OLYMPIA…In a letter delivered Monday to Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Mark Schoesler called attention to guilt and scare tactics used by a state-worker union toward a member wanting to end salary deductions for unwanted union membership. Such deductions are now illegal under last month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

The letter is Schoesler’s second letter to Inslee seeking details about how the state will proceed in complying with the Janus decision. It highlights an email shared with Schoesler, R-Ritzville, from a member of the Washington Federation of State Employees who wanted to discontinue union membership and stop payroll deductions of union dues.

The email, written by a WFSE representative to the member, appears to make false claims and evade responsibility for notifying employees of their right to discontinue salary deductions. It also does not promise to comply with the employee’s request, essentially stalling compliance with the Janus decision.

“Other states jumped into action as soon as the Supreme Court announced its decision in Janus v. AFSCME. Since the only thing we’ve heard directly from the governor is a denouncement of the decision itself, I think it’s fair to call attention to how at least one union is dismissing the wishes of state employees who are merely exercising their freedom of choice,” Schoesler said. “The interest of some of his largest campaign donors does not outweigh the constitutional rights of workers.”

For an online copy of the letter, click here.