The Universities’ Bargaining Team firmly believes in transparent negotiations. We will post our summaries of the negotiations along with occasional links to proposals or tentative agreements within approximately one week from the last day of the negotiations session. Hopefully our posts will have the effect of opening negotiations to everyone.
Below is the schedule of negotiations that the parties have agreed to so far and summaries of the negotiation sessions that have already occurred. Please check back here for summaries of future negotiation sessions.
Schedule:
February 12 & 13: University of Oregon (Eugene)
March 5 & 6: Western Oregon University (Monmouth)
March 20: Portland State University (Portland)
March 30 & 31: Oregon State University (Corvallis)
April 23 & 24: Oregon State University (Bend)
May 14 & 15: University of Oregon (Eugene)
May 28 & 29: Southern Oregon University (Ashland)
June 24 & 25: Eastern Oregon University (LaGrande)
February 12 & 13:
Contract negotiations between the Oregon Public Universities (OPUs) and classified staff represented by SEIU (Union) began with both teams meeting on Feb. 12 and 13 at the University of Oregon. The session largely consisted of the parties presenting their opening statements, working to finalize Ground Rules, and each party presenting two contract proposals.
At the beginning of the negotiations, the parties presented their opening statements with the OPUs going first. The Universities’ opening statement described the 2026 negotiations occurring within a period of significant financial strain, citing declining enrollment driven by the national “enrollment cliff,” reduced state funding per student, increased legislative oversight, and structural budget gaps occurring within each university. The Universities noted rising benefit costs — particularly retirement expenses – are growing faster than wages. The Universities also noted Southern Oregon University’s recent declaration of financial exigency as evidence of the seriousness of current fiscal conditions.
The Universities acknowledged the Union’s priorities around wages, benefits, workload protections, and union access, but also emphasized that financial constraints limit what can sustainably commit to. As for their own goals during these negotiations, the Universities said they would focus on maintaining operational flexibility, preserving strong healthcare and retirement benefits, adapting to financial and technological changes, ensuring long-term sustainability, and providing for an affordable education for students.
SEIU’s opening statement framed the negotiations within a period of significant uncertainty for higher education, citing factors such as declining enrollment, reduced funding, and broader economic pressures affecting campuses and workers. While acknowledging that universities face real financial challenges, the Union emphasized that classified staff should not be expected to shoulder disproportionate burdens nor be scapegoated while the universities address budget challenges.
SEIU stated that classified employees and union labor strengthen campuses and local communities and said that classified staff are essential to sustaining enrollment and achieving student success. The Union stated it remains open to creative, long-term solutions and engagement with the Universities, the HECC, Legislators, and the Governor, , but made clear that its approach will depend on whether the Universities view SEIU as a genuine partner rather than a budget line item.
After opening statements, the parties worked to finalize Ground Rules. Largely the same as in previous years, the Ground Rules for these negotiations will allow observers to attend either in person or virtually. However, either party can move to have a bargaining session closed to virtual observers. However, each bargaining session will remain open to virtual observers for opening statements (already presented on Feb. 12), passage of initial proposals, and selective salary presentations. The intent of both parties is that the majority of all negotiation sessions will be open to virtual observing.
Finally, the OPUs passed their initial proposals on Personnel Records and Sick Leave. In its proposal on Personnel Records, the OPUs asked to establish a forty-five (45) calendar day period for employee inspection of personnel and supervisory files upon reasonable notice, in keeping with state law. The OPUs also proposed to retain disciplinary materials for a minimum of three (3) years with removal of materials upon written employee request if no recurrence of the discipline occurs, and that there is a presumption that a supervisory file is being kept without having the supervisor first notifying the employee.
The OPUs Sick Leave proposal asked to have sick leave usage align with applicable Oregon sick leave laws and university leave request procedures, and that a university may request a doctor’s note after an employee is on sick leave for three consecutive days. The OPUs also sought to apply the language found in state and federal family medical leave laws.
The Union proposed changes to Temporary Appointments and the Union Rights article. For Temporary Appointments, the Union requested that any department using a temporary position for more than nine continuous months must either demonstrate the end of this appointment or hire the temporary employee as a permanent classified employee. The Union also seeks to have the total period of a temporary appointment not exceed nine months.
For Union Rights, the Union seeks to strengthen new employee orientation language to include a 30-minute Union presentation within 30 days of hire. The Union asks that this meeting be mandatory for newly represented employees. The Union also proposed that a union steward, who is an employee of the university, accompany on paid time a union representative, who is not an employee of the university, when the representative needs access to a building that is only accessible to employees.
The parties will continue negotiations on Thursday, March 5, and Friday, March 6, at Western Oregon University.
March 5 & 6:
Contract negotiations between the Oregon Public Universities (OPUs) and classified staff represented by SEIU (Union) continued with representatives from both bargaining teams meeting on March 5 and 6 at Western Oregon University. Each bargaining team passed proposals on six articles, for a total of 12 articles.
The OPU bargaining team presented findings from a market study of base pay, benefits and total compensation provided classified employees under the current labor agreement between OPUs and the Union. The marked study was conducted by Trupp HR to help inform negotiations for a new labor agreement.
Article 21 of the Union contract has as its goal that total classified employee compensation levels be within 5% percent of market, based on a jointly developed market study that includes comparators, benchmarks, base pay and benefits. The OPUs worked with the Union to identify 59 employee positions under the contract that a compensation consultant would review to conduct the market study. The idea of choosing the positions was to have a representative cross section of positions within the contract. The consultant’s report found that, taken together, the OPU classified positions lead in every job category across all markets by 10% to 22% depending on the market that was compared. On an individual position basis, only eight employee positions were found to be 5% or more below the market for total compensation in one or two segments compared, but none fell below all the markets compared.
The OPU bargaining team passed proposals related to grievances, no discrimination, trial service, bereavement, vacation, and reclassification. Within the Grievance Article, the OPU bargaining team proposed modifications to the timelines and process involving Step 3, including eliminating the option that employees can bring cases involving discrimination and reclassification request under the grievance process. The modification is being requested since each of the universities have offices that deal with discrimination cases. And, in the case of reclassification requests, the OPU bargaining team said that class and compensation professionals at each university are believed to best suited to review and determine where a position should be classified, not an arbitrator. Within the Bereavement Article and Vacation Article, the OPUs bargaining team proposed changes to bring the maximum number of bereavement days to be in alignment with Oregon law. In the case of the Vacation Article, the OPUs bargaining team offered a proposal to update tax issues related to vacation payouts. Finally, in the Trial Service Article, the OPUs are seeking to require a trial service for classified employees who return from a layoff as the bargaining team said the demands of many job positions often change quickly.
The Union bargaining team suggested revisions to articles on subcontracting, personnel records, layoffs, academic year positions, and computer workstations. The Union also proposed language for a new article on Artificial Intelligence (AI). In the Subcontracting Article, the Union bargaining team proposed to remove the requirement that subcontracting only should apply if an employee is displaced, thereby opening the requirements of the article to many other situations. In the Article on Personnel Records, the Union proposal sought to allow union stewards to have access to an employee’s personnel and supervisory files without the employee being present, so long as the employee authorizes the release of the file to the union steward. Within the Layoff Article, the Union bargaining team proposed that timelines be modified and that those employees who were laid off be permitted to be placed on layoff recall lists in geographic areas of the university other than the area from which they were laid off. Within the Academic Year Article,, the Union bargaining team proposed that employees appointed to these positions have more options as it regards paying for health benefits over the summer. Within the Computer Workstations Article, the Union bargaining team proposed language that would require a university to notify an employee before any computer monitoring would occur and let the employee know how long such monitoring would take place..
In a proposal on AI, the Union bargaining team sought to establish guardrails for how AI may be introduced and used in classified employee workplaces. The Union proposes that AI must comply with privacy, confidentiality, and data protection laws, and not be used for intrusive employee monitoring or tracking. The Union’s proposal also aims to restrict universities’ use of AI for hiring, promotion, evaluation, or disciplinary actions, and mandates human oversight throughout each stage of classified employee-related processes.
The parties will continue negotiations on Friday, March 20, at Portland State University.
March 20:
March 30 & 31:
April 23 & 24:
May 14 & 15:
May 28 & 29:
June 24 & 25:
