University of Washington academic student employees strike for better pay

Thousands of University of Washington student employees walked off the job Tuesday morning.

The strike comes just a few weeks before final exams — and it could have big impacts on students.

The United Auto Workers Local 4121 union represents 6,000 graduate and undergraduate student employees who do research, grade papers, tutor students, and teach classes across the university.

Many of them rallied in UW's Red Square Tuesday afternoon. They chanted and carried signs calling for "fair wages."

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The union has been negotiating with the university since February, but they've failed to agree on wage increases.

As of Tuesday morning, the university's proposal was a 12% pay increase in the first year of the contract and 8% boosts for the following two years. The union had requested 12% for all three years.

Francesca Colonnese, a pre-doctoral instructor in the English department, said the time spent on negotiations takes away from her focus on students.

"I'm a solo instructor. I am in charge of my own syllabus, my own classroom, my own grading," she said. "Like, my students will be waiting for me to return from the picket line to get final grades."

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UW spokesperson Victor Balta said in a statement that the university is bargaining in good faith.

"We value our academic student employees and we are committed to reaching a fair agreement," he said. "We have been working to ensure academic continuity, laying the groundwork to keep classes and degree completion going, and we are hopeful that any disruption to UW students as a result of this strike will be minimal."

Missy Gonzalez-Garduño, a PhD student and instructor in the English department, said she and her colleagues do essential work on campus.

"Who do you think is teaching first-year writing courses right now?" she asked the crowd at Tuesday's rally. Attendees responded: "No one."

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But Gonzalez-Garduño said she doesn't feel valued "on paper."

The union said most members make less than $40,000 per year, and they often struggle to make ends meet.

"Our status here in Seattle is at a critical juncture," Gonzalez-Garduño said. "We can't afford to live here. We can't afford to buy groceries here."

Colonnese said she spends about half her income on rent. But she considers herself lucky. Many of her colleagues have second jobs, and some sleep in their cars and go to food banks.

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She said the union hopes to reach an agreement soon, but they'll remain on the picket line as long as they have to. Negotiations continued all day Tuesday.

"My students' learning conditions are my working conditions, and I do better for them if I am better supported," Colonnese said. "That's what fair wages are all about."