WSU, students reach tentative agreement

A tentative agreement was reached quickly Washington State University and its Coalition of Academic Student Employees after the union initiated a system-wide strike.

Chants echoed through all university campuses Wednesday morning when groups of academic student employees picketed, demanding an agreement with WSU administration. The coalition, also known as WSU-CASE, stated in December it would begin striking if a deal was not reached.

Hours after the strike began, the coalition’s bargaining team announced it had reached a tentative agreement with the institution after administration made key, last-minute adjustments to its offer.

Phil Weiler, vice president of University Marketing and Communication, said the institution is working hard to come to an agreement with its student employees. In a letter from President Kirk Schulz, he stated the WSU negotiating team and union bargaining unit members have met over 40 times and exchanged more than 200 proposals on 40 different contract articles.

Weiler said the proposal is “very generous.” Last year the university was able to raise faculty, professional staff and graduate student wages by 2.2% in 2024 and 1.6% in 2025 by funding provided by the Washington Legislature. He added academic student employees would be guaranteed a minimum 20% increase, if the proposal is approved.

He said the agreement would cost around $15.7 million, which would have to be paid through reductions.

Composed of around 1,800 members, the union represents undergraduate and graduate student workers who perform teaching, research, tutoring and grading roles.

Last week, WSU administration provided a university package proposal in negotiation with the coalition. The offer included the 20% pay hike for its academic student employees, extended WSU-paid pregnancy and parental leave and addressed many of the union’s demands, according to past reporting. The coalition held out for better health care and other benefits, which weren’t mentioned in the initial proposal.

The tentative agreement includes a minimum base wage of $2,318.50 per month for salaried academic student employees in Pullman, a minimum 5% increase to all their salaries within 90 days of ratification, a minimum hourly wage of $17.09 in Pullman and a 3% increase to all salary and hourly wage rates by Oct. 1, 2025, according to a news release. Experience-based step increases would be effective Aug. 16.

It also includes guaranteed tuition remission for salaried academic student employees appointed at 50% and a waiver of the building fee, amounting to around $189 each semester, beginning in fall 2025.

Health care improvements lowered in-network deductible to $300 from $500, reduced out-of-network deductible to $300 from $1,000 and added the right to negotiate further improvements for 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic years.

If accepted, academic student employees would receive six weeks of paid parental leave, child and dependent care subsidies of $2,025 per semester and $1,550 during the summer term and 12 days paid vacation time for a nine-month appointment.

Protection orders would also be put in place against harassment, discrimination and all other abusive conduct enforceable with a grievance process and interim measures. There would also be protections against firing without just cause, and a clear, transparent discipline process.

Immigration support like informational workshops and paid work-related visa fees was included.

Union bargaining unit members will gather Jan. 19-25 for a ratification vote, according to the news release. The contract would expire Aug. 15, 2026, if accepted.

The union became certified in May 2022 and elected a bargaining committee in November of that year, according to past reporting. Negotiations with WSU administration began in February 2023. The coalition filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the institution in September 2023 in protest of university administration’s bargaining process and treatment of the institution’s workers.

The agreement, if approved, would be the first contract reached between both parties.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.