Membership Bargaining Update: 8/29/22

GEU Communications

Bargaining Weekly on Mondays 11 am – 3 pm: https://pdx.zoom.us/j/89575632910

*Note: No session Monday, 9/5, due to Labor Day*

What has been done

We’ve nearly reached a tentative agreement on Article 3 covering union information rights. PSU’s unwillingness to fully comply with state labor laws notwithstanding, the new article lays out clearly and concisely what information they are willing to provide on a regular basis. Now only two articles remain: “Heath and Wellness” and “Appointments.”

Healthcare Déjà Vu

The Bargaining team felt an eerie sense of familiarity when PSU presented no concrete counter offer to GEU’s proposal of 75% supported premiums for the student health plan and the establishment of a healthcare task force to select an improved plan for future years.

PSU Admin seems to be making every effort to avoid giving a straightforward counter offer on health insurance premium relief. We can only speculate as to their reasons for this, but we suspect they know we won’t like their answer. GAs deserve to know how much their university is willing to support them. 

Next Session

We are close to finalizing Article 17, “Appointments,” having agreed to enshrine a multi-year appointment mechanism into the contract, creating a more stable academic career for GAs. GEU’s most recent proposal offered a generous compromise that we hope PSU will find agreeable: focusing reappointment protections on key scenarios, namely those that can be handled similarly to lay-offs.

That will leave “Health and Wellness.” This one may require a little elbow grease: until we win appointment protections and support for struggling GAs, bargaining will continue into the Fall term.

Direct Action, Rally GAs!

We won’t win health insurance support at the bargaining table alone. No, GAs will need to show PSU that we care about healthcare, we are mad about healthcare, and we aren’t going to stay quiet. GEU, PSU GAs, and labor allies around the state will rally on September 20th on campus to demonstrate PSU GAs’ commitment to a fair contract that respects student works and provides needed health insurance support. More details to come soon, so stay posted!