Member Benefits

In addition to the benefits that come from being a part of a unified community of workers — a strong union contract, for instance! — PROTEC17 membership includes access to many other resources. We offer professional development funds, scholarships for your children, and we are working on creating a discount program for members on products and services that you use everyday. And with the lowest union dues in the Pacific Northwest, the benefits of being a dues-paying member are unsurpassed!

The PROTEC17 Professional Development Fund is designed to encourage and support the ongoing education and professional development of our members.

An annual fund of $10,000 will be made available each year for awards on a first-come, first-served basis to individual members seeking monetary resources for job-related, continuing education opportunities, such as seminars, classes, workshops or conferences that are not covered by their employer or another party. All eligible, dues-paying members are encouraged and welcome to apply!

THE FINE PRINT: Individual awards are available in amounts of up to $200 per member through Dec. 15 of the calendar year, or until the fund is depleted for the year, whichever is first. The award operates on a reimbursement basis, so qualifying documentation must be provided to meet our financial regulations, and the educational activity must take place within the calendar year for which you are seeking reimbursement. To ensure timely reimbursement, please submit your application as close as possible to your educational activity. Due to financial restrictions, we cannot reimburse for travel expenses (even if related to work travel) or for loan payments.

You can find the application HERE. When you submit your application, please include all appropriate documentation as listed in the application.

The last day to submit applications for the 2024 Professional Development Fund is Dec. 13, 2024 in order to allow ample time for processing before the end of the fiscal year. 

Questions? Please contact Deidre Girard, PROTEC17 Communications Director.

You may also want to check your individual contract for additional professional development benefits. Some contracts offer similar benefits for members in specific jurisdictions.

The PROTEC17 annual scholarship program awards two $3,000 scholarships to the child, grandchild or dependent of an active member who wishes to continue their education beyond high school at a college, university, or technical institute. One scholarship will be for an individual starting his/her/their first year of college, and the other will be for an individual continuing their education beyond freshman year.

The application period for the 2024 scholarship is now CLOSED. The 2025 scholarship application will be posted in spring 2025. 

Download the 2024 application form HERE.

For previous applicants, please note that the application has changed from last year. 

If you have questions about the program, please contact Deidre Girard, PROTEC17 Communications Director, at 206-328-7321 ext. 130.

Through our partnerships with other unions and labor councils, we’re able to offer additional benefits to our members.

Washington State Labor Council

The WSLC is widely thought of as one of the best and most proactive Labor Councils in the nation. The WSLC has an effective legislative advocacy program to help build support for PROTEC17 legislative priorities, and it has played a leading role in winning model policies that benefit ALL workers — from our indexed minimum wage, to paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and overtime pay protections. Being a part of the WSLC makes PROTECT17 stronger for the same reason we are all union members in the first place — there is strength in our unity. The WSLC also offers direct benefits for affiliates and their members, including: dislocated worker training, apprenticeships, workers’ compensation assistance. They also publish the award-winning online labor newspaper, The Stand.

Unionized childcare and home care 

Carina is a nonprofit technology organization connecting qualified, unionized child care and home care workers to those who need care through an online matching service that quickly and safely finds available care providers. A project of SEIU775 and other labor, community, and government organizations, Carina aims to provide caregivers with good wages, benefits and union representation, while providing parents, families, low income seniors and people with disabilities with quality, licensed care to meet their needs. PROTEC17 members can use this easy, reputable service by visiting the Carina website: https://carina.org. You can read more about the program HERE.