LOCAL
WFSE strike at Evergreen shuts down college
OLYMPIA (May 29, 2013) — Some 300 picketers from the Washington Federation of State Employees, other unions, students and allies joined in solidarity on the strike lines Tuesday with members of the Student Support Services Staff Union at The Evergreen State College. The strike started shortly after 5 a.m. after six days of mediation failed to resolve differences over just cause due process rights and a fair compensation package.
“We have shut down Evergreen for the day,” said Evergreen Professor Larry Mosqueda at the mid-day strike rally Tuesday at the entrance to the college’s Red Square. (See the Evergreen strike Flickr feed for more pictures.)
State employee counselors, advisors, resident directors and others at Evergreen voted May 15 by a 90% margin to authorize job actions up to and including strike action. It was the first strike vote taken by the WFSE at any level since the successful statewide “rolling” strike of 2001.
This unit of 55 Student Support Services Staff still has no contract agreement on due process for disciplinary actions (just cause) and compensation. Bargaining on their first contract started 16 months ago.
On Tuesday, Mosqueda said one main seminar building was 95% empty. Parking officials said the parking lots were 60% to 75% empty. Some faculty held classes off campus at the Washington State Labor Council’s building near the Capitol.
Other job actions are expected this week. Keep up to date at www.wfse.org and look for strike updates.
ALSO at The Stand:
New video chronicles ‘A Year of Bargaining’ at Evergreen (May 8, 2013)