Negotiations between Oregon University System and Service Employees International Union bargaining teams started at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, and culminated this morning at 4 a.m. with tentative agreement on a new contract. Both teams met at Western Oregon University to work out a settlement involving points that union members felt were unfair in the first drafts of their new contract.
Two union meetings were held today at noon on campus to summarize the settlement for members to better understand the terms of the new agreement.
“Its not the greatest thing ever, by any means,” University bargaining table representative Deanna Berglund@@http://pipl.com/directory/name/Berglund/Deanna@@ said.
This was a common reaction among union members present at the meeting to discuss the details of the agreement. The new contract consists of many small compromises on both sides of the table. Among them, furlough days remain for classified workers despite a general desire from union members for them to be cut.
“We knew that the general consensus from members was that they preferred having furlough days over losing steps (raises received annually as merit),” Berglund said.
Union members were glad to learn that their annual raises for positively reviewed work was not frozen in the new deal, and also that a 10th step to the 9-step annual salary raise system. Also, workers who have already worked for the University for over 9 years will be compensated for a 10th step raise.
The new contract agreement is still tentative and must be ratified by union members by mail-in ballot. Although there were many things that the union bargaining team had to acquiesce, they are recommending union members to ratify the agreement.
“The bargaining team worked hard to get the settlement they did,” SEIU Vice President James Jacobson said. “It’s highly likely to be ratified.”
Mail-in ratification ballots are expected to reach union members within 3 weeks, and ratification will be determined after ballots are sent back in to be tallied.
Many union members feel that they would not have reached this agreement without such overwhelming community support from their field campaign, including community calls to both Governor Kitzhaber and Chancellor of OUS George Pernsteiner @@vhttp://www.ous.edu/news_and_information/bios/pernsteiner.php@@asking for an equitable contract for classified workers.
Assistant bargaining representative Star Holmberg@@http://www.cirl.uoregon.edu/@@, along with other union members, feels that these negotiations weren’t only about contractual disparities, but also about the lack of shared sacrifice between classified staff and administration. Issues regarding inappropriate worksite conduct for supervisors was also attended in the agreement, as well as union member demand for stronger contract language to prevent confusion in later consultation.
“It’s not the best, but it could have been worse,” Holmberg said. “The lack of shared sacrifice was made transparent with the article concerning administrative raises while classified staff receives unpaid furlough days,” she said in reference to the Register-Guard’s article concerning the issue on September 2.
Small victories and losses have been taken on both sides, but the SEIU is glad to have worked for and received a contract that they feel is equitable. Ratification of the agreement will commence once ballots have been turned in from SEIU members. If the settlement is not accepted, bargaining will resume and a “best and last” offer will be drawn up by OUS administration.
Tentative agreement reached by union and University system; union members to ratify
Daily Emerald
September 14, 2011
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