Western student workers agree to strike pause

Operational Student Employees using pause to continue recognition and contract talks with University Administration

BELLINGHAM, WA (June 3, 2025) — Late Sunday, on day five of their strike, Operational Student Employees (OSEs) at Western Washington University — who are fighting for their union, WAWU-UAW, to be recognized — agreed to temporarily pause their strike at the suggestion of State Representative Joe Timmons, who introduced legislation this past session to  create a legal pathway for the workers to secure their union without voluntary recognition. 

“Operational Student Employees are being heard loud and clear, we want a union and are willing to fight for it,” said Aspen Cates-Doglio, a member of the WAWU-UAW bargaining committee in a statement. “The impacts of the strike have been significant, and in the interest of creating space for the parties to engage in productive conversations we are willing to temporarily pause the strike with the understanding that Western Administration will engage with us in intensive conversations about union recognition and a contract.” 

In a social media post, the union reports that University Administration has agreed to meet with the bargaining committee every day of this week. In meetings Monday, Admin continued to stonewall about voluntary recognition; per the bargaining committee, the workers have set a deadline of Monday, June 9 for the University to recognize their union, or they will head back to the picket line.

OSEs went on strike on May 28 after University administration refused to engage in the most recent demands for recognition and a fair contract. The workers formed their union two years ago to address workplace issues; Academic Student Workers are already unionized, working under a collectively bargained contract. But despite majority support in three separate votes over the past two years, Western won’t recognize the workers’ union.

Per the workers, University administration has previously claimed that absent legislation explicitly requiring WWU to recognize OSEs’ union, they are unable to do so. However, as the Bellingham City Council pointed out in a letter sent in support of the student workers, it is fully within the University’s power to voluntarily recognize the union.

The union reports that the impacts of the strike have been felt across campus given the critical role OSEs play in University operations, and community support has been continuous.

“Every day, there are new people joining us on the picket line. We have made the importance of OSE labor at Western abundantly clear,” said Carson Henrich, Computer Assistant, College of the Environment, in a statement. “Garbage is piling up, thousands of residents have not had an RA on call or mail delivered, and administrators agreeing to sit down and actually have a detailed conversation for the first time in two years is proof that withholding our labor works.

“This pause is not the end,” continued Henrich. “We remain ready and willing—through graduation and resident move out—to do whatever it takes to win our union and contract we deserve.”