Washington § 41.56.427 - Western Washington University — Nonacademic student employees.

(1)(a) In addition to the entities listed in RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to all nonacademic student employees not covered by RCW 41.56.421 who are enrolled in an academic or certificate program on any campus of Western Washington University and includes nonacademic student employees in the following classifications and those whose duties and responsibilities are substantially equivalent:

(i) Advertising assistant;

(ii) Community service center coordinator;

(iii) Computer assistant, except not individuals employed as computer assistants in the student technology center;

(iv) Crafts lab assistant;

(v) Customer service representative;

(vi) Event assistant;

(vii) Media assistant;

(viii) Percussion area coordinator;

(ix) Program support staff;

(x) Program support/committee student representative;

(xi) Writer/editor;

(xii) Viking Union building manager;

(xiii) Resident advisors;

(xiv) Apartment advisors; and

(xv) Inclusion assistant.

(b) For the purposes of collective bargaining under this section, an employee is considered enrolled in an academic or certificate program during campus academic breaks, including any winter, spring, or summer break, if the employee is employed by Western Washington University over the course of the campus academic break and is enrolled in an academic or certificate program on any campus of Western Washington University in the quarter or semester immediately preceding, or subsequent to, the campus academic break.

(c)(i) For the purposes of this section, "employee" does not include employees already eligible for collective bargaining under this chapter or chapters 28B.52, 41.76, or 41.80 RCW.

(ii) This section does not authorize collective bargaining for employees excluded from collective bargaining under RCW 41.56.401(1) (a) through (e).

(2) The employees in subsection (1) of this section constitute an appropriate bargaining unit at Western Washington University.

(3)(a) The scope of bargaining for employees under this section excludes:

(i) The ability to terminate the employment of any individual if the individual is not meeting academic requirements as determined by Western Washington University;

(ii) The amount of tuition or fees at Western Washington University. However, tuition and fee remission and waiver is within the scope of bargaining;

(iii) Western Washington University's academic calendar; and

(iv) The number of students to be admitted to a particular class or class section at Western Washington University.

(b)(i) Except as provided in (b)(ii) of this subsection, provisions of collective bargaining agreements relating to compensation must not exceed the amount or percentage established by the legislature in the appropriations act. If any compensation provision is affected by subsequent modification of the appropriations act by the legislature, both parties must immediately enter into collective bargaining for the sole purpose of arriving at a mutually agreed-upon replacement for the affected provision.

(ii) Western Washington University may provide additional compensation to student employees covered by this section that exceeds that provided by the legislature.

Effective date—2026 c 113: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 18, 2026]." [ 2026 c 113 s 2.]