Oregon’s seven public universities’ bargaining teams have reached an agreement on a five-year labor contract with classified union employees, making it the longest ever between them.
There are an approximated 4,600 classified staff members who are covered under the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Classified staff members are employees of public universities who hold a variety of positions including academic and administrative jobs, and are part of the Service Employees International Union 503 (SEIU).
Members of SEIU will vote on the proposed agreement this month. If approved by both voters and Oregon’s university presidents, the contract will be implemented Jan. 22, 2021.
The presidents have already collectively written a letter of support.
“We are very pleased to have a tentative agreement with SEIU-represented classified employees who contribute importantly to the education of nearly 97,000 Oregon public university students,” reads the statement.
Classified staff receive a variety of benefits with the new contract, including, but not limited to, a bonus of up to $1,500 for eligible employees, a 3.1% cost of living adjustment, and 48 hours of paid time off in the event of unexpected closures or delays.
The contract also officially recognizes Juneteenth as a holiday, a decision that comes after it became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021.
Classified staff members will be receiving a phone call to join the Higher Ed Tele-Town Hall at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. The meeting will cover contract details and provide information on how to vote.
For more information, the full CBA can be found here.
By Momoko Baker
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