Labor issues at the University of Washington extend far beyond the classroom. The university is home to a number of organizations dedicated to connecting academia and workers while advocating for change, from labor unions to student groups.

 

Campus Unions

UAW Local 4121

UAW Local 4121 is the Union for 4,500 Academic Student Employees (ASEs) – Research Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Staff Assistants, Readers/Graders, Tutors, and Fellows and Trainees doing similar work – at the University of Washington. In addition to negotiating and enforcing important workplace improvements for ASEs at UW, UAW Local 4121 members fight for social and economic justice on campus and in the community through participation in a broad range of organizations and struggles.

WFSE 1428

WFSE 1428 is the campus-wide union of the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), including Library, Custodial, Harborview Medical Center Security and Staff, and Skilled Trades units at the University of Washington.

SEIU 925

Over 5,000 people who work for the University of Washington are represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 925. Accountants, parking attendants, graphic designers, budget analysts, cashiers, medical technicians, and many more people working on campus and at medical centers are represented by SEIU Local 925.

 

Student Groups

MEChA de UW

Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán at the University of Washington is a student organization that promotes higher education, cultura, & historia.

SUPER UW

Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights is a student group at the University of Washington dedicated to equal rights and justice for the Palestinian people.

Huskies for Food Justice

The Huskies for Food Justice (formerly known as Husky Real Food Challenge) is a registered student organization dedicated to working with Housing and Food Services (HFS), students, and faculty to provide ecologically sustainable, locally sourced, humanely and fairly produced food to students on campus in HFS dining facilities.

UW Sustainability Action Network

The UW Sustainability Action Network is a collaborative campus network that engages and empowers diverse perspectives in pursuit of sustainability in our environment, society, government, and economy.

 

Latest News

August 22, 2025

The Bridges Center is proud to have provided research support to the Center for Human Rights’ critically important report demonstrating how Washingtonians are experiencing gross...

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August 21, 2025

Javier Silva, the recipient of the Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes Scholarship in 2022-2023, collaborated on a research project with the Department of Environmental and...

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July 08, 2025
Over 500 advising staff across the University of Washington system have voted to join SEIU Local 925, the union announced on Thursday. Advising staff first...
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June 12, 2025

The Bridges Center hosted a celebration honoring Spring 2025 undergraduates completing the Labor Studies Minor, as well as students completing the BAM Labor Internship and Labor Research Internship programs.

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April 02, 2025
700 Research Coordinators & Consultants at the University of Washington have won their union, joining UAW 4121, the union of Academic Student Employees, Postdoctoral Researchers,...
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February 20, 2025

By April Rubio, Communications Coordinator for the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies.

Research is a vital foundation for many universities, including...

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January 31, 2025
Bridges Center researcher Maya Cruz writes a letter to the editor of The Daily. "I am a researcher at the Harry Bridges Center for Labor...
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September 10, 2024

Two research job classes at UW —Coordinators and Consultants—filed with the Washington Public Employees Relations Commission to form their union. They are filing to join...

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July 05, 2024

UW Advising Staff and Continuum College Professional Staff are unionizing with SEIU 925, representing hundreds of workers at the University of Washington. ...

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June 20, 2024
Inflation and increasing reliance on non-tenured faculty are driving student employees to unionize in Washington and across the country.

written by Ashley...

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