What is a UniServ Council?

WEA's UniServ councils are the direct link between local members and programs available at the regional, state and national levels.

UniServ (short for Unified Service) councils are the regional offices and staff members who deliver the expertise and programs available through the statewide Association to members at the local level.

A UniServ council is a group of local associations in the same geographic region. The Othello Education Association, for example, is affiliated with the us…the WEA-Southeast UniServ Council, which is based in Kennewick. Likewise, WEA Fourth Corner UniServ Council, located in Bellingham, helps members from the San Juan Islands, northern Snohomish County and all of Skagit and Whatcom Counties.

Five large locals each serve as their own UniServ council: Kent, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver.

Each UniServ council -- in partnership with the WEA and NEA -- hires staff members to assist local members. A UniServ council's staff is likely to include a mix of former classroom teachers, lawyers, labor law experts, organizers, mediators, bargaining specialists and support staff.

Those staff members help local associations in their region with bargaining, contract enforcement, grievances, professional growth seminars, community outreach, political action, public relations and numerous other areas.

Each of WEA's 21 UniServ Councils has its own governance leaders, with members directly electing their local officers. Council leaders make major policy and spending decisions in conjunction with the policy directives set by member-delegates at the annual Representative Assembly.