TEAMSTERS, CHAUFFEURS, WAREHOUSE AND HELPERS UNION LOCAL NO. 313 v. Department of Corrections

**Union Loses Fight Over State Employee Wages** Teamsters Local 313 sued three Washington state agencies, including the Department of Corrections, claiming they failed to pay workers the correct prevailing wages. The union argued that the state agencies weren't properly implementing salary schedules that reflected what similar workers earned in comparable jobs. The Washington Court of Appeals ruled against the union, finding that the state agencies had done their job correctly. The court determined that these departments had properly created and submitted salary schedules that reflected prevailing wage rates as required by law. However, the court clarified that it's the state legislature's responsibility—not individual state agencies—to actually put these salary schedules into effect. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling shows the limits of what state agencies can do about employee pay. Even when agencies follow the rules for calculating fair wages, they can't unilaterally implement pay increases. State workers who believe they're underpaid may need to focus their efforts on lobbying the legislature rather than suing their employing agencies. The decision highlights how government pay disputes often involve multiple levels of government, making wage increases more complex than in private sector employment.