Service Employees International Union ( SEIU ) @@http://www.seiu.org/@@Local 503 and Oregon University system ( OUS ) came to a settlement at 4:30 this morning that prevented strike votes from taking place today.
A strike vote had been scheduled to take place at each Oregon University affiliate, contingent on progress made in a bargaining process that took place all day yesterday and into the night. Negotiations between SEIU representatives and the OUS Chancellor’s representatives from each of the 7 schools commenced yesterday at 9 a.m. at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon.@@http://www.seiu503.org/2011/09/ous-bargaining-ta/@@
Details of the agreement will be released early this afternoon, according to this morning’s Oregonian.
Chancellor of OUS George Pernsteiner@@http://www.ous.edu/news_and_information/bios/pernsteiner.php@@ and members of SEIU Local 503 have been in disagreement over many points. Unwanted furlough days, the freezing of yearly step raises for classified staff and inequitable treatment between classified staff and administration are just a few of the important issues being dealt with in this new agreement.
The SEIU represents 1,436 staff members at the University of Oregon, and an additional 2,435 staffers across the other 6 OUS schools. The bargaining process had lasted more than 8 months without progress until now, thus ensuring that students will not have to cross picket lines when starting school on the 26th of this month.
Here is a link to a pamphlet created by SEIU to inform the public on why they are working for a more equitable contract:
http://www.seiu503.org/2011/09/report-faults-oregon-universities-for-squandering-funds-on-misplaced-priorities-2/