Bargaining-Session Update: Feb. 26
Bargaining-Session Update
The Local 328 and OHSU bargaining teams met for the first time on Tuesday, February 26. Our union proposed changes to more than a dozen sections of the contract, including:
Broadening the definition of family, to include more than just “traditional” immediate family members (applies to bereavement leave and use of sick time)
Expanding when bereavement leave can be taken and adding the option to take bereavement leave unpaid (rather than requiring the use of accruals)
Streamlining the grievance and arbitration processes (reducing the number of steps in some cases, asking for more notice when union representation is needed, prescheduling arbitrators)
Increasing the number of hours our stewards and officers have available to assist our represented employees and strengthen our union
Formal negotiations with OHSU ended mid-day. The Local 328 bargaining team spent the rest of the day in caucus and participating in debriefing exercises.
Stay Informed
We sent a lot of emails this week, but don’t worry — we won’t bombard you with emails going forward. You can expect a weekly email summarizing what happened during the bargaining session. We may also send an a occasional email letting you know about any upcoming activities or bargaining actions.In addition, a short video report will be posted to our Facebook page each Tuesday evening after the day’s negotiations and caucusing have ended. You can also find updates here on our blog. We strongly encourage you to regularly check — and comment on — these reports and updates. You are also encouraged to ask questions of your unit steward or other union contact, as well as email questions to bargaining@local328.org.
Get Involved
Our union encourages members to observe our sessions. If you wish to observe all or part of a bargaining session, email Local 328 president Matt Hilton in advance to make arrangements. Please note that this must be done on your own time (i.e., using vacation time or on off-time, rather than on the clock).
Local 328’s ground team would love to set up a bargaining Q&A table at your worksite to get feedback and answer any questions you and your coworkers have about bargaining. To arrange a worksite visit, use the Contact Us form on the Local 328 website.