SEIU 925 workers at the University of Washington Continuum College, Libraries, and Press provide vital roles in the UW educational, health care, and research ecosystem. They provide services that support academic growth and engagement, that strengthen the community both in and outside of UW, and that contribute to ongoing global research.
However, it’s clear that the University of Washington does not fairly value this work. 1% raises are not enough for staff to keep up with inflation. Workers often have to move farther from campus to afford housing and work multiple jobs to make ends meet. They can’t make student loan payments, and can’t pay for food without assistance programs like food stamps.
If UW workers don’t have fair working conditions, student learning and engagement WILL suffer, too.
Continuum College and the Libraries and Press have been negotiating with the UW for many months and are overdue for a fair contract. Instead of coming to the bargaining table prepared to negotiate the UW has stalled, delayed, and refused to pay their workers the respect they deserve. UW’s funds have grown from $1.4 billion to $1.9 billion during the time we’ve been bargaining, so UW’s unwillingness to pay the workers that make this university run is not a lack of funds, but a choice.
The UW continues to withhold merit pay awarded in 2024 to Continuum College staff, violating an outside mediator’s legal decision. The UW is SQUANDERING money by deliberately delaying and running out the clock on existing contracts!
SEIU 925 workers deserve a fair contract that includes better pay, layoff and DEI protections, and equitable benefits for equitable work. We call on UW to do better, to show up ready to bargain in good faith, and to respect the labor that has built the reputation of UW worldwide.
UW needs to agree to a fair contract NOW.