Bargaining Update April 25th

GEU Communications

To all our members who came to the last bargaining session, thank you! Members showing up provided a breath of fresh air and perspective that was invaluable to our work.

In our latest bargaining prep session we took time to do some big picture scoping to look at what we’ve accomplished so far and what remains to be done. The administration team has expressed interest in completing a contract by the end of the academic year, so we put together a list of all the topic sections that would need to be completed for a contract we feel would be acceptable to our members.

We need to reach agreement on the following sections:

  • Academic Freedom – on the table, Administration currently refuse to bargain about this
  • Appointments – on the table
  • Childcare
  • Complete Agreement – on the table, Administration currently unwilling to allow the contract to be reopened by request while in effect (CGE has several reopeners)
  • Definitions – ongoing document
  • Discipline and Discharge – on the table
  • Evaluation – on the table,  Administration currently unwilling to allow a GA the right to an evaluation if they want one
  • Fees
  • Grievance and Arbitration – on the table
  • Health & Safety – GEU proposing on Friday
  • Healthcare
  • Intellectual Property
  • Jury Duty – on the table
  • Layoff – on the table, Administration currently unwilling to provide notice to GEU a month before layoffs
  • Leave (sick, vacation, holiday)
  • No Strike/Lockouts – on hold, Admin currently unwilling to commit to not requiring e.g. a GTA who usually grades and holds office hours to pick up a striking faculty instructor’s duties
  • Non-Discrimination – on hold, Administration currently unwilling to allow violations of this article to be grievable
  • Past Practices
  • Personnel Files – on the table
  • Professional Development
  • Salary
  • Summer Term – on the table and almost complete
  • Term of Agreement – on hold
  • Transportation/ Parking
  • Travel
  • Tuition Remission
  • Union Rights – GEU proposing on Friday
  • Workload – on the table and almost complete

We have already reached tentative agreement on these sections:

  • Communication
  • Defining Parties
  • Distribution and Printing
  • Labor Management
  • Recognition
  • Separability Clause

Our next meeting is April 28th from 9am to 4pm in Market Center 651. We’ll begin by discussing what this will mean for our bargaining sessions moving forward. We’ll then be returning to Appointments and Workload, then looking at Discipline and Discharge, Evaluations, Union Rights, Layoff, and Personnel records. We’ll also be setting aside time to discuss progress on the economic subgroup we’ve formed.

Want to get involved in bargaining? Contact us at bargaining@pdxgeu.org