University of Washington — Certain employees enrolled in an academic program — Scope of collective bargaining.
RCW 41.56.423
in effect(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101 , this chapter applies to the University of Washington with respect to employees who are enrolled in an academic program and are in a classification in (a) through (i) of this subsection on any University of Washington campus. The employees in (a) through (i) of this subsection constitute an appropriate bargaining unit: (a) Predoctoral instructor; (b) Predoctoral lecturer; (c) Predoctoral teaching assistant; (d) Predoctoral teaching associates I and II; (e) Tutors, readers, and graders in all academic units and tutoring centers; (f) Predoctoral staff assistant; (g) Predoctoral staff associates I and II; (h) Except as provided in this subsection (1)(h), predoctoral researcher, predoctoral research assistant, and predoctoral research associates I and II. The employees that constitute an appropriate bargaining unit under this subsection (1) do not include predoctoral researchers, predoctoral research assistants, and predoctoral research associates I and II who are performing research primarily related to their dissertation and who have incidental or no service expectations placed upon them by the university; and (i) All employees enrolled in an academic program whose duties and responsibilities are substantially equivalent to those employees in (a) through (h) of this subsection. (2)(a) The scope of bargaining for employees at the University of Washington 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 the University of Washington; (ii) The amount of tuition or fees at the University of Washington. However, tuition and fee remission and waiver is within the scope of bargaining; (iii) The academic calendar of the University of Washington; and (iv) The number of students to be admitted to a particular class or class section at the University of Washington. (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) The University of Washington may provide additional compensation to student employees covered by this section that exceeds that provided by the legislature.
(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101 , this chapter applies to the University of Washington with respect to employees who are enrolled in an academic program and are in a classification in (a) through (i) of this subsection on any University of Washington campus. The employees in (a) through (i) of this subsection constitute an appropriate bargaining unit:
(a) Predoctoral instructor;
(b) Predoctoral lecturer;
(c) Predoctoral teaching assistant;
(d) Predoctoral teaching associates I and II;
(e) Tutors, readers, and graders in all academic units and tutoring centers;
(f) Predoctoral staff assistant;
(g) Predoctoral staff associates I and II;
(h) Except as provided in this subsection (1)(h), predoctoral researcher, predoctoral research assistant, and predoctoral research associates I and II. The employees that constitute an appropriate bargaining unit under this subsection (1) do not include predoctoral researchers, predoctoral research assistants, and predoctoral research associates I and II who are performing research primarily related to their dissertation and who have incidental or no service expectations placed upon them by the university; and
(i) All employees enrolled in an academic program whose duties and responsibilities are substantially equivalent to those employees in (a) through (h) of this subsection.
(2)(a) The scope of bargaining for employees at the University of Washington 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 the University of Washington;
(ii) The amount of tuition or fees at the University of Washington. However, tuition and fee remission and waiver is within the scope of bargaining;
(iii) The academic calendar of the University of Washington; and
(iv) The number of students to be admitted to a particular class or class section at the University of Washington.
(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) The University of Washington may provide additional compensation to student employees covered by this section that exceeds that provided by the legislature.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=41.56&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026