Whitman College staff launch union drive, seek voluntary recognition
By Dan Thesman on Monday, February 23rd, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Staff members at Whitman College officially launched a unionization campaign Thursday, announcing they have secured “super-majority support” to form Whitman College Workers United.
The announcement came during a campus rally where faculty, staff, and students marched to the office of President Sarah Bolton to deliver a formal letter requesting voluntary recognition of the union by March 1.
The organizing committee, which has affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Washington and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), cited several core motivations for the move:
- Thriving wages that keep pace with the cost of living in Walla Walla.
- Protection against cuts to existing benefits and staffing levels.
- “Just cause” protections regarding employment termination.
- A greater say in overall working conditions at the private liberal arts college.
“Voluntary recognition would demonstrate respect for our democratic choice,” the committee wrote in its letter to Bolton, arguing that a stable workforce best serves the college’s student body.
The staff’s efforts received a significant endorsement from the Whitman College Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). In a statement of labor rights released the same day, the AAUP chapter reaffirmed the fundamental right of workers to organize without fear of retaliation.
“Workplace democracy means that it is for the staff — not the faculty, not the cabinet, not the trustees — to decide whether they wish to organize and form a union,” the AAUP statement read.
The chapter pointed to the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 as a legal foundation for the staff’s “freedom of association”.
Whitman College administration acknowledged receipt of the letter following the rally. In a brief statement, the college noted that President Bolton “will seriously consider its contents.”
The move at Whitman follows a growing trend of labor organizing within higher education across the Pacific Northwest. If recognized, Whitman College Workers United would become the exclusive representative for eligible staff members.
According to Whitman College Vice President for Communications Gina Zandy Ohnstate, Whitman College faces a five percent budget gap for the upcoming year, driven by national trends of declining enrollment, high inflation, and increased financial aid needs. Despite these financial pressures, the college is implementing a multi-year planning process involving staff and faculty to scale back expenses while maintaining its educational mission and commitment to transparent communication.
