Bill > SB5433

This bill modifies Washington state law regarding collective bargaining for state employees, specifically creating a unique provision for Department of Corrections (DOC) employees. Under the current law, exclusive bargaining representatives negotiating for multiple bargaining units typically must negotiate a single master collective bargaining agreement, with special rules for representatives with fewer than 500 employees. The bill creates an exception for DOC employees with interest arbitration rights, allowing them to have their own separate negotiation process where the governor or the governor's designee will negotiate directly with their exclusive bargaining representative to create a single master collective bargaining agreement. This means that DOC employees, particularly marine department employees, will no longer be required to participate in the broader coalition bargaining process that applies to most other state employees. The change provides more targeted and potentially more flexible bargaining arrangements specifically for DOC employee representatives, potentially allowing for negotiations more closely tailored to the unique needs of corrections employees.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5433&Year=2025&Initiative=false