Our Union’s Response to PSU’s Employment Records Notice

SEIU 503, the PSU Student Worker Union, has been made aware of the University’s recent notice to you regarding their disclosure of certain student employment information. We take the privacy of union workers’ data seriously and want to make sure you have accurate information about your union and the bargaining process.

Student workers voted to make SEIU the exclusive representative of student workers in an Employment Relations Board (ERB) certified election. As such, we have a legal obligation to obtain information necessary to bargain a strong contract, take on issues student workers want to see addressed at the bargaining table, like improvements to pay and scheduling practices, and to represent you under Oregon’s Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA).

We are concerned that the University’s communication mischaracterizes both the nature of the information shared and our Union’s entitlement to it.

1. Most of the disclosed information, such as names of student workers and where they work, was previously provided to SEIU 503 as part of the election process dictated by the Employment Relations Board.
2. Our union believes that sudent ID numbers are the only information provided by PSU that may implicate Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) concerns. Our union has taken appropriate steps to ensure responsible handling of all information and the destruction of any records that the University shouldn’t have provided.

The employer notice and records placed in student files suggest that our union improperly received protected information—we disagree with this claim. We are also concerned that this could deter students from exercising your rights to union representation, legal rights you have under PECBA. Communications that create confusion or fear about the legality of union-related activity undermine employees’ ability to act collectively and exercise their rights.

SEIU 503 is committed to protecting your rights as workers. We encourage the University to work collaboratively with us to ensure that accurate information is provided to workers and that misunderstandings regarding FERPA are clarified moving forward.