University of Washington Library workers authorize strike amid protracted contract negotiations

 University of Washington librarians are fed up with poor working conditions and are prepared to strike, if necessary. 

Since joining the union SEIU Local 925, UW Libraries and UW Press staff have been engaged in acrimonious bargaining with the administration. The university has been playing hardball, dragging negotiations on for more than a year. However, workers are determined to fight back.

In October, union members held a one-day strike to keep up the pressure. On Nov. 17, 94 percent of the members voted to authorize an indefinite strike action if necessary.

The labor dispute has been ongoing for years. In 2020, staff decided to begin organizing, and in June 2021, they won recognition from the Washington state Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). Workers said that the university refuses to pay competitive wages, which has led to demoralization and high turnover.

Chelsea Nesvig, a research and instruction librarian at the UW Bothell and Cascadia College campuses, said that none of her colleagues have received a wage increase in more than a year.

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