TEA Times

A very important lawsuit is scheduled for Friday, June 4th. TEA filed this lawsuit against PERC to force them to abide by their written administrative procedures and WAC law. TEA filed the lawsuit in Thurston County because that is where PERC is located and because the Thurston County judges have direct experience with PERC administrative issues. TEA attorney, Jim Cline, has prepared and submitted a court brief. Please contact a TEA officer for a copy. It tells a very compelling story.

• For over three and one half years we have worked very hard to exercise our right to vote on who represents us.
• With over 70% of over 200 employees signing cards, PERC has ruled that we have a “sufficient showing of interest”; (ie. TEA is a qualified entity to represent employees)
• The PERC has also ruled that no other organization has any right to the people we represent and in fact all other organizations gave up any claim they may have had.
• For two and one half years, the only issue preventing us from bargaining our first contract has been PERC saying that we have not presented “an appropriately configured bargaining unit”. The PERC’s job (as defined by the Washington Administrative Code), their very reason to exist, is to help us and people like us pursue our right to organize and bargain.

Throughout this time the PERC has ignored the well defined legal process for reviewing our petitions and Unfair Labor Practice Complaints. The PERC has even issued decisions without holding hearings.

The Technical Employees Association (TEA) is an organization conceived from the ideals and determination of basic worker rights to representation. We have been working toward full recognition since 1995. Despite a hard-fought battle by the County and Local 17, TEA is still a viable organization after 3 1/2 years. We have money in the bank, we have a good attorney, and we have a just cause.

We know that we will prevail.

Please join us at the trial. Carpools are being organized. Talk with a TEA officer, Board member and co-worker. We are all in this together.

Thurston County Superior Court          June 4, 1999,  1:30 PM
Department 7 Judge Tabor
2000 Lake Ridge Drive, 
Olympia, WA