Application of chapter to academic employees.
RCW 41.56.421
in effect(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101 , this chapter applies to employees who are enrolled in an academic program and are in a classification covered in subsection (2) of this section on any campus of Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College. (2)(a) For the purposes of this section, "employees" includes all employees enrolled in an academic program whose duties and responsibilities are substantially equivalent to those employees in the following classifications: (i) Graduate teaching assistant; (ii) Teaching assistant; (iii) Graduate staff assistant; (iv) Tutor, reader, and grader in all academic units and tutoring centers; (v) Lab assistant; (vi) Faculty assistant; (vii) Research assistant; and (viii) Graduate research assistant, except for those in (b) of this subsection. (b) For the purposes of this section, "employees" does not include graduate research assistants who are performing research primarily related to their dissertation and who have incidental or no service expectations placed upon them by the university. (3) The employees in subsection (2) of this section constitute an appropriate bargaining unit at each individual institution of higher education. (4)(a) The scope of bargaining for employees at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College 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 Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College; (ii) The amount of tuition or fees at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College. However, tuition and fee remission and waiver is within the scope of bargaining; (iii) The academic calendar of Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College; and (iv) The number of students to be admitted to a particular class or class section at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College. (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) Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College 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 employees who are enrolled in an academic program and are in a classification covered in subsection (2) of this section on any campus of Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College.
(2)(a) For the purposes of this section, "employees" includes all employees enrolled in an academic program whose duties and responsibilities are substantially equivalent to those employees in the following classifications:
(i) Graduate teaching assistant;
(ii) Teaching assistant;
(iii) Graduate staff assistant;
(iv) Tutor, reader, and grader in all academic units and tutoring centers;
(v) Lab assistant;
(vi) Faculty assistant;
(vii) Research assistant; and
(viii) Graduate research assistant, except for those in (b) of this subsection.
(b) For the purposes of this section, "employees" does not include graduate research assistants who are performing research primarily related to their dissertation and who have incidental or no service expectations placed upon them by the university.
(3) The employees in subsection (2) of this section constitute an appropriate bargaining unit at each individual institution of higher education.
(4)(a) The scope of bargaining for employees at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College 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 Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College;
(ii) The amount of tuition or fees at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College. However, tuition and fee remission and waiver is within the scope of bargaining;
(iii) The academic calendar of Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College; and
(iv) The number of students to be admitted to a particular class or class section at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College.
(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) Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College 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