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Agency: 275 - Public Employment Relations Commission

Last Updated: 10/08/2025

A001 - Dispute Resolution of Public Employer Labor Disputes

The mission of the Public Employment Relations Commission is to prevent or minimize the disruption to public services by the impartial, timely and expert resolution of labor-management disputes. Approximately 300,000 public employees in Washington have collective bargaining rights, including workers for the state, cities, counties, ports, school districts, community colleges, ferry systems, universities, home care, family care, and public utilities. The agency offers mediation, fact finding, and arbitration services; training in collective bargaining; is responsible for processing representation and unit clarification cases, and adjudicating unfair labor practice cases. All services are provided to our clientele at no cost.

Account FY 2026 FY 2027 Biennium Total
FTE 42.2 42.2 42.2
001 - General Fund
State 2,765,000 2,740,000 5,505,000
415 - Personnel Service Account
State 2,422,000 2,450,000 4,872,000
455 - Higher Education Personnel Services
State 805,000 808,000 1,613,000
FY 2026 FY 2027 Biennium Total
FTES 42.2 42.2 42.2
GFS 2,765,000 2,740,000 5,505,000
Other 3,227,000 3,258,000 6,485,000
Totals 5,992,000 5,998,000 11,990,000
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Expected Results

The Commission minimizes or prevents disruption of public services due to labor-management disputes by resolving contract negotiation impasses without work stoppages in over 98 percent of cases brought before the Commission. Although disputing parties may appeal a PERC decision to the court system, more than 99 percent of all adjudicatory proceedings before the Commission are resolved as processed/decided at the agency level.