Audrey Eide Appointed as Chair of the Commission — June 2026

On June 22, 2026, Governor Bob Ferguson appointed Audrey B. Eide as chair of the commission to fill the vacancy created by Mark Lyon’s departure and to complete his term ending September 8, 2026. Effective September 9, 2026, Audrey will serve a five-year term through September 8, 2031. Audrey has been practicing law for over 40 years, with an emphasis in labor and employment law. Since 2019, she has maintained a full-time private practice as a labor relations neutral, serving as a public- and private-sector arbitrator in multiple states. Prior to her work as a neutral arbitrator, Audrey served as general counsel for the WSCCCE, as legal counsel for the WPEA, and as an administrative law judge for the Washington State Personnel Appeals Board. Audrey received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 1975 from the University of Washington and her Juris Doctor in 1978 from the University of Puget Sound School of Law (now Seattle University School of Law).

2026 Law Enforcement Arbitrator Roster Fee Schedule Review — May 2026

At its meeting on May 11, 2026, the Commission conducted its annual review of the fee schedule for the Law Enforcement Arbitrator Roster pursuant to RCW 41.58.070(3). After considering the relevant data and average rates charged by members of both our Dispute Resolution Panel and this roster, the Commission increased the per diem rate to $2,000.

Does PERC provide services to private-sector parties? — November 2025

Earlier this year, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) reduced its mediation and training services as part of a federal restructuring effort. These changes have limited the support available to private-sector employers and unions.
PERC has the authority to provide similar services to private-sector parties when both sides agree, and has done so in the past. We remain committed to helping fill the gap left by FMCS’s reduced availability. For more information or to request assistance, please contact PERC at info@perc.wa.gov.

PERC’s available services include:
•  Access to PERC’s panel of private arbitrators
•  Arbitrations conducted by PERC staff
•  Grievance and contract mediation
•  Training and facilitation
•  Representation elections by agreement

Reorganization of the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act, Chapter 41.56 RCW — August 2025

The Washington State Legislature enacted Senate Bill 5435, which reorganized and added subchapter headings to chapter 41.56 RCW. The chapter is now divided by topic, including

• General Provisions (definitions, unfair labor practice provisions, and the general rights of employees)
• Application and Scope of Bargaining (statutes granting rights to some, but not all, of the employees subject to the act)
• Representation Determinations (election and card check provisions)
• Negotiations and Arbitration (mediation and grievance arbitration provisions)
• Institutions of Higher Education (statutes granting rights to employees at the higher education institutions)
• Interest Arbitration
• Chapter Construction and Limitations

Because the Office of the Code Reviser has a rule that statute numbers will not be reused, almost every statute now has a new number.

We have prepared two documents that identify and cross-reference the old and new statute numbers, one document numerically sorted by original statutes and the other sorted numerically by the new statutes. The official version is available on the legislature’s website. 

Anticipated Contracting Needs

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