Political fights put spotlight on leader of Washington's largest public employee union
Mike Yestramski has enjoyed a low profile through much of his six years leading Washington state’s largest public sector union.
Not anymore. His very public clashes with the governor during a contentious 2025 legislative session put a political spotlight on the president of the Washington Federation of State Employees. The union represents 54,000 state government, higher education and public service workers.
Ferguson and Democratic state senators — longtime union allies — wanted to furlough workers and make them pay more for health care coverage. They also called for curtailing programs and closing Rainier School, a rehabilitation center in Pierce County for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, moves certain to trigger layoffs.
Yestramski and legions of fellow union members turned out in force to oppose these moves. Clad in the union’s green t-shirts, they rallied on the Capitol steps, demonstrated at the governor’s office and patrolled the hallways outside the House and Senate chambers to pigeonhole lawmakers through the final hours of session.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/06/12/political-fights-put-spotlight-on-leader-of-washingtons-largest-public-employee-union/