Calls for Union Transparency Are Sweeping Across Western Washington

Matthew Hayward
April 22, 2015

From Sequim to Clark County, Washington residents and their elected officials are tired of public-sector union bosses who use bullying tactics and intimidation to force negotiations of government employee contracts to be done in secret.

Just the mention of transparency has unions promising to sue.

This month two counties, Grays Harbor on March 20 and Mason the following day, had the issue of transparency brought up in public testimony.

In Grays Harbor County, Commissioner Wes Cormier, who campaigned on transparency and asked for public negotiations in the past, introduced a resolution on April 13th again stating his desire to open collective bargaining negotiations to public scrutiny.

Thanks to citizen involvement, and courageous elected officials, public sector unions are being forced into the open for the first time. It’s only a question of time before the dominoes begin to fall. As soon as negotiations are opened up in one city or in one county, they will open up across the entire state, and pressure will be on the governor—who received nearly $6 million in campaign contributions from labor unions—to end the secret negotiations with his top campaign contributors.

So the only question now is, who will be first to adopt these common sense ideas?

Grays Harbor, Clark, Mason, Adams, Grant, Walla Walla or Chelan County….?

“The union will not agree to public negotiations…we have a contract with Grays Harbor County, not with the public… the public is not a party to the contract.”
— Hannah Franks Local 275

The public certainly has an interest in these negations, and deserve to view them.

Are Unions Agreeable to Hold Public Negotiations?

- Local Government
, Washington

Matthew Hayward

National Outreach Director

Before joining the Freedom Foundation, Matthew worked as supervisor at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, where he coordinated efforts between federal and state agencies, tribes, and volunteer organizations in the Puget Sound. Grassroots politics has provided Matthew with many unique and sometimes controversial experiences. These experiences range from successfully building coalitions between different factions to training and organizing volunteers to maximize their effectiveness. Matthew’s passion for freedom to educate citizens about their Constitutional rights is strong and unwavering. “I not only measure success by results, bu t by the integrity of the action taken to achieve the result.” —Matthew H.