Bargaining-Session Update: April 23
Don’t forget to join us at our town hall on Wednesday, April 24, from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. in UHS 8B60. This is your opportunity to give our union direction as we develop our counterproposals over the coming weeks. The town hall will be live-streamed here for members who are unable to attend in person. Light refreshments will be served.
Our Union’s Proposals — Many Beneficial MOUs
Today was the last day for either team to submit new proposals — everything is now on the table that’s going to be.This week Local 328 presented the following proposals:
22.1.2 Tuition Discounts — Proposed language to allow us to negotiate parity with ONA’s tuition-discount language.
Community Employment Committee Memorandum of Understanding — Updated this MOU in order to continue and expand the work of this valuable committee.
Since its establishment in 2015, this committee has addressed the needs of underserved employees and has offered scholarships to more than 85 employees through the NW Promise and SW Corridor grants. Upon completion of the applicable education, these employees are able to move into higher paying positions with more career mobility.
New MOU: Task Force on Peer-to-Peer Group Counseling/Support — Introduced an MOU that would establish a task force on (a) implementing on-site group counseling/support in the wake of tragic/difficult events (death of a coworker, death of a long-time patient, etc.) that affect a work unit and (b) creating a training program for AFSCME members to to provide critical-incident group debriefings to AFSCME-represented employees in affected work units.
New MOU: PERS Pension Rates — Introduced an MOU that would require OHSU to contribute 2 percent of a PERS participant’s earnings into a 403(b) retirement account if the Oregon legislature passes legislation requiring PERS participants to contribute to the PERS pension plan.
These contributions would be made only through the end date of the contract, and would cease if the legislation requiring employee pension contributions is later determined to be unlawful.
New MOU: 403(b) Contribution Match — Introduced an MOU stipulating that OHSU will partially match our represented employees’ voluntary contributions to a 403(b) retirement plan, similar to language in ONA’s contract.
As we move into the second half of negotiations, now is the time for our members to get active, make your voices heard and think about what the various proposals mean for you — and think about what you’re willing to do to fight OHSU’s proposed take-backs.
OHSU’s Proposals — Much to Absorb
OHSU presented several proposals today, including the following:
7.4 Availability of Additional Work — Introduced language allowing the provisions of this article to be waived in the event of a short-notice call out (when coverage is needed with less than 48 hours’ notice).
29.1 Term of Agreement — Introduced language stating that economic provisions of the contract (e.g., new differentials, across-the-board increases) wouldn’t take effect until after two full pay periods following contract ratification.
Current contract language states that provisions of the contract are effective the first full pay period following ratification.
In addition, OHSU presented a pay-equity package proposal that could have a significant impact on the pay of our bargaining unit. OHSU presented the package as its solution to legal requirements of Oregon’s Pay Equity Law that went into effect on January 1. Components of this package include:
Suspending annual reviews done by the Market-Based Wage Committee for the duration of the new contract.
Changing the pay rate associated with voluntary and involuntary demotions.
Changing the pay rate associated with promotions and lateral transfers.
Changing the pay rate associated with upward, downward and lateral reclassifications.
Eliminating progression increases in some cases.
Changing the rate of pay for flex staff.
Holding back from any across-the-board increases, for the duration of the contract, the equivalent of 0.5% of the bargaining unit’s base wages “in order to address pay equity.”
This package proposal is what OHSU feels is necessary to comply with the law, but acknowledged that it would be open to discussing other ideas. Our union doesn’t necessarily agree with OHSU’s interpretation of the law’s requirements. We will work with Oregon AFSCME’s legal and political teams to help ensure that OHSU’s compliance with this law does not unnecessarily burden our members. Stay tuned as this develops. In the meantime, you can comment here.
Tentative Agreements
The team reach tentative agreements to (a) increase the differential for the snow-removal team, (b) increase the per-transport bonus for PANDA employees and (c) require supervisors to give written feedback sooner — between 30 and 90 days — to employees in their probationary period (except in cases where the orientation period is greater than 90 days).