From: Liz Parkes
Date: Mon, Mar 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Subject: Re: Follow up on WAWU’s meeting
Dear Ms. Bowles:
Thank you for your email.
To clarify, during our meeting with operational students on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, the university made it clear that we did not intend to circumvent any steps necessary for legislative recognition for its operational student workers. In that meeting, the operational students proposed that the parties agree on a bargaining unit description and list. The university’s response was that we are not willing to proceed in that manner until HB 1570 (or similar enabling legislation) passes the Legislature.
The university has consistently emphasized that the decision regarding which public-sector employees have collective bargaining rights, and the rules governing bargaining between those employees and the employer, is determined by the Legislature, not the university. As such, the university has insisted that any unions organizing bargaining units follow the election or card-check procedures established by the Legislature and overseen by the Public Employment Relations Commission. We understand that HB 1570 did not progress in the legislature this year, despite the university’s support. But since the bill did not pass, as outlined above, we are not in a position to discuss the bargaining unit definition or its employees, as there is no statutory framework in place to do so.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Liz