More than 1,000 Western Washington University educational workers set walk out next week
Student employees at Western Washington University have authorized a strike next week, saying that university officials aren’t budging on a raise and other issues.
Some 1,100 members of Western Academic Workers United plan a walkout Tuesday if progress isn’t made on their first contract, the union said in an emailed statement.
WWU is Whatcom County’s third-largest employer, with 2,738 workers this academic year, according to the university website.
Union workers are seeking a base pay of $22.12 an hour, along with partial relief from tuition and fees, strong protections against discrimination and harassment, and bereavement leave.
University officials have offered no increase above the current pay rate of $17.28 an hour, which is the minimum wage in Bellingham.
“A strike is a last resort and we hope it doesn’t come to that,” Erin Grimes, a teaching assistant in the Math Department, said in an emailed statement. “But time is running out for Western’s administration to show us they are taking our demands seriously. We simply cannot get by on our current low wages, and have yet to see movement on other common-sense proposals that ensure our dignity in the workplace.”
WWU response
WWU spokesman Jonathan Higgins told The Bellingham Herald that there isn’t a flat hourly rate offer that the university can cite.
“The implications, responsibilities and contingencies of a possible work stoppage are top of our mind. We are committed to continuing our conversations which can lead to a fair and sustainable agreement with our student employees, and to maintaining positive working relationships amongst all who serve at WWU. We are also thankful that our request for mediation from the Public Employment Relations Commission was granted, and we are hopeful that this will help us reach an agreement as soon as possible,” Higgins said in an email.
“More than 90 percent of our undergraduate students have classes taught directly by faculty members, and thus a minimal number of courses may be impacted by an Educational Student Employee work stoppage. However, should such an event occur, we are working to ensure that all affected students can complete the quarter and receive their grades on time,” he said.
“WWU’s current economic offer would result in total increases to its minimum hourly rate in 2024 of 9.5%, an additional 8.4% on Jan. 1, 2025, and an additional 2% on Jan. 1, 2026. WWU has proposed a 12.9% increase to its graduate salaries effective Sept. 16, 2024, and additional 3%increases effective Sept. 16, 2025 and 2026,” Higgins said.
“The increases WWU is proposing build on increases of nearly 65% to the university’s minimum hourly rates over the last decade and increases to graduate student salaries of nearly 38% over that same period,” he said.
93% authorized strike
In a recent vote, 93% of the union’s membership authorized the bargaining committee to call a strike if significant progress the union said.
Educational Student Employees at WWU are members of Western Academic Workers United, which is part of the United Auto Workers. The union won recognition in June 2023 and has been working to negotiate its first contract since September.
Union members teach, conduct research and hold other roles. About 900 are undergraduates and 200 are graduates.
