UW Libraries staff announce Jan 25 strike

Union staff at the University of Washington Libraries and Press have declared their intention to strike beginning Wednesday, January 25 if a full contract agreement with the UW administration is not reached.

Members of the bargaining team made the announcement during the public comment period at the UW’s Board of Regents’ quarterly meeting today.

Employees of the University of Washington Libraries and Press formed a union in June of 2021 and have been negotiating with the University for a first contract ever since. They engaged in a one-day strike in October to show frustration at how long the University has been dragging out negotiations. In November, they authorized their union bargaining team to call an open-ended strike if negotiations with the University break down.

Many librarians haven’t seen a wage increase since before the pandemic and feel they have reached a breaking point.

The last scheduled day of bargaining is January 24.