Classified Employee Council

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The basic purpose of the Employee Council shall be to provide civil service employees with a forum for sharing timely information and facilitating employee recognition. The Employee Council does not perform any function of organized labor and is not intended in any way to supplant collective negotiations or employee organizations provided for in RCW 41.80.

• Classified Staff Employee Council - Structure

  In order to carry out this purpose, the Employee Council shall be structured as follows:

  • The Employee Council shall be composed of elected members from all areas of university civil service employment and members shall be selected from groupings of similar work responsibilities, location, organizational units, or any other agreed upon grouping. The number of members per group will be decided by group size. Group sizes will be reviewed annually for necessary adjustments by the Employee Council.
  • The Employee Council shall consist of one elected delegate and one alternate for each of the following eleven (11) designated groups up to an including seventy five (75) classified staff. An additional delegate and alternate will be elected for each additional group above seventy five (75) classified staff:
    1. Dining Services
    2. Facilities Management
    3. Finance and Business Auxiliaries
    4. Information Services
    5. Instructional Support Unit A
    6. Instructional Support Unit B
    7. President
    8. University Centers
  • Annual elections shall be held spring quarter to replace Employee Council members whose terms are expiring. In the event of a tie, the delegate will be chosen by lot. Members and their alternates shall serve two-year terms beginning on October 1. The October meeting shall be attended by newly elected delegates and alternates and past delegates and alternates.
  • The Employee Council Executive Committee shall consist of one delegate to serve as chair, one delegate or alternate to serve as vice chair, one delegate or alternate to serve as publicity coordinator, one delegate or alternate to serve as corresponding secretary, one delegate or alternate to serve as the assistant secretary, one delegate or alternate to serve as budget officer, and one delegate or alternate to serve as technology officer. The immediate past Employee Council Chair will serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the Executive Committee. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected from on-going Employee Council delegates and alternates at the June council meeting. Delegates and alternates are eligible to vote for members of the Executive Committee. Officers will serve a period of one year beginning October 1. Officers of the Executive Committee may be re-elected.
    1. The chair of the Employee Council shall prepare agendas and notices of Employee Council and group meetings. The chair shall preside over council meetings, represent the council at official university functions, and attend Board of Trustees meetings.
    2. The vice chair shall serve as liaison with subcommittees of the council and chair the employee of the month committee. The vice chair shall act in the absence of the chair.
    3. The publicity coordinator shall coordinate the process of disseminating information regarding awards received by civil service employees and other pertinent information of interest to civil service employees.
    4. The secretary shall work with the chair to set the council meeting agenda. The secretary shall record the minutes of each Employee Council meeting. The minutes will be approved in the following meeting then posted to the Employee Council webpage by the technology officer.
    5. The assistant secretary shall act in the absence of the secretary.
    6. The budget officer shall monitor budget expenditures.
    7. The technology officer shall manage the Employee Council website and network shared files.
  • Alternates are strongly encouraged, but not required, to attend all meetings if release time can be obtained. Alternates may vote only in the absence of their respective delegate, except in the case of voting for employee of the month.
  • Delegates who have an unreported absence for three consecutive meetings will be replaced by their alternate. The alternate then becomes the elected-delegate. The Employee Council shall appoint a new alternate using the results from the most current election of the designated working group.
  • Delegates and alternates who change a designated working group, resign from their position on the Employee Council, or leave the university during their term of office, will be replaced. In the case of a delegate, the alternate will become the elected-delegate. In the case of an alternate the Employee Council shall appoint a new alternate using the results from the most current election of the designated working group.

• Classified Staff Employee Council – Functions

  In order to carry out the functions of the Employee Council:

  • Each delegate may meet with their respective group at least once each year, and at such times as the Employee Council may deem necessary.
  • The Employee Council shall hold, with consideration for individual Employee Council members’ workloads, regularly scheduled monthly meetings.
  • Employee Council members are to be allowed time off with pay to attend all meetings. Employees should make their supervisors aware of this at the time that a member accepts election to the Employee Council.
  • The Employee Council Chair or a nominated individual will serve on university committees, or attend Board of Trustees or President’s Advisory Council meetings as a civil service observer. These individuals will be called upon to present information to the Employee Council.
  • The Employee Council may invite to its meetings any persons or representatives from offices, boards, and the like, to provide information and answer questions the Employee Council has regarding matters that may affect civil service employees.