(SEIU holds impasse rally/Chiu)
In wake of a Feb. 23 impasse and fight for higher wages, the Service Employees International Union held a “Rally for Respect” outside the Erb Memorial Union on Feb. 26, where the crowd eventually marched toward Johnson Hall.
SEIU members have been holding pickets, mediations and rallies during the last couple of weeks in an attempt to come to an agreement with Oregon Public Universities. Now, they are moving closer toward a 30-day cooling off period before officially going on a strike.
“It annoys me that the university system is not willing to provide decent wages,” retired classified employee Kurt Willcox said. “It concerns me how the university is treating its employees, so I am here to try and stand in support of the workers.”
After circling Johnson Hall for several minutes, multiple leaders walked into the building to hand-deliver UO president John Karl Scholz a petition of community support for higher education workers, signed by approximately 1,500 people.
SEIU has been continuously receiving support from many students and staff including the head of the UOSW, faculty and GTFF members among others.
A bargaining session is scheduled for today at the University of Oregon, and if an agreement is not reached at the session, the union may move toward a strike vote, according to SEIU’s statement on the impasse.
