Whitman College union effort stalls as both sides withdraw NLRB petitions
By Dan Thesman on Thursday, March 26th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – A monthlong push for unionization at Whitman College has reached a standstill after both the college and organizers withdrew competing petitions from the National Labor Relations Board.
The labor movement began Feb. 19 when a super-majority of staff and non- tenure-track faculty launched Whitman College Workers United (WCWU). Affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the group marched to President Sarah Bolton’s office to demand voluntary recognition. Organizers cited the need for “thriving wages,” protection against staffing cuts, and a greater voice in working conditions at the private liberal arts college.
The Whitman College Board of Trustees declined the demand to bypass a formal election. On March 4, the college filed a petition with the NLRB seeking a secret ballot election.
“We respect employees’ right to unionize, but do not believe a union is necessary or beneficial,” said Vice President of Communications Gina Zandy Ohnstad.
Ohnstad emphasized that a confidential election was the most appropriate way to ensure all eligible employees are heard.
The standoff shifted on March 13 when WCWU withdrew its demand for voluntary recognition. In response, and at the request of the union’s legal counsel, the college withdrew its election petition. The move effectively cancels the NLRB-supervised vote that would have determined the union’s status.
The labor push comes as Whitman navigates a 5 percent budget gap fueled by national trends of declining enrollment and high inflation. While the college’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors endorsed the staff’s right to organize, the future of the unionization effort remains unclear following the withdrawal of legal filings.
