SEIU now state's largest union; Public School Employees join fold

OLYMPIA — Members of the Public School Employees of Washington union have voted overwhelmingly to affiliate with the Service Employees International Union, making the SEIU the largest union in the state.

Public School Employees of Washington (PSE) represents 26,000 classified employees — including teachers aides, bus drivers, secretaries and cafeteria workers — in 175 school districts across the state. During a meeting Saturday in SeaTac, about 500 delegates voted almost unanimously to affiliate with the Service Employees International Union, said Rick Chisa, spokesman for the PSE.

Even before the vote, SEIU was the state's fastest-growing union and a rising political force. With PSE as its newest local affiliate, the SEIU will represent nearly 100,000 members, according to officials from both unions.

"This will give us more strength at the bargaining table and a bigger voice in Olympia and back in D.C.," Chisa said.

He said PSE will keep its name but also will be known as SEIU Local 1948.

Chisa said the PSE has long been overshadowed by the larger and more powerful state teachers union, the Washington Education Association. With about 78,000 members, the teachers union now becomes the state's second-largest union.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents about 55,000 government workers, is the third largest.

PSE for years had been state's largest independent union. But in recent years it lost more than 1,000 members to other unions. Aligning with SEIU will help defend against similar raids, Chisa said.

The new affiliation is "a huge deal" for both unions, said Kim Cook, president of SEIU Local 925. She said SEIU International President Andy Stern took part in the negotiations with PSE and was on hand for Saturday's vote.

SEIU already represents some classified school employees in Washington. The union also represents home health-care workers, hospital workers, janitors and recently organized about 10,000 child-care workers.

In recent years, SEIU has become one of the state's most politically potent groups. The union has poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into political campaigns and frequently buses hundreds of members to Olympia to lobby lawmakers.

Chisa said PSE aims to do the same.

"We will take a more aggressive stand politically, and we will become more vocal in political campaigns," Chisa said.

Ralph Thomas: 360-943-9882