Working Wildcats

Why form a union?

Students who work for CWU play a critical role in helping our institution operate--we run programs, we maintain facilities, we provide critical services to students, dining services, teaching and research assistants, custodians, tour guides, desk attendants etc.

Yet at the same time, our work is often undervalued and disrespected. Most of us student employees are paid untenably low wages, we have no control over our schedules, we are extra vulnerable to harassment and discrimination in our roles, and we have no basic job protections.

As the cost of living in our cities is skyrocketing and fees are rising, many of us are going deeper into debt while working multiple jobs. Students who have to work their way through school are overwhelmingly from minoritized and underrepresented groups, and paying poverty wages to student workers has disproportionate, racialized and gendered impacts on all of us.