OHSU-AFSCME collective bargaining enters week seven

Members of the OHSU and AFSCME collective bargaining teams met on April 26, the agreed-upon date to submit all new proposals. As such, the OHSU and AFSCME teams submitted more than 50 proposals in total.

Some common themes arose, with both sides bringing forward proposals related to flexible work and on-call issues.
 

OHSU PROPOSALS:

The OHSU bargaining team brought forward several proposals centered on the following:

• Shift differentials moving away from a “majority of hours” approach.
• Holiday compensation for part-time employees based on the greater of FTE or hours an employee has worked.
• Proposals allowing OHSU to more quickly provide pay increases and create new job classifications.
• Insurance rates, including:
  • Moving away from benefit dollars and replacing them with rates based on the elections for all insurance selections.
  • 100% employer-paid premium for employees selecting the EPO plan.
  • Different opt-out rates for medical, dental and vision coverage.
• On-call shifts, including premium pay in perioperative work units for on-call work immediately following a scheduled shift.
• Flexible staff, including availability requirements, payment for time worked on holidays, eligibility for self-paid health insurance, merit-based adjustments and favored language for bidding into relief positions.
   

AFSCME PROPOSALS:

The AFSCME bargaining team brought forward a large number of proposals, centered on the following:

• Education and training, specifically related to pay.
• Childcare, including a proposal to create a Childcare Task Force and create a hardship fund for childcare.
• Telework.
• Salaried employees, specifically removing a number of exclusions from contract terms for salaried employees and including an increased schedule for vacation accruals, evening and night differentials, on-call and overtime.
• New leaves, including mental health leave.
• Hazard pay for unforeseen environmental hazard circumstances.
• New and increased differentials, including related to handling hazardous materials, employees who have a degree related to their field beyond what is required for their job, weekend differentials and professional certifications beyond the minimum job requirements.
• Vacation and sick time, including increased vacation and sick leave accrual rates.
• Pay increases across the board.
   

OHSU NEXT STEPS:

Because so many proposals were shared yesterday, the OHSU collective bargaining team will not be able to respond to all new proposals by next week’s meeting. The OHSU collective bargaining team will spend the time necessary to carefully digest and consider the new proposals before offering responses.

 

NEXT MEETING DATE:

Collective bargaining will continue Tuesday, May 3.

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