Workers- GTFF t0 vote on University offer
Stories by MIKE HOPKINS
Of the Emerald
Members of the Graduate Teaching
Fellows Federation (GTFF) will make
the biggest decision in the union’s two
and-a-half-year history Tuesday when
they vote to accept or reject the
University's latest contract proposal.
According to Bill Ratteree, GTFF
vice-president and chief negotiator, the
GTFF will meet to hold the election at 7
p.m. in Room 167 of the EMU. GTFF
members unable to attend the Tuesday
meeting may cast absentee ballots at
the GTFF’s headquarters, located
above the Red Rooster Barber Shop at
868 E. 13th Ave., Eugene.
Since only GTFF members may vote
on the contract, Ratteree said, GTFs
may join the union to cast a ballot at the
GTFF office not later than today.
If the GTFF membership rejects the
contract, Ratteree said, the union will
ask for fact finding, a process in which a
state Employment Relations Board
(ERB) official, acting as a neutral third
party, hears proposals from both sides
and devises a compromise, which either
party may then reject.
Oregon law requires a mediation
period followed by fact finding before a
union may strike. After beginning collec
University, food workers’ talk in limbo
Collective bargaining talks between
the University and the Food Service
Workers Union (FWSU) have stopped
and apparently will remain in limbo until
fall term.
FSWU president Scott Higgins said
he had been advised by Bob Bell, the
state Employment Relations Board
(ERB) official who has mediated the
talks since the FSWU declared impasse
April 17, that further mediation would be
fruitless without a change in position
from either side.
The two parties are at odds over the
issues of wages and seniority rights. Al
though the University is willing to raise
the starting salary to $2.65 per hour, the
federal minimum wage, it has resisted
union demands for an automatic raise
when a worker has acquired 200 hours
working time.
Also, the University wants to exempt
two key working positions from seniority
provisions. I he i-swu warns an joos xo
be filled according to seniority.
Higgins said he was under the impres
sion the University would ask for fact
finding, a procedure allowing an ERB
official to propose a compromise. How
ever, Allen McKenzie, the University’s
chief negotiator, in talks with the FSWU,
said the University has no intention of
requesting fact finding.
“We’re still waiting to hear from the
union,” McKenzie said.
tive bargaining with the University last
October, the GTFF declared an impasse
and asked the ERB for mediation in late
March.
Ratteree said he believes sentiment in
the GTFF is running against the pro
posed contract because it fails to ade
quately address the issues of wages,
health benefits, child care, reappoint
ment and discipline and discharge.
However, the election’s outcome can’t
be predicted, Ratteree cautioned. “A lot
of GTFs haven’t made up their minds
yet,” he said. “Departments have al
ready begun to organize meetings to
discuss it."
Ratteree and Jon Silvermoon, a GTF
from the Wallace School of Community
Service and Public Affairs, expressed
opposition to the contract Wednesday in
speeches before about 100 GTFs at
tending a noon rarity on the EMU terrace.
“We can strike. We can work over the
summer,” Silvermoon told the crowd.
“Let’s throw that dirty piece of paper (the
proposed contract) back in their faces.’’
Board tries again, gets position
If at first you don’t succeed...
The EMU Board tried again Friday and gained
approval of an amendment to change their by-laws,
opening up a position on the board for a ASUO
program member.
At a meeting last week, Board Chairer Dusty
Rhodes proposed that of the three appointed posi
tions open for EMU program members, one remain
an EMU position and the other two be available to
EMU or ASUO program members.
The proposal was defeated, so Rhodes drew up
another stating that two positions would remain in
EMU programs’ hands while the third would be rep
resented by someone from an ASUO program. The
amendemnt passed eight to two.
In other business, the board unanimously ap
proved a motion made by Rhodes to allow him, EMU
Business Manager Bob Schutz and any other in
terested board members to look into a mangement
study of the EMU’s revenue producing areas.
Rhodes called for the study because projections
made by Schutz indicate substantial deficits in the
revenue producing areas and “previous manage
ment studies have been good management tools
and have contributed significantly to improved re
sults in certain areas.’’
"Interested members” will come up with a pro
posal this summer that will be submitted to the full
board in the fall. After the study’s objectives and a
management consultant are determined, the board
will approach the Incidental Fee Committee for fund
ing.
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