Washington Democrats are learning an uncomfortable lesson about political promises: eventually, somebody sends you the bill.
State employees walked off the job at more than 100 worksites this week as the Washington Federation of State Employees demanded higher wages from Gov. Bob Ferguson’s administration. Union leaders say they won’t accept furloughs, cuts or “takeaways.”
There’s just one problem.
Olympia is running out of money to give them.
And that makes this more than another contract negotiation. It exposes the increasingly awkward relationship between Washington Democrats and the public-sector unions that have helped keep them in power.
The Political Money Goes One Direction. Taxpayer Money Goes the Other.
Public-sector unions are major players in Washington politics, overwhelmingly supporting Democrats and progressive causes.
Consider the scale. In the 2024 election alone, unions contributed more than $7.5 million to Washington candidates and political committees, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. The Washington Education Association PAC separately spent more than $509,000 influencing elections that year.
And the political spending hasn’t stopped.
This year, the WEA PAC has already reported more than $809,000 in expenditures, making it one of Washington’s biggest-spending political committees.
When voters qualified Initiative 645 to repeal Democrats’ new income tax, the Washington Education Association, Washington Federation of State Employees and SEIU locals reportedly kicked in roughly $1 million apiece to the campaign defending it.
That’s quite a relationship.
Unions spend millions supporting the political movement that expands government and raises taxes. Democrats get elected. Then those same unions sit across the bargaining table from Democratic officials and negotiate over taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits.
Now the bill is due.
The Checking Account Isn’t Cooperating
State workers received 5% general wage increases under their previous contracts, part of agreements carrying roughly a $1.7 billion price tag.
Now they’re asking for more while Ferguson prepares for another ugly budget cycle.
This isn’t because Washington suddenly stopped collecting taxes. State spending has exploded over the past decade, and Democrats responded to the last budget mess with reserve withdrawals, spending maneuvers and billions in new taxes—including their new income tax.
Yet another shortfall is already looming.
Ferguson actually tried furloughing state employees during the previous budget crunch. Unions revolted, Democratic lawmakers backed away, and the difficult decision disappeared.
Now WFSE is back demanding more compensation while explicitly rejecting furloughs and cuts.
For years, Democrats could promise public-sector unions more money and simply hand taxpayers the bill.
Eventually, the math stops working.
Democrats Finally Meet Fiscal Reality
This is the corner Washington Democrats have painted themselves into.
Public-sector unions have every incentive to keep demanding more. Olympia spent years teaching them that the answer would eventually be yes.
More workers. Higher compensation. Better benefits. Bigger government.
And when revenues couldn’t keep pace?
Higher taxes.
But taxpayers are already being squeezed, businesses are warning about Washington’s costs, and Democrats are heading into another budget mess after imposing billions in new taxes.
At some point, Ferguson and legislative Democrats have to choose between saying no to one of their most important political constituencies or finding someone else to tax.
Given Olympia’s history, Washington taxpayers probably shouldn’t put away their wallets just yet.
The irony is hard to miss: public-sector unions helped Democrats build an ever-larger state government, Democrats rewarded them with ever-larger spending, and now both are fighting over money Olympia doesn’t have.
Turns out even one-party government eventually runs into arithmetic.
