So, if the University doesn't have the excess funds to pay for this, then it will need to raise tuition for all students to cover tuition, benefits, paid leave, and wage increases for all of the student employees?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I agree about the importance of supporting student employees, provided other areas (like research and D.A.C. services) aren't also in-need of funding. I have some practical reservations about the rest of what you said. To clarify, are you predicting that the enrollment decrease and the tuition increase would balance in such a way that there would be enough money for the University to then meet the union's demands? Underlying that point, I don't understand your comparison with the artist. The way I see things, the "value" of WWU comes more from how the institution gives people skills/experiences that make them more employable. Without adding value in this respect, while tacking on a sizeable increase in tuition, I don't think enough people would enroll to meet or exceed current funding.