WORKERS RIGHTS

PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS COMMISSION

RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES

Employees covered by the public sector collective bargaining laws administered by the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) have a right to form and join organizations to represent them for the purposes of collective bargaining with their employers, and to refrain from any and all such activities.

VIOLATION(S) OF RIGHTS

EMPLOYER:
INTERFERENCE WITH EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
[RCW 28B.52.073(1)(a);41.56.140(1);or 41.59.140(1)(a)]
DOMINATION OR ASSISTANCE OF UNION
[RCW 28B.52.073(1)(b);41.56.140(2);or 41.59.140(1)(b)]
DISCRIMINATION
[RCW 28B.52.073(1)(c);41.56.140(1);or 41.59.140(1)(c)]
DISCRIMINATION FOR FILING CHARGES
[RCW 28B.52.073(1)(d);41.56.140(3);or 41.59.140(1)(d)]
REFUSAL TO BARGAIN
[RCW 28B.52.073(1)(e);41.56.140(4);or 41.59.140(1)(e)]

UNION:
INTERFERENCE WITH EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
[RCW 28B.52.073(2)(a);41.56.150(1);or41.59.140(2)(a)]
INDUCING EMPLOYER TO COMMIT VIOLATION
[RCW 28B.52.073(2)(b);41.56.150(2);or41.59.140(2)(b)]
DISCR5IMINATION FOR FILING CHARGES
[RCW 28B.52.073(2)(c);41.56.150(3);or41.59.140(2)(a)]
REFUSAL TO BARGAIN
[RCW 28B.52.073(2)(d);41.56.150(4);or41.59.140(2)(c)]

EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATION

Under the Supreme Court's Weingarten decision, the following rules apply to investigatory interviews:

  • The employee can request union representation before or at any time during the interview. When an employee asks for representation, the employer must choose from among three options:

    1. Grant the request and delay questioning until the union representative arrives:
    2. Deny the request and end the interview immediately; or
    3. Give the employee a choice of: (a) having the interview without representation or (b) ending the interview.

  • If the employer denies the request for union representation and continues the meeting, the employee can refuse to answer questions.

     

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