University of Oregon Student Workers and United Academics both protested this fall after bargaining sessions with UO have not met their needs. UOSW is headed to mediation, and UA may follow suit.
Mediation is a process in which a third party works to resolve contract disputes. The process can result in either resolution and the establishment of a contract, or an impasse which sets the stage for a potential strike during the winter term.
Both unions have grievances over pay, and UOSW has argued for an anti-discrimination and harassment article in their contract.
In a statement, UO spokesperson Eric Howald explained why these disagreements, unresolved after several months, led to UO’s call for mediation with UOSW.
“First agreements often take more time because the parties are not starting with an existing agreement… but we’re hopeful that working with a mediator will help us have more productive discussions with UOSW,” Howald said.
A rally to push UOSW’s ideal contract forward was held on Oct. 25 outside of the Erb Memorial Union. UOSW concluded that “UO gets an F” before heading to their bargaining session. UOSW was joined by campus union allies Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, Service Employees International Union and UA.
UA President Mike Urbancic spoke about unity through the contract process.
“We have never been more united, coordinated and we have never been more cohesive, and the university is trembling,” Urbancic said.
UA hosted a Nov. 13 rally outside Johnson Hall to push their ideal contract forward. Members from unions across campus and beyond attended.
Taliah Johnson, a resident assistant and Global Scholars Hall worker, was on the organizing team for the UOSW rally. Johnson discussed the importance of rallying together.
“I hope to show [UO] that there is a wide amount of student supporters from not only student workers, but also our fellow unions… and to show that people do care about these issues,” Johnson said.
Collin Heatley, vice president of external relations for GTFF, attended the UA rally and discussed supporting other unions.
“We’re showing up here for our campus allies, we’re only as strong as our colleagues and campus labor is showing up for our faculty,” Heatley said.
At the UOSW rally, attendees chanted, “Ready to strike, ready to win,” while drumming on buckets and shouting.
Signs read “Despicable Admin” and “We Deserve a Ducking Raise.”
At the UA rally, similar messages were painted on cardboard, reading “3% Won’t Pay My Rent” and “Arguing over Groceries.”
At the Nov. 13 bargaining table, UA Treasurer Keaton Miller discussed how UA members he spoke to felt that UO did not agree to UA’s articles, including an 8.5% across-the-board raise.
“You are asking us to eat that pain and eat that loss. The words we hear over and over again [from UA members] are ‘we are disrespected,’ ‘we feel unheard,’…that is what is coming across to our members and ultimately we are beholden to our members,” Miller said.
Miller said UA is “sad” to get to a point where they may require the help of a third party for mediation.
“We want to believe that we are on the same team working towards a better contract, and it’s getting really hard to believe that… so we’ll take this wherever it needs to go… but we are sad,” Miller said.
UOSW negotiator Izzie Marshall reiterated the “disappointment” between the union and UO.
“What they are giving us is not enough to come to a tentative agreement,” Marshall said. “We’re disappointed that we are at this point. We think there is a lot more progress we could make.”
Marshall said she hopes UO will show up “in good faith” to finish out the sessions allotted for the year.
Howald’s statement explained how UO hopes the mediation process proceeds.
“How long mediation lasts depends on the parties’ willingness to continue finding common ground through the process. The UO is interested in collaborating with an equally engaged UOSW to reach an agreement,” Howald said.
