This is just some information because the recent story in the Evergreen and Sky Wilson's information was not completely accurate. So here is some information every student needs:

1. GPSA did NOT initiate unionization.
2. GPSA did NOT send the proposed bill for the union to the university, the United Auto Workers and their student organizers did.
3. The union only needs 30% of the student body to show up to vote and only a majority of that 30%voting to pass.
4. If the union passes membership becomes MANDATORY, unless students are willing to risk their jobs.
5. If the union passes payment of dues or fees becomes MANDATORY.
6. Dues would be about $20 per month per academic student employee - or 1.15% of salary.
7. Our dues would not stay on campus, they would go to the United Auto Workers for a variety of purposes.
8. The United Auto Workers stand to gain approximately +$200,000/year and +$700,000/contract period from students at this campus alone.
9. We already pay student fees for GPSA to represent us.
10. GPSA represents graduate students on EVERY major university committee, including graduate assistant health insurance (just negotiated) and childcare.
11. Graduate students on these committees are respected and heard. In many cases the graduate student representative has changed the course of action of the committee and/or been able to contribute significant information to the group in order for the group to reconsider some new avenue of importance.
12. Unionizing would limit the professional development activities that academic student employees could participate in on campus - such as GPSA involvement.
13. Branch campus academic student employees would also be affected.
14. There is an "agency fee" for those who choose not to join the union. This is a percentage of their pay that goes to the union. If they refuse this fee there is a termination clause in the contract and they can be fired as a WSU grad STUDENT! 
15. The union bill will most likely be signed by the governor shortly and the ASECC/UAW did get the appropriations. So they will be coming back to WSU for student vote, my guess would be shortly.

     

     

     

     

    Stay tuned and help inform students!

These are just some of the facts of unionizing. Help get the word out, help inform fellow students. A recent guest commentary in the Daily Evergreen made some of the same points.

What you can do...

• Please come to the debate on Monday
• Sign our petition speaking out against representation
• Email the Governor (http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp)
• Email your state legislators (we are in district 9) (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx)
• Email the student newspaper, the Evergreen with letters to the editor (opinion@dailyevergreen.co)