Note: This message was sent to all WSU faculty system-wide on November 28, 2023.

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

As the recent WSU Insider article articulated, WSU is aware that Academic Student Employees (ASE), represented by the United Auto Workers, voted to authorize their elected bargaining team to call a strike if circumstances warrant.  The ASE unit is comprised of graduate and undergraduate teaching and research assistants, tutors, graders, and other academic student employees. If you have not read the WSU Insider article, I would encourage you to do so.

HRS has prepared a “Job Actions & Work Stoppage Information – Q&A” website that faculty, researchers, and staff members may reference regarding possible job actions and work stoppages.  Please review this website carefully.  The website will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.

As state employees, it is important to remember that Washington State law (Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 41.56.120) does not grant state employees the right to strike. However, we are aware similar higher education groups have participated in strikes/work stoppage in the past. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General has a published opinion that, in general, states that public employees cannot strike.

Washington State University will continue to monitor this situation carefully.  If ASE chooses to strike, and the duration impacts the ability of students to attend classes and/or finish their coursework, the Provost’s Office will work with the Faculty Senate and academic colleges to ensure academic continuity.  This may include grading modifications for the Fall 2023 semester.

Additionally, if the need arises, the Office of Research will issue guidance to ensure our research programs continue to be productive and that effective plans are in place.  In the meantime, it is important to identify essential personnel who can perform critical procedures, processes, or equipment management that require regular attention.  We recommend reviewing the bulleted list below to ensure your personnel needs are fully met:

  • Personnel responsible for ensuring the safety and security of research facilities under more restricted conditions,
  • Personnel responsible for animal welfare (both those involved in PI-managed areas and centrally supported),
  • Personnel responsible for equipment maintenance that, if not done, could result in damage or high-cost equipment repairs (e.g., maintaining cryogen on NMR spectrometers),
  • Researchers working on experiments that have a small window for completion (e.g., the ability to make a specific measurement only a few times a year),
  • Faculty and/or research staff necessary to maintain research materials that are perishable and not easily replaced. For example, primary cell lines, and long-term experiments for which there would be considerable cost and/or time associated with requiring the experiment to end (e.g., an ongoing, continual one-month experiment that requires regular measurements or maintenance otherwise all previous data is lost), and
  • Infrastructure services (e.g., delivery of liquid nitrogen, waste treatment processes, IT, safety, or security).

If you have specific questions outside of those on the “Job Actions & Work Stoppage Information – Q&A” website, please contact WSU Labor Relations at hrs.labor@wsu.edu.

Thank you for your commitment as we support our students and educational mission proactively.  The Provost’s Office will continue to be in contact as additional information becomes available.

Best regards,

Elizabeth

Elizabeth S. Chilton
Provost and Executive Vice President
Chancellor, WSU Pullman
Professor, Department of Anthropology