OHSU-AFSCME collective bargaining enters week six

 

Members of the OHSU and AFSCME collective bargaining teams met on April 19. In anticipation of the agreed-upon commitment, noted within the ground rules, to have all proposals on the table by next week, both sides submitted a slew of new proposals. The OHSU team also responded to a handful of AFSCME proposals.

 

OHSU PROPOSALS AND COUNTER-PROPOSALS:

 The OHSU team submitted the following proposals:

• 6.EX1 Return to work (new): OHSU proposed new language stating fully remote employees must be provided with 28 days’ notice if they’re expected to return to campus.
• 10.EX1 Additional need incentive (new): Both OHSU and the AFSCME team proposed new language on this topic. As such, rather than moving forward with their own proposal, the OHSU team will respond to the AFSCME proposal at a future bargaining session.
• 27.6 Work with dangerous materials and 27.7 Exposure to serious communicable disease: OHSU suggested new language for both topics, proposing prophylaxis for exposures, as well as paid administrative leave for those required to quarantine.
• MOU EX1 Pandemic, state of emergency, and disaster bargaining (new): OHSU proposed a system to bargain over changes needed in the event of an emergency or disaster.

 

The OHSU team also submitted several proposals to align the contract with the new Labor Relations team and to provide clarification in several articles:

• 5.EX5 (new): Business day
• 6.1.3: Complaints of discrimination and harassment
• 7.12: Modified operations
• 9.X (new): Sign-on bonuses
• Appendix C: Employee Benefits Council
• MOU 3: Telecommuting Task Force
• MOU 11: Adjusted recipient
• MOU 18: Mental health support and peer-to-peer group counseling

 

Finally, the OHSU team responded to the following AFSCME proposals:

• 6.X Exit interviews: OHSU responded by acknowledging they are working on this process and will continue to use good faith efforts to provide exit interviews.
• 7.6 Meal periods: OHSU proposed language giving people in charge notice about missed breaks, protecting against retaliation for taking a break and removing language regarding shared responsibility from its last proposal.
• 14.1.7 Pre-retirement counseling leave: OHSU made minor revisions to AFSCME’s language that would expand the people who could access this leave.
• MOU UX7 Employee Designations (new): OHSU agreed to AFSCME’s request to collect data regarding which employees are designated as critical/essential workers.

 

AFSCME PROPOSALS:

The union team brought several proposals forward related to staffing, incentives and premiums:

• 5.UX4 Preceptor and 10.UX4 Preceptor pay (new): AFCME proposed language to define preceptors and to replace the MOU regarding preceptor pay with an expanded version in the contract proper.
• 9.1.2 Overtime compensation: AFSCME proposed increasing the pay rate for mandatory overtime.
• 9.1.4 Scheduling and assignment of overtime: The AFSCME proposal eliminates language that allows OHSU to remove those from the overtime list who are consistently unavailable. New language was proposed regarding offering overtime, additional need incentive and mandatory overtime.
• 10.UX5 Float differential (new): A float differential was proposed for those in designated float pool positions or employees who float to a different location or specialty than for which they were hired.
• 10.UX7 Additional need incentive (new): Independent from OHSU’s proposal on the same topic, AFSCME proposed new language related to additional need incentive.
• 23.1 Progressive discipline: AFSCME proposed language to remove withholding pay increase and demotion, adding unpaid leave as a potential discipline and changing pay reductions.
• MOU 7 Services for employees who speak English as a second language or who speak ASL: AFSCME proposed translation services for the collective bargaining agreement and for investigatory meetings, a page on O2 with translated materials for key OHSU services and a joint committee for ongoing improvement in language services.
• MOU UX6 Training trust (new): AFSCME proposed OHSU provide funds to a training trust for the purpose of training OHSU staff.
• MOU UX9 Community service leave (new): The AFSCME team proposed paid community service.
• Provisions: AFSCME proposed updated language regarding stewards and union officials to reflect changes in state law.

 

In addition, the AFSCME team proposed modifying and clarifying language within the following:

• 5.37 Designated union representative
• 5.EX1 (new): Coaching
• 23.1.2 Suspension of seniority rights
• 23.3.1: Notice of investigatory interview
• 23.6 Unauthorized absences
• 23.7 Limits on pay reductions
• 24.3 Release time
• 9.3 Change in reporting time

 

TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS:

Because the teams were focused on bringing and reviewing new proposals, no Tentative Agreements were reached.

 

NEXT MEETING DATE:

Collective bargaining will continue on Tuesday, April 26.

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