Seattle Colleges workers fighting layoffs, furloughs

WFSE Local 304 members holding info picket on June 25 to speak out against attempts to balance the budget on the backs of workers

SEATTLE, WA (June 20, 2025) — State workers came together earlier this year to defeat proposed furloughs in the Governor’s and State Senate’s proposed budgets, successfully arguing that such an approach to save money ultimately harms essential services and the public who rely on them. But Seattle Colleges is now trying to implement furloughs anyway, in addition to laying off student facing staff that make the schools run, per the Washington Federation of State Employees Local 304.

The union has demanded to bargain over these proposed cuts to essential staff but reports that management appears unwilling to consider alternatives to layoffs or ways to mitigate the impacts on staff who directly serve students.

Now, workers are planning an informational picket to raise awareness and urging supporters to send a message to Seattle Colleges administrators urging them to reject furloughs.

WFSE members at Seattle Colleges protesting furloughs proposed during the 2025 legislative session. Photo: WFSE Local 304

One impacted staff member, Sevgi Baran, has worked at Seattle Central College for thirty years and is only two years away from retirement.

“I used to think of SCC as my second home. Now, I hesitate to even say I worked there,” Sevgi said in a statement. “In May 2025, I celebrated my 30th year at the college. Am I upset? No — because I don’t want to be where I’m not wanted. But I do love my job, and for 30 years, I believe I’ve helped everyone with patience.”

WFSE Local 304 believes the financial difficulties at the colleges are a direct result of administrative mismanagement of the schools’ budget.

“What about laying off one of the five directors of marketing and outreach, who report to an additional director of marketing and outreach?” said Johnny Dwyer, a WFSE Local 304 member and IT worker at Seattle Central College, in a statement. “Management says those are really important jobs that we can’t go without. In other words, management looked into what positions we should cut and they decided they would not cut management. The fox checked out the hen house and let everyone know it’s safe.”

In a statement, WFSE Local 304 points out that the Seattle Colleges executive cabinet — 13 people who get approximately 3.5 million in salary every year — have not said whether they plan to themselves forego the 5% general wage increase WFSE negotiated for frontline staff.

“Their pay and their jobs are more important than people who clean the bathrooms and help students and keep students and staff safe,” continued Dwyer.

TAKE A STAND: join WFSE Local 304 for an informational picket on June 25, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. alerting community, students, and fellow Seattle Colleges workers of the colleges’ plans and how they’re fighting back. The info picket will take place at Seattle Central College’s south courtyard, Broadway and Pine, 1625 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122. You can also support the workers by sending a message to Seattle Colleges administrators urging them to reject furloughs and layoffs.