Published: September 15, 2019

Your bargaining team spent three days with management last week, and we finally started to see some progress. That’s thanks to action you’ve taken on campuses across the state while building toward a strike. But we know the movement they’ve made isn’t enough.

One of our main goals for this bargaining session was to reach an agreement on all non-economic issues. We settled all non-economic issues in a way we feel protected our members rights.  

Members have been demanding respect for the last seven months, while the universities have offered cuts to pay and benefit rollbacks. We fought back, and now we’re demanding a good contract that moves workers and their families forward.  The University has agreed to full steps in the contract and 2% COLAs the first two years, status quo on health care, and a small bonus for some topped out workers. 

The universities only made this movement because of our work building towards a strike. But their proposal does not make up for years of substandard wage increases that have caused our buying power to diminish.

Members across the state are being squeezed by the cost of living increasing in every community. In order to win meaningful raises we’re asking you to authorize our bargaining team to call a strike, which we will do if that is what is needed to win. Strike votes are this Monday and Tuesday. 

Summary of Economic Proposals

Union’s Proposals Management’s Proposals 
Wages 3% COLA October 1, 2019

3.25% COLA October 1, 2020

2% COLA November 1, 2019

2% COLA July 1, 2020

Steps Regular step increases each year of the contract

Add a step at the top and eliminate lowest step of each salary range on 7/1/20

Regular step increases each year of the contract 

No new steps for workers who are “topped out”; a $750 bonus in 2019 for workers at the top of their scale as of June 30, 2018.

Healthcare Current contract language Current contract language
Retirement Current contract language Current contract language
Vacation Current contract language Current contract language
Personal Leave Increase to 32 hours per year Current contract language
Contract Term 2 Years 4 Years with limited reopener on economics
Meal Discount for Dining Services Maintain $1 meal for dining services employees Increase cost of shift meal to $3 for UO
Inclement Weather Classified staff paid for closures or delays due to inclement weather 16 hours of paid time due to inclement weather closures; additional time at the president’s discretion.