Collective Bargaining

Oregon State University is committed to collaboratively, accountably, prudently and transparently reaching a collective bargaining agreement with United Academics of Oregon State University that:

• Supports the university’s land grant mission and values as Oregon’s statewide university;
• Supports the recruitment, retention and success of excellent faculty engaged in OSU teaching, research, and outreach and engagement;
• Takes into account the tuition burden borne by students and their families to pay increasingly more for their higher education while state financial support declines and employee benefit costs increase;
• Allows the university’s operations to remain financially sustainable;
• Aligns with university priorities, such as Strategic Plan 4.0; and
• Takes into account university responsibilities to invest in and provide safe, resilient and improved university teaching, research, and outreach and engagement facilities.

Bargaining Team

• Heather Horn, Associate Vice Provost and Senior Director for Employee and Labor Relations
• Steph Bernell, Associate Dean, Graduate School
• Peter Betjemann, Director of the School of Writing, Literature and Film, College of Liberal Arts
• Sherm Bloomer, Director, Office of Budget and Fiscal Planning
• Trina Young, Senior Employee and Labor Relations Officer, Human Resources

Ad-Hoc Committees

The 2020-2024 collective bargaining agreement includes several Letters of Agreement (LOA) that outline the creation of ad hoc committees for the purpose of looking at specific topics and providing feedback on those topics. These committees are:

Acknowledgement of Exceptional Service

Joint Labor-Management Committee will be formed to review a training program for Academic Year 2021-2022 and Academic Year 2022-2023 for supervisors and other leaders that teaches strategies to recognize, accommodate, and/or mitigate substantial informal labors (e.g. advising/mentoring students) above and beyond heavy formal service duties.

Child Care Task Force

Duration: November 1, 2020 – June 30, 2024

A Child Care Task Force will be established, consisting of three representatives from United Academics and three representatives from the Employer.

Leaves

Duration: January 15, 2021 – June 15, 2021

The Parties mutually agree to explore options for the means by which sick and vacation leave are charged to academic units and other funding sources via a Joint Labor-Management Committee. The recommendations are advisory only.

Respectful Workplace

Duration: November 1, 2020 – October 1, 2021

A Committee on Respectful Workplace, consisting of three representatives from United Academics and three representatives from the Employer will be established.

The Committee will work in consultation with the Office of Faculty Affairs, United Academics, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, the Office of Institutional Diversity, the Ombuds Office, faculty members with an interest in offering input, and outside experts. The Committee shall be charged with providing input and recommendations with respect to university non-discrimination policies and procedures. The recommendations are advisory only.

Patents, License and Commercialization

Duration: October 1, 2020 – January 15, 2021

A Task Force will be established, consisting of three representatives from United Academics and three representatives from the Employer to explore changes to practices around patents, license, and commercialization and make recommendations. The recommendations are advisory only.

Support for Prestigious Fellowships

Duration: January 15, 2021 – June 15, 2021

Joint Labor-Management Committee will be formed to define the parameters of what constitutes a prestigious external fellowship and to explore options related to the continuation of healthcare benefits for bargaining unit members who receive such fellowships and make recommendations. The recommendations are advisory only.