Retired Public Employees Council of WA Working to protect and enhance the pension and health care benefits of Washington retired state, county and local government employees
RPEC Weekly Newsflash, March 31, 2023
URGENT All-Member Mobilization
We need your help today – contact the following legislators by April 10th
The Legislature has begun negotiations on the state’s operating budget. We need your help now to ensure the key budget decision-makers know the priority of public sector retirees.
First, both the House and the Senate intend to provide a one-time COLA for Plan 1 retirees. That said, RPEC favors the language in the Senate budget proposal. Additionally, the Senate’s budget funds a study that will make sure retirees have input into the health insurance plans offered to the Public Employees Benefits Board, while the House’s budget does not. The proviso also directs the Health Care Authority to explore the availability of more high-quality affordable healthcare plans. This proviso is important because it honors retiree voices and choices!
Instead of contacting your own legislators, we ask you to contact the key budget negotiators listed below.
Email or call and relay this message to House leaders:
Thank you for supporting a much-needed one-time 3% cost of living adjustment for PERS 1 and TRS 1 retirees, which will help retired public servants continue to afford necessities. Retirees prefer the Senate’s COLA proposal because it prioritizes the full funding of the pension plans. The Senate proposal also funds the one-time COLA from the state general fund while the House proposal extends the fiscal responsibility for the COLA to future budgets.
Additionally, please consider adopting a budget proviso that allocates $500,000 to the Health Care Authority to report findings of stakeholder engagements to the Legislature. HCA needs to do a better job listening to and serving seniors. This proviso, which already appears in the Senate’s budget proposal, will ensure that happens.
Thank you.
(First and last name)
Member of the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington
| House Legislators | Office Phone | |
| Representative Timm Ormsby | timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7946 |
| Representative Nicole Macri | nicole.macri@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7826 |
| Representative Mia Gregerson | mia.gregerson@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7868 |
| Representative Steve Bergquist | steve.bergquist@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7862 |
| Representative Joe Fitzgibbon | joe.fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7952 |
| Representative Drew Stokesbary | drew.stokesbary@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7846 |
| Representative Kelly Chambers | kelly.chambers@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7948 |
| Representative Chris Corry | chris.corry@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7810 |
| Representative J.T. Wilcox | jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7912 |
Email or call and relay this message to Senate leaders:
Thank you for supporting a much-needed one-time 3% cost of living adjustment for PERS 1 and TRS 1 retirees, which will help retired public servants continue to afford necessities. Retirees prefer the Senate’s COLA proposal because the Senate’s proposal prioritizes the full funding of the pension plans.
Thank you for including the $500,000 proviso for the Health Care Authority to report findings of stakeholder engagements to the Legislature. HCA needs to do a better job listening to and serving seniors. This proviso will ensure that happens.
Thank you.
(First and last name)
Member of the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington
| Senate Legislators | Office Phone | |
| Senator Christine Rolfes | christine.rolfes@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7644 |
| Senator June Robinson | june.robinson@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7674 |
| Senator Andy Billig | andy.billig@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7604 |
| Senator Lynda Wilson | lynda.wilson@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7632 |
| Senator Chris Gildon | chris.gildon@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7648 |
| Senator John Braun | john.braun@leg.wa.gov | (360) 786-7638 |
Thank you for your speedy assistance. Let’s stand in solidarity to ensure RPEC’s legislative priorities are included in the Legislature’s final budget action. If you have questions, please reach out to Emmett Mills at Emmett.mills@rpecwa.org or Laurie Weidner at laurie.weidner@rpecwa.org.
Register today to attend the All-member Strategic Planning Listening Session
As part of the strategic planning process, AFSCME Retiree Council will be facilitating a virtual listening session for all members-at-large and RPEC leaders on Friday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This virtual listening session is another way you can provide input to the Executive Board to help inform the development of RPEC’s strategic plan.
If you are new to RPEC or a Plan 2/3 member, we especially want to hear from you. Register through this link: https://rpecwa.org/strategic-planning-listening-session-registration/
Meeting link information will be sent to all registered attendees prior to the listening session.
Register today for Health Care Authority’s Virtual and In-person Listening Sessions and Public Forums
Time is running out to register and take part in the virtual listening sessions, virtual public forums and the in-person listening sessions hosted by the Health Care Authority (HCA) to hear from public sector retirees who receive their healthcare benefits from the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB). Register at: https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/news/announcements/register-pebb-medicare-listening-sessions. Registration is required and space is limited. Sign up today!
2023 Leadership Training for Chapter Leaders Set for June
With most chapter elections underway, it is time for new leaders, current leaders and those who may be considering taking a leadership position in the future, to come together and participate in our annual Leadership Training. We will be providing the tools, information, and resources for you to be a successful and supported chapter leader.
The training will be held in two parts: Part A on Monday, June 26 for all chapter leaders, and Part B on Friday, June 30 for chapter leaders involved with finances. Part A will be hosted and led by the Council Office. Part B will be hosted and led by the Auditing Department at AFSCME.
For more information and to register, please visit: https://rpecwa.org/2023-leadership-training/
All-member written survey – Please complete the survey and mail it back!
By mid-April, all RPEC members will receive a written survey (with a postage-paid return envelope) via U.S. mail. The survey is one element of a multi-faceted data collection process that the Executive Board has launched to lay the foundation for the development of a new strategic plan for RPEC. Gleaning your insights and understanding the priorities and needs of our members is the first step in the strategic planning process. Please take the time to complete the survey when it arrives at your home and mail it back right away so that your input can be used to help shape the Board’s priorities.
Upcoming Events:
Please refer to our calendar page for more information about each event, including links to Zoom meetings, if available.
- March 31 – Legislative Update Call (2:00 pm)
- April 7 – Legislative Update Call (2:00 pm)
- April 13 – Healthcare Workgroup (3:30 pm)
- April 14 – Strategic Planning Listening Session (10:00 am)
- April 14 – Legislative Update Call (2:00 pm)
- April 17 – Senior Lobby (10:00 am)
- April 21 – Legislative Update Call (2:00 pm)
- April 24 – Sine Die (End of Legislative Session)
- April 25 – Membership Committee Meeting (10:00 am)
- April 27 – Healthcare Workgroup (3:30 pm)
Health Care Authority Listening Sessions & Public Forums:
- March 28 – HCA Virtual Listening Session (10:00 am)
- March 29 – HCA In-person Listening Session, Tumwater (10:00 am)
- March 30 – HCA Virtual Listening Session (10:00 am)
- April 6 – HCA Virtual Listening Session (10:00 am)
- April 11 – HCA In-person Listening Session, Cheney (10:00 am)
- April 12 – HCA In-person Listening Session, Yakima (10:00 am)
- April 18 – HCA Virtual Listening Session (10:00 am)
- April 20 – HCA Virtual Listening Session (10:00 am)
- April 25 – HCA Virtual Listening Session (10:00 am)
- April 26 – HCA Virtual Public Forum (10:00 am)
- April 27 – HCA Virtual Listening Session (10:00 am)
