For Immediate Release                                                                                         Contact: Jill Strait

June 26, 2008                                                                                                              425-498-2008

State Employee Unions Get Ready to Launch Rossi Attack Ads while Gregoire Negotiates their Pay Increase

Redmond, WA - The Evergreen Progress PAC, made up of contributions from the Democratic Governors Association and 15 labor union PACs, is slated to start running TV attack ads against Dino Rossi tomorrow. More than 60 percent of the money for these ads comes from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Washington Federation of State Employees. Both groups have also given large sums to the State Democratic Party.

While these groups, whose employees are paid by state tax dollars, are pouring in hundreds of thousands of dollars to help re-elect Governor Christine Gregoire, she is actively negotiating pay increases for these same state employees.

"The incumbent is negotiating with these state employee groups using taxpayer money.  On the very day that she is negotiating, these same groups are putting hundreds of thousands of dollars into a campaign to re-elect her," said Rossi campaign spokesperson Jill Strait. "Is Gregoire blind to this conflict of interest?  Will the public believe that the Governor, who is negotiating with these groups, is unaware or unaffected by the fact that these same groups are paying for her re-election?

"Gregoire should refuse to negotiate pay increases until after the election and she should instruct her party chair to return contributions from these groups. Anything else gives the appearance of a pay-off. At a time when our state faces over a $2.5 billion deficit and families and businesses are struggling with rising prices, we can't afford to see our tax dollars wasted by Gregoire handing out political thank yous to her biggest contributors." 

The SEIU currently has four contracts being negotiated by Gregoire that need to be completed by October 1, 2008.

1)      Home health care workers - SEIU 775

2)      In home child care workers - SEIU 925

3)      Nurses in state institutions - SEIU 1199

4)      Classified staff in higher Ed institutions (PSE/SEIU)

The Washington Federation of State Employees is also currently negotiating contracts with Gregoire that include increases in salary and benefits.

The Seattle Times on Tuesday highlighted the fact that both the SEIU and the Washington Federation of State Employees were major contributors during the 2004 recount, donating $418,000 and $250,000 respectively, and that both made out very well under Gregoire's administration. These same groups will now run TV ads to ensure that Gregoire stays in the Governor's mansion.

"Do you suppose these ‘independent' ads will coincidentally be a continuation of Gregoire's radio attack ads that went up this week criticizing Dino for the 2003 budget - the same budget that was passed by a Democratic controlled House and signed by Democratic Governor Gary Locke?" continued Strait. "And do you suppose that Gov. Gregoire, who was so offended last week by third party ads about her record, will show the same kind of anger toward these ads?"

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