Tuesday, March 30, 1982
Eugane, Oregon
Oregon daily
Volume 83
Number 119
emerald
What — j
already?
Photos by Bob Baker '
It these classes were among the ones you wanted, keep looking. Meanwhile, the Guide is
available around campus, as spring term registration continues today. (Related story, page
6)
Librarian files grievance over day off
By Debbie Howlett
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A classified staff member has
filed a grievance against the
University because administra
tors required classified staff
members to take Dec 24 off
According to plaintiff Becky
Bragg, an administrative assis
tant in the inter-library loan
department, losing the suit
could lead the way for University
or personnel administrators to
reduce classified salary bud
gets through furloughs, without
reopening a recently negotiated
contract
She filed the suit on her behalf
as well as all other affected em
ployees, Bragg says, because
"management’' forced clas
sified staff to take a day off dur
ing Christmas break while the
University was closed due to
financial difficulties
Bragg, who also is the former
head of the local affiliate of the
Oregon Public Employee’s
Union, went to Portland on
March 18 for an arbitration
hearing She says she isn’t sure
the hearing will help the OPEU
“I don’t think the hearing was
favorable to us because of the
conversation at the table,”
Bragg says “I didn't come away
feeling very positive,"
The arbitrator has 30 to 60
days in which to make a ruling,
she says
Bragg filed the grievance
Dec 17, a week prior to the
actual day off
"We had what was termed
Governor's Day where we had a
holiday before or after Christ
mas or before or after New
Years Day," she says "Man
agement came back and said
we re going to be closed the day
before Christmas — you can use
your Governor's day, your
vacation or personal leave
"In essence they were forcing
us to use a holiday or comp time
because they were going to
close the University," Bragg
says. "It didn’t give us a choice
— they said it was for financial
reasons.”
The implication of a ruling
from the arbitrator that favors
"management" is that the
University would be able to use
furloughs as a means of reduc
ing salary costs to meet
projected deficits, she says
"There is some concern in
how the arbitrator will rule,”
says Jack Steward, director of
personnel services for the
University "We feel that we
have done exactly what the
contract permits."
Bragg says that the contract
the OPEU ratified this summer
prevents the University from us
ing furloughs and layoffs as a
way to cut the budget
"At the bargaining table (this
summer) we asked that it not be
used, especially in higher
education, for economic
crises," she says "Our contract
states that the temporary inter
ruption of service clause is to be
used for extreme or unusual
circumstances or a lack of
work.”
When administrators asked
for the extreme or unusual cir
cumstances clause it was in
case water pipes broke, or that a
snow storm — such as the one
that hindered winter term regis
tration — forced the University
to shut down, Bragg says.
"We were told that those were
extreme or unusual circum
stances,” she says
“One of things that has to be
recognized when you’re talking
about a temporary furlough
is whether or not it can be used
for economic means," Bragg
says.
Muriel Jackson, an assistant
for administration in the pres
ident’s office and the Universi
ty representative in the suit de
clined to comment on the suit
until she had a confirmation that
she would not be violating unfair
labor practice laws.
With four more days to file,
30 ASUO ballot slots empty
As of Monday afternoon, only five persons
had filed for the approximately 35 positions in this
year's ASUO elections
Filing opened March 12 and will close Friday
at 3 p.m. Primary elections will be held April 14
and 15, with any possible general elections
scheduled for April 21 and 22
Candidates for ASUO President are Jeffrey
Houston, a senior majoring in Russian, and Sheila
Schain, a junior majoring in business.
Houston was unavailable for comment
Monday
Schain, nominated to the Incidental Fee
Committee Monday by ASUO Pres Rich Wilkins,
says she will withdraw her filing for the pres
idency
Three candidates have filed for the seven
position Incidental Fee Committee
Running are Alan Contreras, ASUO vice
president of program administration and a
senior in political science; Robert Mead, a
sophomore majoring in computer and informa
tion science, and Devin Waite, a sophomore in
business.
Contreras, who will attend the University law
school next year, says he is running because "I
enjoyed being on the IFC. I’d enjoy being on the
IFC again.”
He says, however, that he is unsure of his
plans and may withdraw his filing document.
Mead and Waite were unavailable for com
ment Monday.
Lori Kleinsmith, a freshman majoring in Eng
lish, so far is the only candidate for the Student
University Affairs Board. Kleinsmith, an incum
bent, is running for position 15.
Kleinsmith says she is running because she
‘‘is interested in student government” and
because “it’s a chance to get experience.”
"I just want to get involved,” Kleinsmith says.