Activists are hailing the recent unionization of 14 private child-care centers as a victory for more than just workers. By convincing traditionally union-resistant child-care centers to give the green light on unionization, the activists say they were able to push a child-care agenda in Olympia.Two months ago, union organizers convinced local child-care centers like Able Child in the U-District and Agape in Ballard to sign off on unionization, by telling the centers that management wasn't the union's enemy. Once organized, the workers said, they would go after better pay and benefits from the public sector, not from the centers themselves. Organized by the Service Employees International Union, child-care workers spoke in a unified voice. As a result, they were able to get politicians to listen. This past legislative session, the state allotted $4 million for increased wages. PHIL CAMPBELL

Student Union

University of Washington graduate students who are trying to unionize their ranks thought they were on a roll. With help from the United Auto Workers, they had gotten 80 percent of the students to sign cards requesting union recognition by the university. Emboldened, the student agitators then requested help from the state's Public Employment Relation Commission (PERC) to enforce the mandate.The university, however, is handily deflecting the students' efforts. UW President Richard McCormick told PERC and the students that he wouldn't abide by PERC's authority. According to PERC, the students missed a chance to file an appeal before the agency. Without the resources to sue, student organizer Christopher Hibbeln says vaguely that the union will continue to "put pressure" on the UW administration. PHIL CAMPBELL

Deconstructing the Union

Last year, legislators used Initiative 601 -- which voters approved in 1993 to limit state spending -- as an excuse not to give teachers the raises that their union, the Washington Education Association (WEA), asked for.

This year, Governor Gary Locke was praised in the dailies when he turned around and bucked the initiative's rules, and beefed up funding for schools. But, the WEA is quick to point out, he didn't do it to help teachers. Instead, he freed up $138 million for new classrooms. "What's interesting is that the legislature voted to change 601 for construction," says WEA spokesperson Rich Woods, "so they're able to change 601 when they want to." WEA is still smarting over the teacher pay-raise issue. They didn't get one red cent out of this legislative session. ALLIE HOLLY-GOTTLIEB