Your SEIU 503 Higher Ed Bargaining Team met in Portland last week to prepare for contract negotiations with the universities. Bargaining formally begins on October 5 and 6 at OIT in Klamath Falls. There’s much work to do before then. Here’s what we’re up to. 

We are working on proposing changes to as many as seven articles in our contract (which expires on June 30, 2026) that prioritize respect for classified staff, fair wages that keep pace with the cost of living, safe working conditions, and maintaining our strong union. We will share details about our proposals in the next few weeks when we deliver them to management. We also prepared our bargaining ground rules, which we will finalize with management next month at OIT. 

With bargaining fast approaching, it’s time for all of us to get engaged in the fight to win the contract we deserve. Our biggest strength in bargaining is having a high level of membership. We need to present a strong, united front so management knows we are serious. So, please, talk to your coworkers who aren’t members and let them know how important it is to have strength in union. And watch out for local actions like rallies that will be taking place at campuses across the state over the next few months. Finally, there’s one quick and powerful action you can take right now: sign our bargaining petition today and share it with your coworkers.