Washington Public Employees Ditch Expensive Union Dues

Erin Volz
February 20, 2026

The day after Presidents Day, a simple email message from the Freedom Foundation resonated with Washington public employees: “If union dues are a financial burden, you can cancel them now.”

More than 70 union represented University of Washington and state employees, primarily represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees and SEIU 925, took that message to heart and canceled their union dues.

Both unions have expensive dues caps that can exceed $1,600 annually. Many state employees pay around $1,000 per year to WFSE. Workers are clearly tired of watching their paychecks shrink, and the numbers show it.

Last year, the Freedom Foundation achieved its second highest overall opt out total, helping 5,000 Washington public employees keep more of what they earn. Quarter 1 has not even ended, and more than 1,000 workers have already canceled their dues through the direct efforts of the Freedom Foundation.

- Washington
, SEIU, University of Washington, Washington, WFSE

Erin Volz

Washington Outreach Director

For over 20 years, Erin operated as an independent stylist and business owner in Washington State. In late 2021, she came to the Freedom Foundation seeking to further her impact on local and national policy. She now serves as the Washington State Outreach Director, helping disenfranchised public workers to leave their government union, fight corruption and protect constitutional rights. In her free time, she enjoys road tripping across the country with her husband, riding horses and collecting rare and unusual houseplants.