The University of Oregon received a warning letter from the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries about the university’s state law violations of ORS 652.120 by delaying payments to employees beyond 35 days. The Daily Emerald was not granted access to the letter and relied on the accounts of participants in the negotiations.

In a meeting between UO and UO Student Workers on Nov. 14, representatives from UOSW presented the letter from BOLI.

This was the eleventh session in a series of negotiations between both parties regarding the issue of delayed paychecks. 

Izzie Marshall, a UOSW bargaining team member, said that “most student workers put this as their number one issue. That is a fact.”

In the first meeting on May 29, UOSW presented a proposal to change the payroll cycle to bi-monthly rather than the current 30-day schedule.

As a Resident Assistant and UOSW bargaining team member, Ryan Campbell said their group hopes are to address the “terrifying” financial insecurity student workers face due to the current system.  

“We’d actually be able to have stable financials and only have to plan for 14 days instead of 30,” Campbell said.

Marshall said they witnessed first-hand the challenges of a monthly pay cycle. 

“When you receive your paycheck, and the day after, you have to pay rent, internet and other bills, you’re left with nothing to budget for the rest of the month,” Marshall said.

Campbell said he feels “very disappointed with the lack of progress” in the last six months with bargaining between UOSW and UO.

“Out of almost… 50 articles we have proposed, we’ve only reached two tentative agreements with the university’s bargaining teams this whole time,” Campbell said.

Campbell said that UOSW and the UO administration currently hold different priorities.

“Economically, we are miles apart on everything,” Campbell said.

The university called for external mediation, which is set to occur in January, after the tenth negotiation session. This came as a “shock” to UOSW, according to Campbell.

Campbell said that the cost of the arbitration process was also a point of contention in discussions regarding the grievance and arbitration article that UOSW has proposed.

“Arbitration doesn’t just cost the university; it costs us too, and independent arbiters aren’t cheap. It’s not going to be something we use ‘willy-nilly’ for every single case… It’s going to be for very serious, high-profile cases,” Campbell said.

Campbell emphasized the “massive power imbalance” that makes an independent arbitrator an important figure to UO student workers in the grievance process.

“Chris [Meade, UO director of Employee and Labor Relations] essentially wants us to trust him and trust the university, which is a major issue,” Campbell said. “We don’t have any say in their jobs or their paychecks, but they get a say in our jobs and ours.”

Despite the slow-moving negotiation process, Marshall is optimistic.

“We are hoping the university works with us to make the bi-weekly pay cycle a reality for student workers,” Marshall said.

UO spokesperson Eric Howald addressed UOSW’s concerns regarding the issue of delayed paychecks.

“The university is focused on complying with ORS 652.120 and paying all employees within 35 days from either their first day worked or last regular pay day,” Howald said.

Howald said that concerns will be addressed through the implementation of new payroll systems.

“The university’s central payroll office will be better able to track when the 35-day window is closing, produce a report and automate notifications to the appropriate parties. We are also asking campus pay administrators to monitor the 35-day mark with new employees as we engage the new system,” Howald said.

According to Marshall, UOSW has a desire to see systemic change in the treatment payment process toward student workers. 

“The university needs to be held accountable … this [BOLI] letter is just one piece of the puzzle,” Marshall said.