As mediation continues between United Academics of University of Oregon and UO administration, the possibility of a strike has some faculty preparing students should a new contract not be struck.

The Daily Emerald has provided some answers for what a potential strike would mean for students.

What are UA and UO Administration in mediation for?

According to Chris Sinclair, associate professor of mathematics and UA secretary, there are two major “sticking points” in the negotiations for the contract that faculty work under.

“Time and money. Right now, the sticking point in money is that the University of Oregon administration is proposing real wage cuts for faculty and by real wage cuts we mean when adjusted for inflation, we will be making less money than we were before,” Sinclair said.

The other “sticking point,” according to Sinclair, was the time for instructors to engage with professional development and research.

“Currently, most instructors, or many instructors, have to teach nine courses a year. It doesn’t leave time to keep up with the field, keep up with how pedagogy is changing,” Sinclair said.

Should UA go on strike, when would it begin?

There are several steps in the state-mandated timeline of the bargaining process that have to happen before the union votes, according to Sinclair. There must be a 15-day mediation period, which UA and UO are currently in, and a 30-day cool down period before a strike could happen.

“My best guess would be that the earliest that we could (strike) would be finals week of winter (term). I think the earliest that we would, I guess would be the beginning of spring term,” Sinclair said.

According to Sinclair, striking is the last resort, something that both UA and UO administration are looking to avoid.

“We want to reach an agreement, we’re not aiming for a fight. If we’re striking, it’s because we have to (but) we want to avoid that,” Sinclair said.

How long could the strike last?

A strike would last until an agreement is reached by the two bargaining teams and the agreement is ratified. According to Sinclair, “If the membership has trust in the bargaining teams, then the agreement of the bargaining teams would signal the end of the strike.”

What are faculty doing to prepare students for a potential strike?

Faculty are working to be transparent with students about what is happening. 

Several faculty members have included notices in their syllabi about possible labor action and signs have been hung around campus advertising the new UA website, which details what UA is bargaining for.

“At this point, we’re trying not to scare anybody but we want our students to know that this could happen,” Sinclair said. “It’s just like any other disruption on campus, the more time you have to prepare, the easier it is for you to navigate that disruption.”

How would students’ classes be impacted if the union votes to strike?

“If there’s a strike, once a strike is called, the instructors teaching classes will not teach those classes. Your instructor will not be in the classroom, they will not be replying to emails, all work that they do for the university should cease,” Sinclair said.

What is a “scab?”

A scab is a person hired to take the role of a striking faculty or union member. 

“It is conceivable that the university will try to hire replacement faculty, scabs, but keep in mind that if they do, people they hire will not have the same credentials as your instructors. That will still be a loss in value for your tuition dollars that you’re paying if that happens,” Sinclair said.

Are all faculty members expected to walk out?

“I would expect that if we voted for the strike, that we would get very strong participation from the membership,” Sinclair said

UA covers tenure track faculty, career instructors, part-time and temporary instructors, postdocs, librarians and researchers. According to Sinclair, there are some faculty who are not covered by the union due to legal reasons, such as law professors.  

While he was unable to speak for everyone, Sinclair expects a “vast majority” of union members to participate in a strike, should it come to it.

“We’re fighting for the long-term future of the University of Oregon, and (we’ll do) a short strike if that’s what it takes to get more money into the educational mission,” Sinclair said.

Will classes led by Graduate Educators and graduate students continue?

“I hesitate to speak for GTFF (Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation), (but) I do know that we get a lot of solidarity from the GTFF too. I expect in many units there are going to be many GEs that are not going to ‘cross the picket line,’” Sinclair said.

Sinclair said he hopes students understand why faculty could strike and he encouraged students to read more about what the union is bargaining for and hopes that UA has the support of students.

“We hope that we have the support of the students (and) that they understand that what we’re fighting for is their own educational experience and our needs too,” Sinclair said.