Senate passes bill allowing WSU students to unionize

OLYMPIA – Saying that teaching assistants and other graduate-student employees are a critical asset to Washington State University, the state Senate on Tuesday voted to let the student employees collectively bargain for pay and benefits.

“This bill is fair,” said Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, noting that University of Washington graduate students won the same right six years ago.

The move reflects a growing movement, launched in the late 1960s but largely dormant in the 1980s, to unionize student employees at universities. A key victory for organizers came in 1999, when teaching assistants unionized at the sprawling University of California system.

The bill – which now goes back to the House for concurrence – passed Tuesday over the objections of more than a dozen Republicans.

“I have a grand total of zero e-mails from grad students that want this bill. Zero,” said Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, whose district includes the main Pullman campus.

House Bill 2963 would apply to student-employees like veterinary assistants, graders, some research assistants and others. It’s primarily aimed at graduate students, although undergrads could be covered if they’re doing graduate-level jobs. WSU grad students have been working with the United Auto Workers to get the bill through the Legislature.

The university initially opposed the bill. But after negotiations, President Elson Floyd told lawmakers last week that WSU supports it. Among the changes: WSU would still determine tuition and fees, as well as who isn’t meeting academic requirements.

Schoesler was unmoved, saying that not a single current WSU regent had asked for the legislation.

“What we have here is a jobs bill for the United Auto Workers,” he said. “And for the life of me, I don’t know what the United Auto Workers have to do with higher education and grad students.”

Sen. Chris Marr – a former WSU regent – said much of the teaching and grading at universities is done by graduate assistants. He urged lawmakers to vote yes.

“These are people with kids, raising families,” said Marr, D-Spokane. “… I have sat across the table from these students, who have told me about the sacrifices in terms of child care, health care coverage and the amount we’re able to provide them to subsist.”

Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, argued that most teaching assistants are temporary employees, working three or four years before moving on.

“Vote no,” he told the Senate. “Not necessary.”

A year before the UW legislation passed, teaching assistants there went on a two-week strike, letting exams and essays go ungraded. Some faculty members refused to do the grading in place of the strikers.

Tuesday’s measure passed, 34 to 15.