BELLINGHAM, WA. – (KGMI.com) Student employees at Western Washington University continue the drive to unionize.

1,100 Operational Student Employees at Western filed to form a union on Wednesday, December 13th.

They join another 1,100 Educational Student Employees who filed to form a union a year ago and are currently bargaining a first contract.

Operational student employees, or OSEs, include program support staff, clerks, lifeguards, resident advisors, publication editors and more positions.

They cite ongoing struggles around low and late pay, unsafe work environments, unpredictable schedules and the need for a voice at work as reasons for forming the union.

The OSEs now become the first unionized student employees in Washington state in positions other than academic work.