Student workers at Western Washington University end strike and reach agreement

Student workers at Western Washington University (WWU) ended their strike after five days, reaching an agreement with the administration. The Operational Student Employees' union hailed the deal as a significant advancement for non-educational student workers statewide. New terms include enhanced layoff protections, increased sick leave, bereavement leave, and wage adjustments to align with educational student employees. Despite these gains, the university did not agree to the union's primary demand for voluntary recognition. WWU President Sabah Randhawa stated that the university will continue to support OSEs in their pursuit of formal bargaining rights in the upcoming legislative session.

The agreement affects around 1,200 student workers in various non-academic roles, including laborers and resident advisors. The union's efforts and the strike highlight the growing movement for student worker rights in higher education. This agreement may set a precedent for similar actions at other institutions in Washington State.