Bargaining-Session Update: May 21 Mediation
Don’t forget to join us at our town hall tomorrow, Wednesday, May 22, from 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. in UHS 8B60. This is your opportunity to ask questions about proposals — both our union’s and OHSU’s — that are still on the table, as well as learn more about what happens if we can’t reach agreement by the end of our current contract. The town hall will be live-streamed for members who are unable to attend in person — the link will be shared in our bargaining-update email. Light refreshments will be served.We’ll also be holding an event for evening-shift workers tomorrow! Stop by our bargaining Q&A table at UHS 8B60 on Wednesday, May 22, from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Bargaining-team members Karyn and Kasey will be there to answer your questions, share information about our June 13 event and distribute cupcakes. Attend our bargaining rally and BBQ! Join your coworkers at this family-friendly event on Thursday, June 13, at 4:00 p.m. This event will be one of the best tools we have, short of a strike, to show OHSU the strength of our opposition to the take-backs it has proposed. More details coming soon!
If you are upset by OHSU’s take-backs and its rejection of our economic proposals, YOU must act to keep them from becoming reality: take our bargaining survey, show up at the town hall, show up at the rally, wear your union stickers and make sure your coworkers know about the type of contract OHSU is proposing for us.
OHSU proposes financial take-backs every contract because it thinks our members will just lie back and accept it. Today we even heard allegations that administration told providers during a meeting that our members are too poor to strike and so wouldn’t have the will to strike.You have the power to prove OHSU wrong. You have the power to tell OHSU that enough is enough.
Our members are strong and understand what’s at stake with this contract.
OUR MEMBERS DESERVE A FAIR CONTRACT WITH NO TAKE-BACKS, AND WE CAN GET IT.
Today was our first day with the state mediator, Janet. Her role is to help both parties think about our underlying motivations and figure out where we want to go with our proposals, with her ultimate goal being to help the teams get to an agreement. During mediation, negotiations can take place via a number of methods: sidebars, smaller group work sessions, full joint sessions and “shuttle diplomacy (where Janet will exchange proposals between the two teams).
Janet spent time with our team this morning, listening to our assessment of the status of negotiations, our thoughts about OHSU’s proposals, etc., before spending time with with OHSU’s team. Our team then spent a good portion of the day strategizing and planning in caucus. Late in the day, we had a candid discussion with the management team re: what our members feel are the major sticking points with OHSU’s proposals, as well as how to keep the bargaining process productive and on track going forward.We did not exchange counterproposals today. The teams will attempt to work through as many of the smaller proposals as possible next week. We will doing some subcommittee work, and continue to work on counterproposals, over the coming weeks. Our next mediation session is June 18.