We’re holding the line

After more than 13 hours of bargaining today, we do not yet have an agreement.

Our union bargaining team made efforts throughout the day—testing different options and looking for pathways to a fair agreement that wouldn’t drive classified workers further behind economically and protects the rights we have fought for. The universities were not ready to meet us there, but we did make progress today thanks to the organizing members have been doing in their worksites.

They have increased their COLA offer to 2% in each of the first two years, agreed to full steps each year of our contract, and are no longer proposing to eliminate bumping rights because of the solidarity you are showing on our campuses.

Yet they are still threatening to strip our contracting out protections. Most of our members can’t save money and are living month-to-month because of the low wages paid by our universities. Management’s proposals don’t change that.

Our bargaining team continues to fight for COLAs of 3% each year, full steps, and no takeaways to workers’ rights.

Because of the power classified workers have been building on campuses—leafleting students at move in days, rallies and info pickets, training huge numbers of strike captains, and getting ready to strike if necessary—management has finally started to move. And now we need them to meet the needs of classified workers who are struggling under rising costs.

When 1 in 4 classified workers worry about running out of food before their next paycheck, falling further behind isn’t an acceptable outcome.

We know you have our backs, we’re holding the line, and we’re ready to do whatever it takes to win the contract our members deserve.

In unity,

Your Higher Ed Bargaining team
Jo Hickerson, Chair, EOU
Damien Manassa, OSU
Jamie Baker, EOU
Darryn Stevens, OIT
Colleen Martin-Low, SOU
Rieley Umphress, UO
Ashley Wase, PSU
Mark Decker, WOU