Politics After fatal accidents, WA Fish and Wildlife workers press Ferguson on agency appointee
A labor union representing most employees at Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife says it’s troubled that a member of a commission that oversees the agency may not get reappointed after Gov. Bob Ferguson hit the brakes on his nomination.
The roughly 1,000-member Washington Association of Fish and Wildlife Professionals sent a letter to the governor Thursday saying that Tim Ragen had helped to give them fresh hope that long-running concerns about a lack of workplace safety, gaps in training, and supervisor retaliation against employees might finally be addressed.
“He has shown genuine concern about our safety and welfare, devoted the time necessary to understanding our issues, and actively worked to find pathways to improve our working conditions,” says the letter, signed by Candace Hultberg (Bennett), president of the association.
It adds that Ragen may not be reappointed “precisely because his courage in confronting these sorts of difficult and controversial situations has led to political criticism.”
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/03/24/after-fatal-accidents-wa-fish-and-wildlife-workers-press-ferguson-on-agency-appointee/