Classified employees and administration officials from all seven institutions in the Oregon University System will meet in Portland Wednesday to begin contract re-negotiations.
The current classified contract runs through 2003, but labor representatives said they wanted to reopen their contract in light of the potential scarcity of available funding for the OUS from the state Legislature.
Cheri Smith, a campus union leader, said there are 1,230 classified employees on campus, including groundskeepers, clerical workers, housekeepers and food service personnel, as well as other positions she said are vital to ensuring the campus is run efficiently.
Discussion at the Portland meeting will be limited to only “non-economic” issues, since the Legislature has yet to determine the final budget, but Smith said several economic issues remain on the minds of most classified employees.
“The one thing we have heard is that if the governor’s budget continues as it is, there could be some layoffs,” she said.
While Smith said she understands Oregon may be headed for some tight economic times, she said the Legislature should realize that the classified employees are vital to maintaining quality campuses.
Mark Zunich, an employee relations manager with University Human Resources, said even though negotiators are not discussing monetary issues in the opening sessions, salaries will definitely be discussed later.
“[Salary] is very important for all employees on campus,” he said.
He said he will join other management representatives from state universities and administrators from the OUS at the meeting in Portland. Zunich said he expects sessions to be held on other campuses in the Willamette Valley following the meeting.
Despite the budget constraints, Zunich said he was fairly confident that any contentious issues that might arise in the re-negotiations would be handled without much discord.
“Money is always scarce, and there is an amount of tension,” he said. But he added that by this summer, when the budget will be completed and the financial picture will be clearer, classified employees and the OUS should be able to reach an agreement and avoid a strike.
Zunich did not want to give any hint of the University’s position on any issues prior to the opening of re-negotiations.
James Jacobson, a bargaining table representative for University classified employees, said one of the first issues that may be tackled in opening sessions will be health benefits and insurance. Like Zunich, however, Jacobson did not give details about the union’s stance.
But he did say that University classified employees need raises to maintain quality of life standards and parity with other state employees.
“We’re working for hourly wages that are less than Lane Community College, Lane County or the city of Eugene,” he said. “If the UO wants to retain good people, we need some raises.”