After recognizing that workers in her worksite, McNary Dining, were directing the work of multiple student workers, OSU cook, steward, and union leader Lynn Thompson organized a grievance that won fourteen Food Service Worker 2s (FS2) a five percent lead work differential.
During a Dining Collaborative Meeting — a meeting between stewards, dining hall building managers, HR representatives, and members of UHDS upper management — in February 2018, Lynn pointed out that some of her coworkers have been working out of class. This led to a conversation about the number of students for whom the FS2s are providing lead work. The contract states that if FS2s are leading four or more student workers per day for 40 or more student hours per week, the employee should be receiving the lead work differential.
At a follow-up meeting in March, UHDS management said they wanted the union to work with OSU’s HR department to resolve the issue. OSU Employee HR recognized that lead work was being done, and after consultation with their class and comp expert, agreed to pay the differential. Lynn took advantage of a strong network of University Housing and Dining Services stewards to get out the word at worksite meetings and one-on-one conversations with FS2s to ensure that members were aware of the issue and the FS2s’ subsequent win.
“There are a lot of instances where HR and the union can be at odds with each other,” said Lynn, who’s been with OSU for thirteen years. “But it was great to work together with HR on this issue. We were able to win a five percent differential with retroactive pay back to February for fourteen FS2s. Together, we were able to do right by these members of our union.”
Lynn has served as an officer for SEIU 503 members at OSU in the past and was recently elected Secretary of the OSU local. She regularly recruits new activists and recently recruited a new steward and officer in her worksite. “Lynn is a great steward and organizer, we really value her work at Oregon State,” said OSU Chief Steward and Bargaining Delegate Gloria O’Brien.