WWU student employees walk out of jobs, begin strike as talks with administration continue

More than 1,000 Western Washington University Educational Student Employees (ESEs) walked out of their jobs Tuesday and began striking in a unionized effort to negotiate a contract with University administration.

The walkout began at 5 a.m. and was expected to last until 5 p.m. after no agreement was reached between the ESEs and the University during bargaining Monday.

The employees’ union, Western Academic Workers United (WAWU-UAW), was formed two years ago. The employees are demanding more competitive wages, partial relief from tuition and fees, bereavement leave, and strong protections against discrimination and harassment, according to a release from WAWU about the walkout.

“The current unpredictability and vulnerability of ESE jobs, paired with a mounting student debt crisis, is a recipe for disasters like dropping out and extending time to graduation,” the release states. “Paying student workers living wages is a critical ingredient for making sure that higher education is accessible to all, not just a privileged few.”

WAWU negotiations with the University began in the fall of 2023.

WAWU filed 37 articles in the proposed WAWU-WWU contract. Agreements have been reached on several of those articles, including union rights, scheduling, training, professional development, grievance procedures, health and safety, housing, immigration, job postings and appointment notification, according to university officials.

Second Open Letter from WAWU to WWU Community by Rachel Showalter on Scribd

Union members and supporters picketed Tuesday at several locations:

▪ W. College Way & Bill McDonald Pkwy.

▪ High St. & Oak St.

▪ 25th St. & Bill McDonald Pkwy.

Some faculty members canceled classes in support of striking employees.

“WWU Administration has left us no choice but to strike. Educational Student Employees at Western are sick of relying on food banks, having to work multiple jobs, and feeling the constant stress of rent,” said Gabe Wong, the undergraduate student senate president and a member of the bargaining committee. “It’s time for a fair contract, with fair pay and decent working conditions which allow us to focus on our work, stay in our teaching and research roles which Western depends on, and ensure Western remains accessible to the people it serves.”

Educational Student Employees at Western work doing teaching, research, and related varied roles in the University’s educational ecosystem. Of the 1,100 members of the union, 900 are undergraduates, and 200 are graduates.

Western Washington University is expected to continue meeting with WAWU during the strike “to reach a swift and sustainable agreement that minimizes the impact on WWU students and their academic pursuits,” according to a release from the University.

WWU campus is open and operating normally. Although there may be traffic disruptions, according to the release. WWU’s Academic Affairs personnel are also working to ensure that students whose classes may be affected by the strike will be able to receive their grades and course credit on time, the release states.

“It is the University’s hope that our negotiating partners share our commitment to compromise and resolution,” said Brad Johnson, WWU provost and executive vice president. “It’s been our priority to land on an agreement that is fair and sustainable in terms of its impact to university operations and instruction.”

WWU’s proposed compensation increases:

▪ Cumulative increases to minimum hourly rate: 12.3 percent increase or to $19.41 per hour. Incremental increases would begin in July 2024 and end Jan. 1, 2026.

▪ Cumulative increases to minimum TA stipends: 20.4 percent increase or to $2,046 per month. Incremental increases would begin in July 2024 and end Jan. 1, 2026.

WWU’s hourly academic student employees have received wage increases of more than 60 percent over the last ten years, according to the University. WWU’s salaried academic student employees, including Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Research Assistants, have received wage increases of 37.9 percent over the same period.

“We understand that the rising costs of living and learning in Bellingham are challenging. There are solutions rolling out at the local and state levels, including continued increases in the minimum wage, investments in student financial aid and affordability programs such as the Washington College Grant, as well as more incentives for affordable housing, which we hope can and will help ease many of these burdens. For our part, WWU has and continues to propose steady increases in our academic student employee wages,” Johnson said.