HRSA Saved

On Thursday, April 8th, HRSA announced the potential layoff of 89 member positions (started at 109). Friday, Executive Director Greg Devereux, WFSE VP Sue Hendrickson, Director of Bargaining Cecil Tibbets, Field Rep Perry Gordon and myself met with Doug Porter, Assistant Secretary of DSHS (one under Dreyfus), Director of DSHS HR Glen Christopherson, a rep of OFM and Teri Beck, LRO, regarding these layoffs and why they were potentially going to happen.

One of our dear WMS people made a 21 million dollar mistake when they submitted the budget cuts for HRSA to the Legislature last March of 2009. They have known about this mistake and had been unable to get the entire 21 million back from the Legislature this year.

In the 11th hour... really, more closely, the 12th hour... the green machine went into motion. On Saturday and Sunday, members from KRSA, Western State Hospital, Yakima Valley School, DCS, CSD, the Children's Alliance, L & I, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and more that I don't remember descended upon the Hill like a swarm of bright green locusts. We snagged Legislators as they arrived in their cars, as they came off the floor, as they came TO the floor, outside the building, anywhere we could catch their ear for a moment.

The result? Legislation that gave them nearly ALL the money they needed with wording that stated HRSA must maintain the employment levels. These staff will be generating 14.something in Federal funds that will come back to the state.

It was amazing that Doug Porter was flabbergasted that we would ask him why he didn't come to the union sooner. "Work WITH the union? I didn't realize I could do that." We all said most all the Directors work with us when they need lobbying done. I told them "We're fierce."

We showed them JUST how fierce we were!!! Thank you for your calls to the Legislators and to those who gave up their weekend to legally stalk the marble floors, YOU ROCK!!! We've also gained some more stewards for HRSA where formerly... they had one! What a coup!!