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OUS workers receive salary raises
SEIU, Oregon University System agree to two-year collective bargaining agreement Thursday;
Nick Vardanega
Issue date: 8/1/07 Section: News
After six months of negotiations, the Oregon University System reached a tentative agreement with SEIU on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Representatives of OUS and SEIU - the labor union that represents classified university employees - were at the University of Oregon Thursday to finalize the terms of a two-year collective bargaining agreement.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, all OUS employees will receive a salary increase of 6.2 percent over the next two years.
Also, several lower tier steps of salary ranges have been eliminated, meaning the minimum salary for all OUS employees will go up.
Effective November 1, 2008, the lowest paid OUS workers will earn $1,854 per month, which is up from $1,689 according to the SEIU.
That means that no full time OUS employee will be under the gross income limit for food stamp eligibility for a family of three, said Maggie Neel, president of SEIU Local 083.
"Being in the union used to be a manner of pride," Neel said, "we're trying to bring back that pride."
Jeri Hemmer, associate director of employment relations in the office of human resources, said the contract agreement had a positive impact.
"The biggest impact is on individuals in lower classifications because our agreement brings them to what the union calls a 'living wage,'" Hemmer said.
Hemmer - who attended the negotiations on behalf of OSU - said she is happy to have this tentative agreement.
"It was a very fair settlement," she said.
OUS also agreed to a shift differential pay increase for employees who work undesirable shifts, from 50 cents per hour to 75 cents per hour; and increased vacation time for workers that have been employed for over 25 years, Hemmer said.
Neel is happy with the turnout of the negotiations.
"I think it's a really good contract," said Neel, who was pleased the SEIU was also able to obtain selective salary range increases for 30 different job classifications.
Representatives of OUS and SEIU - the labor union that represents classified university employees - were at the University of Oregon Thursday to finalize the terms of a two-year collective bargaining agreement.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, all OUS employees will receive a salary increase of 6.2 percent over the next two years.
Also, several lower tier steps of salary ranges have been eliminated, meaning the minimum salary for all OUS employees will go up.
Effective November 1, 2008, the lowest paid OUS workers will earn $1,854 per month, which is up from $1,689 according to the SEIU.
That means that no full time OUS employee will be under the gross income limit for food stamp eligibility for a family of three, said Maggie Neel, president of SEIU Local 083.
"Being in the union used to be a manner of pride," Neel said, "we're trying to bring back that pride."
Jeri Hemmer, associate director of employment relations in the office of human resources, said the contract agreement had a positive impact.
"The biggest impact is on individuals in lower classifications because our agreement brings them to what the union calls a 'living wage,'" Hemmer said.
Hemmer - who attended the negotiations on behalf of OSU - said she is happy to have this tentative agreement.
"It was a very fair settlement," she said.
OUS also agreed to a shift differential pay increase for employees who work undesirable shifts, from 50 cents per hour to 75 cents per hour; and increased vacation time for workers that have been employed for over 25 years, Hemmer said.
Neel is happy with the turnout of the negotiations.
"I think it's a really good contract," said Neel, who was pleased the SEIU was also able to obtain selective salary range increases for 30 different job classifications.
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