the bargaining team or reply to this email if your work site needs anything to show your Union pride.

Stand with your Union and join our Formal Membership Meeting from 6:30-7:30 pm on Oct. 22 over Zoom. We will share additional updates at the meeting, including potential actions we can take as a group as bargaining progresses.

In Solidarity, 

Ryan Porter 
Kelly Hollowood 
Robyn Affleck 
Desiree Leonard-Hodge 
Keyton Bilodeau 
Dane Andrews 

Hello SEIU 925 Members, 

We met with the County again yesterday. While we had some good and productive conversations about a number of items, we also received several rejections in lieu of counter-proposals. The County rejected proposals on: 

• FTE hiring preference for seasonal or term-limited staff 

• Limiting management’s ability to assign work outside of our job description 

• Equitable distribution of holiday shifts (rotation based on seniority) 

• Establishing baseline practices for creating light duty assignments 

The County did not provide an economic counter in response to our previous offer in this session. They have committed to providing that counter at our next session. 

Speaking of our next session: We are meeting with the County again on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Show solidarity with your bargaining team by wearing SEIU 925 purple. We’ve had several members request SEIU 925 gear, and we’re distributing it as quickly as possible. Feel free to reach out to any member of the bargaining team or reply to this email if your work site needs anything to show your Union pride. 

Stay tuned for our next update after the Oct. 7 session. 

In Solidarity, 

Ryan Porter 
Kelly Hollowood 
Robyn Affleck 
Desiree Leonard-Hodge 
Keyton Bilodeau 
Dane Andrews 

Hello SEIU 925 Members, 

We met with the County Tuesday for our latest bargaining session, and we submitted an aggressive proposal meant to address our economic needs as a Chapter. 

We have spent the last few months working with the county to improve our working conditions, work/life balance, and wages. 

While we are working hard at the bargaining table, it’s important for us to show solidarity across our Chapter. With that in mind, we are asking all members to show their Union pride and wear any SEIU 925 or purple gear on the following days, when we will be meeting with management again: 

• Tues, September 30 

• Tues, October 7 

• Thurs, October 16 

• Tues, October 21 

This is a simple, yet powerful, tactic to show management we are aligned, informed, and united for a strong contract. If you don’t have any SEIU 925 or purple clothes to wear, please reach out to a member of the bargaining team, and we’ll make sure you and your worksite have what you need. 

We will provide regular updates after each session moving forward. Please keep an eye out on your email. We are also hosting a Formal Member Meeting on Zoom at 6:30 pm tomorrow (Sept. 24). 

If you are not yet a member of your Union, you can stand with your colleagues and join using this link. 

In Solidarity, 

Ryan Porter 
Kelly Hollowood 
Robyn Affleck 
Desiree Leonard-Hodge 
Keyton Bilodeau 
Dane Andrews 

Hello SEIU 925 King County Members,

Last week, the King County Coalition of Unions bargaining team met for the first time at the Teamsters Hall in Tukwila. Over 100 King County workers and representatives filled the room to train, share, and confer on strategy and proposals. We are building solidarity to prepare for our contract negotiations with the County, and your SEIU 925 team is fired up and ready to go! Please reach out if you have questions. Bargaining officially starts on Feburary 11, and we will be sending out periodic updates, so stay tuned!

Your Coalition Bargaining Team is:

Jodie Siufanua (Facility Maintenance)
Molly Gilbert (Department of Public Defense)
Andy Hanke (WasteWater)
Steve Darrow (Crisis and Commitment)
Ryan Porter ( Department of Natural Resources and Parks)

We will be meeting with the County every other week for the next few months. Once we come to an agreement we will all vote on the new Coalition contract. Only union members can vote so if you have not filled out your membership or are unsure, please reach out to your organizer or sign up here.

Dear SEIU 925 members,

Union members will be able to vote on the tentative agreement to extend the current County Coalition Labor Agreement (CLA) through 2025.

Below are the highlights of the tentative agreement for the 2025 CLA extension.

Each County department will have its own voting times and locations (including online).

Voting information for SEIU 925 members:

• Department of Public Defense: Voting will take place online June 28 - July 8. Stay tuned for more information.

• Crisis and Commitment Services Department: Voting will take place online June 28 - July 8. Stay tuned for more information.

• Parks Department: Voting will take place online June 28 - July 8. Stay tuned for more information.

• Wastewater Treatment Department: Voting will take place online July 8 - 12. Stay tuned for more information

• Facilities Management Department: Voting will be in-person

  • King Street: June 28,  7-9pm

  • Chinook Building: July 1, 10am-noon and 6-8pm

  • Black River: July 9, 1pm-3:30pm

Please contact your chapter leaders or union organizer if you have any questions!

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COALITION LABOR AGREEMENT 2025 EXTENSION TENTATIVE AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

The Coalition Bargaining Committee recommends that you vote “YES” to accept this Extension Agreement:

If the Extension Agreement is ratified by the membership, here’s what to expect:

• Term of Agreement: Extends the expiration of the Coalition Labor Agreement and all Appendices through December 31, 2025.

• Wage Adjustments: Effective January 1, 2025, all employees represented by the Coalition shall receive a combined COLA and GWI for a total increase of 5.5%.

• Healthcare Adjustments (Effective January 1, 2025):

County Funding Rate: The County will pay an additional 9% towards the benefit funding rate. The 2024 funding rate is $1600, so that means that the County will contribute an additional $144 per employee for a total of $1744 per month.  

Employee Premium-share: Employees shall pay the following monthly premiums towards healthcare plans.*

• • • Regence PPO                   $75

    • Regence AHN                   $50

    • Kaiser HMO                     $0

*Please Note. This premium share shall only be in effect for 2025. Effective January 1, 2026, all plans shall return to a $0 monthly premium share unless otherwise negotiated.

Emergency Room Co-pay:  The emergency room copay is modified as follows:

• 15% coinsurance after $200 copay/visit

• Copayment applies to facility charges for each visit (waived if admitted) whether or not the deductible has been met

• ER OOP:  members will continue to pay $200 copay/visit (waived if admitted) and 15% coinsurance until they reach the total out of pocket maximum allowed under ACA.

Benefit Access Fee: The monthly Benefit Access Fee shall be as follows:

• Regence PPO                   $200

• Regence AHN                   $75

• Kaiser                               $0

Dispute Resolution Procedure: This Agreement prevents activation of the process contained in the JLMIC Agreement which will lead to a neutral third party that has the authority “to make plan design changes and/or cost sharing (e.g., copay, premiums) and/or County contribution increases.”

• Successor CLA Bargaining - All parties commit to begin meeting in January of 2025, to begin successor total compensation bargaining of wages and benefits, including insured health benefits, for both small table and large table agreements.

The Coalition has provided this summary in an effort to streamline the ratification process. We highly recommend review of the full documents covering the Extension Agreement which should be available through your union. Please connect with your individual union representatives with any questions on this Agreement and/or union ratification process.

Coalition Labor Agreement Extension Tentative Agreement – Ratification Vote
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does it mean to have a Tentative Agreement?

A Tentative Agreement mean that both the County’s negotiators and the union’s bargaining team have agreed on the offer and that the bargaining team recommends the membership vote to approve the contract.

What does a YES vote mean?

If members vote to approve the tentative agreement, the offer passes and will go into effect once it is approved by the County Council and signed by the County Executive. We will then prepare for Coalition and small table negotiations in January 2025.

What does a NO vote mean?

If members vote to reject the tentative agreement, your individual bargaining unit will go back to the bargaining table over total compensation and voting to take your healthcare plan into the neutral panel dispute resolution process.

What does it mean to take our healthcare plan into the dispute resolution process?

The dispute resolution process available within our Joint Labor Management Insurance Committee (JLMIC). When our Protected Reserve Fund (PFR) reaches below a certain level and the County and Union cannot reach an agreement on plan design changes the dispute resolution process is enacted. Within this process, the County and Union present their arguments around the healthcare fund to a neutral 3rd party panel who makes a binding decision that could change the amount premiums and/or other plan design changes based on healthcare market comparisons and other employers.

When will I received the 5.5% wage increase?

Members will receive the COLA and General Wage Increase of a total of 5.5% in January of 2025.

When will I be able to change my healthcare plan?

Open enrollment will start in October

What are next steps?

Voting will happen between June 20th through July 5th. Voting instructions will follow shortly.  If members vote to approve the contract it will go through a process to be reviewed and approved by the County Council, and then sent to the King County Executive to be signed. Wage increases and premiums would then take effect in January of 2025. We will then continue to mobilize our membership to prepare for starting negotiations in January 2025.

Dear SEIU 925 members,

As you may know, in addition to our department-specific union contracts, King County employees are covered by the County Coalition Labor Agreement (CLA). The Coalition has reached an agreement with the County to extend the existing CLA through 2025.

Below are the highlights of the 2025 CLA extension, as well as FAQs regarding voting on the agreement.  

The voting period for all County departments runs from June 20-July 5, but each department will have its own voting times and locations (including online). Stay tuned for more details on how SEIU925 members in your department can vote on this CLA extension!

*

COALITION LABOR AGREEMENT 2025 EXTENSION TENTATIVE AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

The Coalition Bargaining Committee recommends that you vote “YES” to accept this Extension Agreement:

If the Extension Agreement is ratified by the membership, here’s what to expect:

• Term of Agreement: Extends the expiration of the Coalition Labor Agreement and all Appendices through December 31, 2025.

• Wage Adjustments: Effective January 1, 2025, all employees represented by the Coalition shall receive a combined COLA and GWI for a total increase of 5.5%.

• Healthcare Adjustments (Effective January 1, 2025):

County Funding Rate: The County will pay an additional 9% towards the benefit funding rate. The 2024 funding rate is $1600, so that means that the County will contribute an additional $144 per employee for a total of $1744 per month.  

Employee Premium-share: Employees shall pay the following monthly premiums towards healthcare plans.*

• • • Regence PPO                   $75

    • Regence AHN                   $50

    • Kaiser HMO                     $0

*Please Note. This premium share shall only be in effect for 2025. Effective January 1, 2026, all plans shall return to a $0 monthly premium share unless otherwise negotiated.

Emergency Room Co-pay:  The emergency room copay is modified as follows:

• 15% coinsurance after $200 copay/visit

• Copayment applies to facility charges for each visit (waived if admitted) whether or not the deductible has been met

• ER OOP:  members will continue to pay $200 copay/visit (waived if admitted) and 15% coinsurance until they reach the total out of pocket maximum allowed under ACA.

Benefit Access Fee: The monthly Benefit Access Fee shall be as follows:

• Regence PPO                   $200

• Regence AHN                   $75

• Kaiser                               $0

Dispute Resolution Procedure: This Agreement prevents activation of the process contained in the JLMIC Agreement which will lead to a neutral third party that has the authority “to make plan design changes and/or cost sharing (e.g., copay, premiums) and/or County contribution increases.”

• Successor CLA Bargaining - All parties commit to begin meeting in January of 2025, to begin successor total compensation bargaining of wages and benefits, including insured health benefits, for both small table and large table agreements.

The Coalition has provided this summary in an effort to streamline the ratification process. We highly recommend review of the full documents covering the Extension Agreement which should be available through your union. Please connect with your individual union representatives with any questions on this Agreement and/or union ratification process.

Coalition Labor Agreement Extension Tentative Agreement – Ratification Vote
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does it mean to have a Tentative Agreement?

A Tentative Agreement mean that both the County’s negotiators and the union’s bargaining team have agreed on the offer and that the bargaining team recommends the membership vote to approve the contract.

What does a YES vote mean?

If members vote to approve the tentative agreement, the offer passes and will go into effect once it is approved by the County Council and signed by the County Executive. We will then prepare for Coalition and small table negotiations in January 2025.

What does a NO vote mean?

If members vote to reject the tentative agreement, your individual bargaining unit will go back to the bargaining table over total compensation and voting to take your healthcare plan into the neutral panel dispute resolution process.

What does it mean to take our healthcare plan into the dispute resolution process?

The dispute resolution process available within our Joint Labor Management Insurance Committee (JLMIC). When our Protected Reserve Fund (PFR) reaches below a certain level and the County and Union cannot reach an agreement on plan design changes the dispute resolution process is enacted. Within this process, the County and Union present their arguments around the healthcare fund to a neutral 3rd party panel who makes a binding decision that could change the amount premiums and/or other plan design changes based on healthcare market comparisons and other employers.

When will I received the 5.5% wage increase?

Members will receive the COLA and General Wage Increase of a total of 5.5% in January of 2025.

When will I be able to change my healthcare plan?

Open enrollment will start in October

What are next steps?

Voting will happen between June 20th through July 5th. Voting instructions will follow shortly.  If members vote to approve the contract it will go through a process to be reviewed and approved by the County Council, and then sent to the King County Executive to be signed. Wage increases and premiums would then take effect in January of 2025. We will then continue to mobilize our membership to prepare for starting negotiations in January 2025.