Interest arbitration factors

AN ACT Relating to interest arbitration regarding uniformed 1
personnel; and amending RCW 41.56.530. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 41.56.530 and 2025 c 58 s 2020 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1) In making its determination, the panel shall be mindful of 6
the legislative purpose enumerated in RCW 41.56.501 and, as 7
additional standards or guidelines to aid it in reaching a decision, 8
the panel shall consider: 9
(a) The constitutional and statutory authority of the employer;10
(b) Stipulations of the parties; 11
(c) The average consumer prices for goods and services, commonly 12
known as the cost of living; 13
(d) Changes in any of the circumstances under (a) through (c) of 14
this subsection during the pendency of the proceedings; and15
(e) Such other factors, not confined to the factors under (a) 16
through (d) of this subsection, that are normally or traditionally 17
taken into consideration in the determination of wages, hours, and 18
conditions of employment. For those employees listed in RCW 19
41.56.030(14)(a) who are employed by the governing body of a city or 20
town with a population of less than fifteen thousand, or a county 21
S-3784.1
SENATE BILL 6135
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senator King
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with a population of less than seventy thousand, consideration must 1
also be given to regional differences in the cost of living.2
(2) For employees listed in RCW 41.56.030(14) (a) through (d), 3
the panel shall also consider ((a)):4
(a) A comparison of the wages, hours, and conditions of 5
employment of personnel involved in the proceedings with the wages, 6
hours, and conditions of employment of like personnel of like 7
employers of similar size on the west coast of the United States; and8
(b) The financial ability of the employer to pay for the 9
compensation and benefit provisions of a collective bargaining 10
agreement. 11
(3) For employees listed in RCW 41.56.030(14) (e) through (h), 12
the panel shall also consider ((a)):13
(a) A comparison of the wages, hours, and conditions of 14
employment of personnel involved in the proceedings with the wages, 15
hours, and conditions of employment of like personnel of public fire 16
departments of similar size on the west coast of the United States. 17
However, when an adequate number of comparable employers exists 18
within the state of Washington, other west coast employers may not be 19
considered; and20
(b) The financial ability of the employer to pay for the 21
compensation and benefit provisions of a collective bargaining 22
agreement. 23
(4) For employees listed in RCW 41.56.153: 24
(a) The panel shall also consider: 25
(i) A comparison of child care provider subsidy rates and 26
reimbursement programs by public entities, including counties and 27
municipalities, along the west coast of the United States; and28
(ii) The financial ability of the state to pay for the 29
compensation and benefit provisions of a collective bargaining 30
agreement; and 31
(b) The panel may consider: 32
(i) The public's interest in reducing turnover and increasing 33
retention of child care providers; 34
(ii) The state's interest in promoting, through education and 35
training, a stable child care workforce to provide quality and 36
reliable child care from all providers throughout the state; and37
(iii) In addition, for employees exempt from licensing under 38
chapter 74.15 RCW, the state's fiscal interest in reducing reliance 39
upon public benefit programs including but not limited to medical 40
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coupons, food stamps, subsidized housing, and emergency medical 1
services. 2
(5) For employees listed in RCW 74.39A.270: 3
(a) The panel shall consider: 4
(i) A comparison of wages, hours, and conditions of employment of 5
publicly reimbursed personnel providing similar services to similar 6
clients, including clients who are elderly, frail, or have 7
developmental disabilities, both in the state and across the United 8
States; and 9
(ii) The financial ability of the state to pay for the 10
compensation and fringe benefit provisions of a collective bargaining 11
agreement; and 12
(b) The panel may consider: 13
(i) A comparison of wages, hours, and conditions of employment of 14
publicly employed personnel providing similar services to similar 15
clients, including clients who are elderly, frail, or have 16
developmental disabilities, both in the state and across the United 17
States; 18
(ii) The state's interest in promoting a stable long-term care 19
workforce to provide quality and reliable care to vulnerable elderly 20
and disabled recipients; 21
(iii) The state's interest in ensuring access to affordable, 22
quality health care for all state citizens; and 23
(iv) The state's fiscal interest in reducing reliance upon public 24
benefit programs including but not limited to medical coupons, food 25
stamps, subsidized housing, and emergency medical services.26
(6) Subsections (2) and (3) of this section may not be construed 27
to authorize the panel to require the employer to pay, directly or 28
indirectly, the increased employee contributions resulting from 29
chapter 502, Laws of 1993 or chapter 517, Laws of 1993 as required 30
under chapter 41.26 RCW. 31
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