Message to OPEIU Local 8 represented at IRC Seattle sent April 17, 2026
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Spring is here and it’s been two months since we have ratified our Union Contract! It’s great to meet with you all, provide copies of the Union Contract, share information about what it means to be a Union member and the benefits that come along with it, and building connections across the IRC Seattle office.
Now that we have our union contract in place (find it here) we are working together to ensure that we have our sword and shield ready to go. In the two months since ratification, we’ve trained our first three stewards (Shirly Barajas, Yogi Javier, and Meaghin Woolie) and we have represented coworkers in investigatory meetings, filed grievances, and are working ensure that management is following the Union Contract. And organizing together when management doesn’t want to follow the Union Contract.
Union Membership
Thank you to those who have completed their membership form. If you haven’t completed yours, take two minutes to fill it out here. Find out more about our Union benefits here.
By becoming a union member and contributing, we are able to build worker power by: securing strong contracts with great wages and working conditions, representing Union members during investigatory meetings, organizing new workplaces, providing member education, and so much more.
Union Membership is a condition of employment under the contract, and back-dues may have to be collected for those who sign up late. Becoming a member builds our power to win more!
Your shop stewards are coworkers who have stepped up to be even more educated on your rights and contract so they can defend you. If you’re interested in becoming a steward we are allowed two more stewards, so reach out to attend a training!
WASEC
In February 2026, HQ announced that they were ending the Washington Staff Engagement Committee (WASEC) incorrectly stating it was due to having the Collective Bargaining Agreement in place which established a Labor Management Committee. We filed a grievance as these two committees as separate. The elimination of WASEC effectively shuts out staff voices and engagement including staff in Spokane and Missoula who currently do not have Union representation in the Labor Management Committee. To be clear, there is no reason management would be required to end WASEC because of the contract. And, since you are the Union, staff would never ask management to do something detrimental to us all.
HQ has responded that they will refuse to hear our grievance — something they are also not allowed to do. We’ll continue to advance through the grievance process, but we need to build some collective action around this to press HQ into doing what’s right. If you participated in WASEC or previously benefitted from WASEC and would like to help plan a collective action around this issue, please contact Union Representative, Xavier Eddy or a steward.
Performance Evaluation Reassessments
For anyone who didn’t receive “meets expectations” or above in their latest performance evaluation management should have already asked to meet and reassess your evaluation and ensure that you are receiving the full cost of living increase that we negotiated. If you have any questions on how to be reassessed, please reach out to your Union Representative, Xavier Eddy.