Thousands of student employees at the University of Washington (UW) went on strike Tuesday after union representatives and university officials failed to reach an agreement on pay Monday night.
The union, United Auto Workers Local 4121, has been holding bargaining sessions with university officials since February, and all but one clause in the contract (wages) has been resolved.
A university spokesperson said in an emailed statement that university officials have offered raises of 12%, 8% and 8% in each year of contact. The union is proposing a 12% increase over three years.
Union members approved the strike almost unanimously last month, and student workers began walking the picket line on Tuesday. boot At 6 a.m., people held placards and chanted for “fair contracts” and “living wages.” They held a rally to start the strike at 1pm on Tuesday.
The union represents 6,000 student employees, including teaching assistants, researchers, tutors and more.
Wisconsin State University spokesman Victor Barta said in a statement that negotiations are ongoing and the school is “negotiating in good faith.”
“We value our student employees and are committed to reaching fair agreements. We have been working to ensure academic continuity and are committed to continuing to take classes and earn degrees. “We hope this strike will cause minimal disruption to University of Wisconsin students,” he added.
The Hill has requested statements from union representatives.
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