PSE of WWU

This bit of news concerns PERS-2 members, especially those considering retiring early in the near future. The Early Retirement Factor benefit is currently involved in a court case, and the labor side has just lost a round. Please click the title to read more.

Western Advocates has created a petition that calls on our legislature to support higher education. Please click the title for details and a link to the petition!

A message from PSE President Judi Owens:

PSE's Central Washington University members have a good reason to be alarmed this week — they've learned that their university president, James Gaudino, has been offered a $500,000 bonus.

That doesn't sit well with me, and it shouldn't with you either.

200 state IT employees are about to be stripped of their civil service and collective bargaining rights, and their job security. And you might be next. Urge the Washington Department of Personnel to delay action on exempting state IT workers. [Please click the title to read more.]

Our new contract for 2012-13 has been overwhelmingly ratified! Please click to title to find out more and download the proposed contract!

[Originally announced July 25th]

This afternoon, WWU made an announcement that they are no longer contracting with the Labor Relations office (LRO) to conduct contract negotiations for classified staff contracts here at the University. WWU will bargain direct with PSE and WFSE. [Click the title to read more.]

The Public Employees Benefits Board today did adopt the state employee health plans for 2012 yesterday, as expected. In a small but significant victory thanks to the objections of state employees, the board revised its proposed rates for diagnostic services in Group Health. [Click the title to read more.]

The Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) meets Wednesday to adopt the premium rates and other health plan changes for 2012. Some of the proposed changes are costly, and others are potentially very costly -- please let PEBB know of your concerns. [UPDATED: A newer post above this one tells the outcome.] [Click the title to read more.]

Our chapter president Susan Banton gives an update on the state of our contract, and the 3% pay cuts.

Public School Employees (PSE) Chapter 829 of Western Washington University is pleased to announce that Ella Salkeld and Andrew Ibach are the 2011-12 recipients of the PSE Chapter 829 Dependent Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 each.