The PROTEC17 State team will head back to the bargaining table on April 23 to begin negotiations for the 2027-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
In preparation, PROTEC17 State members gathered in March to discuss and prepare for the bargaining process, and to learn about the various roles that members can play throughout it – including being a part of the contract action team (CAT) and the negotiaions team. After soliciting interest in joining the bargaining team, the following members were selected to represent their fellow PROTEC17 members from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Department of Licensing (DOL), and the Washington State Patrol (WSP): Paul Austin (WSP), Brian Brannies (WSDOT), Jason Clutter (DOL), Rachel Crittenden (WSP), Annette Dinkel (WSDOT), Mike Dyer (WSDOT), Bill Hicks (DOL), Steve Morgans (WSDOT), Joseph Opoku, (WSDOT), and Brandi Wilkins (WSDOT).
Non-economic items will be the first topics on the agenda once negotiations begin this spring. In summer, general- and market-wage increases will be negotiated once the State’s economic forecast is released at the end of June. By law, we are mandated to have the contract ratified by October 1, so that it may go to the State’s Office of Fiscal Management (OFM) to determine its viability, before heading to the Washington State legislature for a final vote during the 2027 session.
Member participation – from signing petitions to attending rallies like the one pictured above during the 2025-2027 negotiations – is imperative to achieve a strong contract. Please remember to update your personal email address in order to receive updates after each bargaining session. You can also visit the State member webpages for the latest. If you want to help distribute communications and updates to your colleagues during negotiations, please let your Union Rep know you are interested in joining the CAT!