TLDR: RSVP to come to our Western Academic Workers United (WAWU) Monthly Membership Meeting (3/12) to get updates and learn more about what’s been going on! Also, if you haven’t yet, sign our “Fully Fund Western” petition!!
This week in bargaining between our union’s elected bargaining committee and WWU administration we got more insight into how WWU values the labor we provide. The theme of WWU Admin’s proposals were that Educational Student Employees (ESEs) must hold all the risk of precarious job circumstances without any rewards or protections. They proposed that ESEs should go through a probationary period where we could be fired for any reason for up to 30 days after getting hired, and that we can also be laid off at any time and lose our jobs for the quarter with only 30 days notice. They also proposed weakened protections against overwork, and proposed that if hourly folks are scheduled for fewer hours, that we bear the burden of the cost of those lost hours.
They also returned counter proposals for our group of articles relating to anti discrimination and harassment, accommodations, and ADEI trainings. Instead of making movement to work with us on these incredibly important issues, they just continue to take a top-down approach to progress through the new Office of Equity, without valid, experienced input from us student workers. Take a look at each proposal on our website for more details!
Next week is a BIG week not just for WAWU, but for all the unionized workers on campus. Next Thursday, 3/14 (aka Pi Day) at noon in Red Square, workers across campus will be gathering for our Expand the Pie Rally, where we will be calling upon Washington State to fully fund WWU. The rally is the culmination of the petition that hundreds of WWU workers have already signed –if you haven’t signed it yet, sign now and add your voice to that of so many of your coworkers and peers. Keep an eye out for an email from the bargaining committee about upcoming prep sessions to learn more about the logistics of our rally!
Upcoming events:
- Next bargaining session: Monday, March 11th from 11-5pm in VU565.
- Monthly Membership Meeting: Tuesday, March 12th at 5pm. RSVP here so we can order enough food to feed people Mi Rancho Tacos!
- Rally for a Fully Funded Western: Thursday, March 14th at Noon in Red Square. RSVP here.
Solidarity from your elected bargaining committee,
Ally Wehrle, Graduate TA
Ben Workman Smith, Graduate TA
David Cummins, Graduate RA/TA
Erin Grimes, Graduate TA
Erin Magarro, Library Tutor/Ethnic Student Center
Ev Coit, Graduate TA
Gabe Wong, Associated Students Peer Advisor
Jaime Blais, Graduate RA/TA
Josh Kinney, Business Management Faculty Assistant
Jude Ziliak, Academic Advising and Student Achievement Center Peer Advisor
Lexy Aydelotte, Graduate TA
Lydia Henderson, Graduate TA
Mickey Jolliff, Graduate RA/TA
Mason Nicholas, Student Technology Center Computer Assistant
Theo Hytopoulos, Computer Science Faculty Assistant
Valerie Campbell, Financial Aid Peer Advisor