Bargaining Update: April 26
Today was the last day for the bargaining teams to submit new proposals, so we had a jam-packed day. The Local 328 team presented almost 50 proposals; OHSU’s team submitted about 10, including two package proposals the included multiple components, as well as three new letters of agreement. We’ve made a lot of big asks, even in the face of OHSU’s recent financial presentations — for background on why, check out this blog post. Now for the proposals!
Local 328 Proposals and Counterproposals:
Appendix A Salaried Employees: We proposed a number of improvements to this language, including reducing the number of non-applicable contract provisions and adding language re: shift differentials, overtime, on-call and anniversary increases. We also proposed a process for employees to move from salaried status to hourly. Read our Appendix A proposal in full here. Thank you to the salaried workers who attended bargaining this morning to observe and speak to the OHSU team!
Telework: We rejected OHSU’s proposal that would allow the employer to require fully remote teleworkers to return to work on campus with 28 days’ notice. We proposed a new section on telework, which includes assistance with setting up one’s home office, a $95/month differential, reimbursement of travel expenses when a teleworker must periodically visit campus and much more. We also proposed a memorandum of understanding re: out-of-state telework. This MOU would allow current and future bargaining-unit employees to live and work outside of Oregon and Washington, offer an employer-funded FSA as an alternative to OHSU’s health-insurance coverage and establish better resources for employees re: income tax, workers’ compensation and more. Read all of our telework proposals here.
Compensation: Here’s our proposal re: across-the-board raises that you’ve been waiting for, plus some additional compensation-related proposals:
8.1 Across the Board Increases: We’re asking for a 9% increase in year one of the contract, 8% in year two and 8% in year three.
8.2.1 Progression Within Quartiles: We’ve proposed increasing the amounts for anniversary increases to 4.5% in the first quartile, 3.25% in the second, 2.5% in the third and 2% in the fourth.
8.12 Retention Bonus: We proposed new language offering a retention bonu, based on years of OHSU service, starting at between $500 and $2,000, depending on FTE. Read more here to determine what bonus you would be eligible for if OHSU accepts our proposal.
8.3 Merit Based Adjustments: We’ve added language to make it clearer that merit-based raises and bonuses are allowed and that employees may request them, as well as a statement that top performance in annual reviews should be considered when deciding whether a merit-based raise or bonus will be given.
8.7.1 Upward Reclassification: We’ve proposed that the rate of pay upon an employee’s upward reclassification shall be greater than or equal to 5%, or 2% above the new pay-range minimum, whichever is more.
8.11 Overpayments & Underpayments: We proposed removing the one-year limit on payment corrections when it is discovered that an employee has been being underpaid.
Differentials: Most of the following proposals were made based on feedback from our members. Read the details here.
10.2 On-Call Pay: We’ve proposed offering on-call pay for every four hours of assigned on-call duty, rather than for every six hours.
7.8 On-Call: We proposed a number of improvements to this section of the contract, including offering on-call relief at 24 hours and giving employees the option to refuse on-call assignments exceeding 96 hours per pay period.
10.5 Lead Work: We proposed language making it easier to earn the lead-work differential, changing the differential from to 5% or $1.75/hour, whichever is greater, and stipulating that removal of lead work is subject to the just-cause standard.
10.8 Inclement Weather Team: We’ve proposed increasing this differential to $15.00/hour.
10.11 Weekend Differential: We proposed increasing this differential to 10%, to a maximum of $3.00/hour (up from $0.50/hour).
10.UX1 Advanced Certification Differential: We’ve proposed a new 5% differential for job-related advanced professional certifications (beyond those required in the minimum qualifications for an employee’s job).
10.UX2 Degree Differential: We’ve also proposed a new 5% differential for employees who have a job-related degree beyond what is required for the class specification of their job.
10.UX3 Unforeseen Environmental Hazard Differential: This new differential of 40% would be paid when an employee is subjected to certain hazardous environments for at least 50% of their shift.
10.UX8 Hazardous Materials Differential: This new contract language would offer a $2.50/hour differential for pharmacy technician 3s who compound chemo drugs and are assigned to work in the chemo-IV room for at least two hours during a shift, as well as a $1.00/hour differential to EVS and Custodial employees who collect, track or dispose of red hazardous waste bags or black hazardous waste bins.
HOL/VAC/SIK/Other Leave:
12.1 Accrual of Vacation Time: We’ve proposed increasing vacation accruals more quickly, instead every five years, to 16 days/year in your first and second years at OHSU, up to 30 days/year after 20 years. Read the details here.
12.7 Vacation Donation Pool: We proposed lowering the eligibility criteria for vacation donation from 14 consecutive days away to seven business days.
13.1 Accrual of Sick Leave: We’ve proposed increasing sick-time accruals from 96 hours/year to 176 hours/year.
13.3.3 Notification of Sick Time Usage; This new language is intended to address some of the burdensome sick-call procedures implemented at the departmental level. For example, some departments require employees to call in sick four hours before the start of their shift, when they’re likely still asleep. We’ve proposed that employees shall not be required to call in more than two hours before the start of their shift (although as much notice as possible should be given).
14.1.9 Mental Health Leave: We’ve proposed up to 16 hours of paid mental-health leave per year.
14.2.7 Catastrophic Event/Emergency Leave: We’ve proposed up to 80 hours of leave to be used in the case of catastrophic events or public emergencies such as wildfires, extreme heat, earthquakes, etc.
Miscellaneous: We made a number of additional miscellaneous proposals, including:
6.3 Contracting Out for Services /MOU #UX12 Contracting Out Model: These proposed changes are intended to reduce OHSU’s use of travelers and the outsourcing of bargaining-unit work.
7.7 Time Off Between Shifts: This proposal is intended to mirror ONA’s double-back pay, for better compensation (time and a half) when an employee has a shortened rest period between shifts. Read the proposal here.
9.2 Call Back: This proposal broadens the circumstances in which call-back pay applies and increases the minimum amount paid to three hours, with time-and-a-half for additional hours worked. It also includes new language stating that employees who aren’t on call but are called back to work shall be paid triple time for the first three hours. Read the proposal here.
20.1.4 Termination During Probationary Period: This proposal requires OHSU to provide a written explanation to employees who are terminated during their probation or who have their probation extended.
22.3 Attendance at Educational & Training Functions/22.5 Education Expense Reimbursement: These proposed changes would require reimbursement for costs associated with approved or required participation in a course, seminar, conference, etc.
28.4 Labor Management Committee Funding: This proposal would increase the funding for LMC activities (including the Career and Workplace Enhancement Center) by 5% for each year of our contract.
MOU #UX13 Child Care Stipend/MOU #UX11 Employer Assisted Child Care Task Force: We’ve proposed a child-care subsidy modeled on OHSU’s 2020 child-care hardship fund, as well as the establishment of a task force to look into creating community partnerships with organizations like Head Start, establishing on-site child-care space and more. Read the full proposals here. Thank you to the members who joined us today to speak in favor of this proposal.
MOU #UX14 Access to Computers and Time: This proposal would require OHSU to provide adequate computer access and dedicated work time to read OHSU emails, complete required trainings and read OHSU Now posts, as well as ensure a 2:1 employee-to-computer ratio in departments where chart documentation is a priority.
OHSU Proposals and Counterproposals: The management team presented several new proposals, including the following:
10.1 Shift Differential: OHSU is proposing that shift differentials be paid on the basis of actual hours worked between 4 p.m. – 12 a.m midnight (evening) and between 12 a.m. midnight and 8 a.m. (night), and that an employee must work at least 3 hours in the shift to eligible to for the differential.
11.2 Holiday Compensation: OHSU proposed a change stating that holiday pay would change from being FTE based to being based on the greater of FTE or average hours worked over the past 13 pay periods.
16.1 Plan Election: This proposal clarifies the language around retirement-plan election, including stating that enrollment in OSPRP happens after six months of qualifying OHSU service and that employees will have three months to choose their retirement plan before being placed into UPP as a default.
21.1.Reorganizations: OHSU proposed that a schedule change resulting in change to an employee’s shift differential by at least two hours would be considered a reorganization.
21.2.1 Implementation of New Classifications or Major Revisions: This proposal would enable OHSU to implement new or changed job classification specifications after four weeks of notification to and negotiation with Local 328, as long as doing so would not result in any decrease in wages.
MOU re: Daily Overtime/Weekend/Shift Differential Waivers: OHSU has proposed new language to move these requests from paper forms to Oracle Employee Self-Service and deleting the forms’ language from the contract. Read the language here.
15 Insurance Benefits: OHSU presented the changes to this article as a package that must be accepted together Changes include changing the employer insurance contribution from one amount that covers 100% of the cost of employee-only OHSU PPO, Delta Dental and core vision to separate amounts covering 100% of employee-only OHSU EPO or PPO (depending on the employee’s choice), 100% of employee-only core dental, and 100% of employee-only core vision. Read the full proposal, with all the proposed changes, here.
Flex Employee Package: OHSU presented a package of proposals related to flex employees — these would need to be accepted together. Read the details here.
Letters of Agreement: OHSU presented three LOAs: Contiguous On-Call Premium for Perioperative Services, Endoscopy Technician Unit Call Incentive and OHSU Scribes. Read the language here.
What’s Next?: Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! After today, both teams will focus on preparing counterproposals to or reaching tentative agreement on all the proposals that are currently in play. Our next bargaining forum will be held on Wednesday, May 18. Check out linktr.ee/Local328 for the registration link and the latest bargaining and union news.