Student workers at Western Washington University announce hard deadline for union recognition

Student workers at Western Washington University have declared a two-day deadline for the administration to engage in meaningful negotiations about union recognition. If the university does not meet this deadline, the Operational Student Employees (OSEs) plan to resume their strike on June 9. This announcement follows what the bargaining committee called their "most productive meeting ever" with Western administration on June 2. Despite this progress, Western President Sabah Randhawa has stated that state law does not extend collective bargaining rights to student workers. The OSEs will convene on Wednesday to evaluate the university's progress.

The refusal to voluntarily recognize the union remains a central issue in negotiations. The university has yet to respond to the union's deadline announcement. This ongoing labor dispute highlights the challenges faced by student workers in seeking representation and rights on campus.