During the 2024 Legislative Session, OSEs submitted a bill that defines bargaining rights for Student Workers at all Washington Regional Universities. Despite widespread support from student employees and Western itself, the bill unfortunately did not get passed. Read more about the bill and our fight for recognition in the Front.
Western Washington University refuses to recognize Operational Student Employees and bargain with us, despite us filing our petition for our union with the state labor board in December 2023.
Western can bargain with OSEs at any time in order to address emergent workplace safety concerns at the Recreational Center and solve workplace inequalities between OSEs and Educational Student Employees who have layoff protections, workplace accommodations, and more through their contract.
Despite the OSE bargaining committee’s willingness to bargain, Western maintains that they will not engage in formal bargaining with OSEs without this legislative framework—however OSEs are not backing down. Come to Organizing Committee Meetings Wednesday’s at 5 in ES 418 and join the effort for an OSE contract.