CWU faculty votes to unionize under new law

YAKIMA – Faculty members at Central Washington University have formally voted to unionize, joining Eastern Washington University as the second recognized faculty union at a public four-year college or university in the state, and the first to organize under a new law.

The 264-153 vote in favor of unionizing was announced Thursday at news conferences in Olympia and Ellensburg. The vote was made possible by a collective bargaining law approved by the Legislature in 2002 that gives employees at four-year universities the automatic right to unionize.

About 560 full-time and part-time professors were eligible to vote in the election, which was conducted June 2 through June 23. The union will represent Central faculty members, librarians and coaches in contract negotiations with the university’s administration.

“It marks a new era,” said Susan Donohoe, president of United Faculty of Central and a 14-year professor in the education department. \

“We’re very proud that we took this step so we can now work with the administration to help improve our wages and working conditions.”

Donohoe said union supporters have sought improved compensation, better working conditions and clear grievance and arbitration procedures.

She also said the nearly 75 percent turnout to vote on the proposed union represented a “strong, healthy backing.”

CWU spokesman Mark Anderson said the university’s administration looked forward to working with the faculty and its bargaining representative.

Communication between faculty and the administration has been positive during President Jerilyn McIntyre’s tenure, he said.

“The university administration will now begin reviewing the issues that will be the subject of bargaining,” McIntyre said in a statement.