OHSU's Real Strategic Alignment
The President and executives of OHSU sent an email yesterday that probably left you as confused and worried as I was. The words “although reductions in force may be necessary” certainly sound like the warning of “layoffs are coming”. Dire financial forecasts are commonplace when our union begins to bargain, but…
Why is it happening now?
To date, OHSU has only offered the status quo for economic, benefits, leave time, immigration support, and recruitment/retention, and DEI initiatives. If the status quo was good enough, postdocs would not be fighting for better working conditions.
OHSU is facing arbitration for claims that graduate workers are being paid less than what they contractually agreed to.
Research Workers United is rallying research workers to sign membership cards so they can fight for a contract to establish a safe work environment with wages and benefits that are commensurate with the expertise and labor they give OHSU.
OHSU Police Association just ratified a new contract
Local 328 enjoys wages, benefits, and protections that we consider to be basic rights. All workers deserve the same! Why would OHSU want to claim their budget won’t meet these expectations? Because it would fundamentally change the way OHSU funds research. Meaning: they would have to fund research.
What you should know
The Presidential and Executive communication did not include:
The fact that OHSU granted $15 million dollars in non-merit-based bonuses to nonunion staff just a few months ago
The fact that OHSU is still pursuing a merger with Legacy that will cost our institution roughly 1 billion dollars
And the term that Lawrence Furnstahl, OHSU’s CFO, has used in most of his presentations on OHSU’s budget forecasts: “labordemic”. Sounds a lot like “pandemic” – a word we’ve heard a lot in the last four years.
The courageous workers of OHSU are slowly emerging from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. To use the word “labordemic” in such a context comes awfully close to insinuating the essential workers of OHSU are like a virus that is infecting OHSU’s bottom line. Further, OHSU’s Emergency Preparedness training labeled strikes as human-made emergencies.
What you can do:
You can show your support for postdocs by signing onto this petition, donating to their strike hardship fund, and attending their picket on April 16th from 12-2 at Elizabeth Caruthers Park (across from CHH2)
You can support Graduate Researchers United by signing this petition to demand OHSU fulfill their obligations.
Tell the Executive Suite at OHSU: We are not a virus – we make OHSU work! We ARE OHSU!
No matter what happens, your union has your back and we will fight to protect all of our members!