We did it! 70% for Unionization!
You, the workers who keep Whitman College running, have spoken; we want a union!
Last week, approximately 350 staff, faculty, students, and community members assembled outside Cleveland Commons in support of Whitman’s workers—the first time since the 1970s that our campus has coalesced around labor rights.
I am so proud to have been there, and to have witnessed this outpouring of support and solidarity from our coworkers, elected leaders, students, and the Walla Walla community. To say the least, it was a good day to be a Whittie.
In the days surrounding the rally, we held an authorization vote to officially unionize. I’m excited to announce that the results are in: within the first 24-hours of our card drop, a majority of eligible staff signed authorization cards. By the end-of-day Friday 2/20, 70% of eligible staff had voted yes to forming a union and affiliating with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
This organization effort came together in just 5 months—an almost unheard-of timeline—thanks to the dedication of everyone who had conversations with their coworkers, showed up to meetings, asked questions, listened to others’ stories, and held on to the belief that together we could make meaningful change at Whitman College.
I am so proud of each and every one of you, and honored to be your colleague and partner in this movement.
With this victory, we’ve taken our first significant step towards:
Having a real voice in the decisions that affect our lives and work
Ensuring the needs of ALL workers are seen, valued, and acted on
Creating an equitable workplace grounded in democracy, transparency, and solidarity
Take a moment to celebrate and congratulate your coworkers for this momentous achievement!
Next Steps:
At the conclusion of Thursday’s rally, we delivered a letter to President Sarah Bolton informing the College of our super-majority support for unionization and asking that they voluntarily recognize WCWU, and designating AFT as our representative for collective bargaining.
Within hours, Vice President of Finance & Administration Jeff Hamrick reached out on behalf of the College asking how we can move forward toward recognizing our union, and we responded requesting to meet with him this upcoming week. There, we expect to move forward with setting the terms for voluntary recognition and beginning the processes of collective bargaining.
For those who don’t know, voluntary recognition is a way for employers and newly organized employees to negotiate, expeditiously, on friendly terms. Per the U.S. Department of Labor, an employer voluntarily recognizing a union respects the wishes of staff who’ve shown majority support for union representation without requiring a formal election through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). With recent cuts to NLRB staffing a formal election could take months and as staff, we have needs that can’t wait. Entering into negotiations voluntarily will start our collective bargaining relationship with the College on a positive note and streamline the process, so we are looking to our employer to take the high road and swiftly begin negotiations in good faith.
Want to get involved?
Join us in our meeting with VP Jeff Hamrick; date and time TBA
Attend our next Organizing Committee (OC) meeting Wednesday 2/25 at 5:30 at Sharpstein Elementary, where we’ll discuss upcoming bargaining committee elections and more.
Talk to your coworkers about signing a union authorization card—there’s still time!
Join one of our subcommittees: Communications, Research, Data, Partnerships, & Events. Respond to this email with your interest!
In the meantime, check out some of the local coverage on Thursday’s rally and keep an eye on your inbox for more outreach from WCWU. We will continue to keep y’all in the loop as we progress toward collective bargaining for a fair contract!