After months of stalled contract renegotiations with the Oregon University System, higher education classified workers across the state may now be one step closer to striking.
On Monday, members of the Oregon Public Employees Union delivered letters to the OUS offices of all seven schools declaring an “impasse” in collective bargaining. By law, an impasse requires both sides to submit a final contract proposal within seven days of the impasse announcement.
At the University, about 30 classified workers — some holding signs criticizing the OUS — held a rally Monday and marched down 13th Street to deliver the impasse announcement to the Chancellor’s office in Susan Campbell Hall.
Bart Lewis, the statewide chair for the OPEU, said union members decided to declare the impasse because they are frustrated with what they feel are unnecessary delays caused by the OUS.
“We just got tired of waiting — to make a long story short,” he said.
Much of the discussion has centered around salary increases and health benefits. OPEU representatives are asking for what they term a “cost of living” wage increase of 3.23 percent this year and again in 2002. The contract proposed by OPEU would also increase health benefits for employees, which Lewis said is needed to offset rising insurance premiums since the contract was last negotiated two years ago.
OPEU represents about 3,800 OUS classified employees, many of whom work in food service, custodial and clerical positions. About 1,200 union members work at the University. OPEU representatives last signed a contract with OUS in 1999. Although it is a four-year contract, the contract requires salary and benefits to be renegotiated every two years to coincide with the legislative session.
But since the negotiations began officially on April 11, the two sides have had difficulty reaching an agreement.
OUS officials proposed a tentative agreement, but it was contingent on the budget still being discussed by the Legislature.
Bob Bruce, a spokesman for OUS, said he could not discuss the details of the current OUS proposal, and OUS officials are still examining the budget and determining where the money will be allocated. He added that the OUS is not to blame for the lack of progress in the negotiation.
“It takes two parties to develop an agreement,” he said. “Both parties are responsible for whatever progress is being made.”
On July 20, at the request of OPEU, negotiations moved into state mediation, but the two sides have met only once since then because the mediator has not been available, said James Jacobson, the University bargaining table representative for the OPEU.
Jacobson said OUS officials did not respond to a request by OPEU representatives to meet before the next scheduled meeting with the state mediator on Aug. 22.
After both sides have submitted a final proposal, there will be a 30-day “cooling off” period. During this time, both sides can continue to meet and negotiate.
But if, at the end of that period, an agreement has not been reached, the union could hold a vote to go on strike. This week, he said, University OPEU members — who comprise about 75 percent of all University classified employees — may be asked to sign a pledge to go on strike if necessary.
Lewis, however, is optimistic that a strike will be avoided. While an impasse may sound drastic, he said, he is hopeful that it will spur progress in reaching an agreement.
“From our standpoint, we’re moving the process forward to get a settlement,” he said.