Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Labor & Workplace Standards Committee
HB 1069
Brief Description: Allowing collective bargaining over contributions for certain supplemental retirement benefits.
Sponsors: Representatives Fosse, Low, Peterson, Griffey, Bronoske, Timmons, Nance, Goodman, Cortes, Volz, Ormsby, Scott, Mena, Davis, Macri, Stonier, Alvarado, Doglio, Bernbaum, Ryu, Ramel, Berry, Reed, Callan, Obras, Farivar, Ortiz-Self, Simmons, Street, Pollet, Fey, Berg, Lekanoff, Salahuddin, Reeves, Donaghy and Hill.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows state agencies and their employees to bargain over contributions to a union's supplemental retirement plan, including medical plans.
Hearing Date: 1/17/25
Staff: Benjamin McCarthy (786-7116).
Background:

The Personnel System Reform Act (PSFA) provides a collective bargaining framework for state employees to negotiate over wages, hours, and conditions of employment.  Employers and employees may not bargain over rights of management.  Rights of management include, among other things, retirement plans and benefits.

 

The Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) provides retirement plans for public employees.  Some unions offer supplemental retirement plans for union members.  Plans administered by the DRS, and plans administered by or for unions, are excluded from bargaining under the PSFA.
Summary of Bill:

The prohibition on bargaining over retirement plans and benefits is narrowed to prohibit bargaining over retirement plans and benefits administered by the DRS.  Employers may therefore bargain over employer contributions to supplemental retirement benefits administered by, or on behalf of, employee organizations, including medical plans.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 10, 2025.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.