The University of Oregon Student Workers Union is preparing to strike on Monday, April 28, if a tentative agreement over pay, bi-weekly pay period, grievance handling, residence hall role splitting and more are not reached this weekend.
With a total of 4,000 student workers, several UOSW members expressed a desire to go on strike, especially to support fellow workers.
“I have a lot of co-workers that I know need what the union is fighting for, even though I’m personally… from a more privileged background,” Simon Batt, a dining hall worker in Unthank Hall, said.
Lindsey Wolin, a rock wall assistant in the Student Recreation Center, shared a similar opinion.
“I’ve worked here for ‘two-ish’ years and I’ve seen how hard everyone works and I can’t afford rent and I can barely afford groceries on this pay and I’m lucky to be supported by my mom, but I’m fighting for others that don’t have that,” Wolin said.
Workers who choose to strike will receive $500 weekly in strike pay if they stand on the picket line or help with strike logistics for 15 hours. The average UO student worker currently makes about $230 for 15 hours of work.
Diego Solorio, a desk worker at Allen Hall’s equipment checkout, said the $500 strike pay coming from UOSW’s affiliate union — United Auto Workers — is a major financial help.
“The biggest interest against striking is that we need money to be able to live, so I’m really happy that the union is working hard to make sure people stay afloat during an uncertain time like this,” Solorio said.
Despite the money, some workers feel that the 15-hour requirement is extensive.
“The time commitment is a little bit much, especially because we don’t work 15 hours, but I understand they need people to show up,” Wolin said.
Wolin said she works around 6 to 9 hours each week, so picketing for 15 hours would be a strain on her schedule.
Some workers who engage with students in their positions are hesitant to leave their posts because they might not be able to help fellow students while on strike, including Marklin Nixon, a worker at the UO Student Veterans Center.
“I could go out and support a greater cause, but at the same time I feel an allegiance to student veterans, and so I just wanna be there and support them,” Nixon said.
For Nixon, the strike benefits are not a significant motivator to picket.
“I don’t think there’s a metric, unless it was ludicrous, that would get me out there,” Nixon said.
Several workers were also hesitant to picket because they felt insufficiently informed.
“I’m not quite sure, I want to look into (the strike) more, and I have been insanely busy,” Stella Brown, a worker in the output room for the College of Art and Design, said.
Because of her busy schedule, Brown said a “well-informed” email with detailed plans would help her make a decision.
Callie Skuratowicz, an attendant at the Student Recreation Center, was also hesitant and said she would be primarily influenced by co-workers.
“I would like to support my fellow workers, but the rec (Student Recreation Center) treats us fairly well, but I know dining is different,” Skuratowicz said. “It depends who else does it (goes on strike) — that would be my deciding factor.”
Among workers who planned on striking, pay and pay period were listed as major motivators.
“All of us are mostly interested in getting paid bi-weekly because the monthly payment is a big strain for budgeting, and we’re also, of course, interested in the pay raise as well because everything is going up with inflation and tariffs, so cost of living is going up too,” Solorio said.
More information on the strike can be found here.
