NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
AFSCME Local 328 declares impasse at OHSU
AFSCME Local 328 has de-
clared impasse in negotiations
with Oregon Health & Science
University (OHSU). The union
represents nearly 7,000 employ-
ees there, and has been bargain-
ing since late February. The
contract expired June 30.
Despite record revenue and
profits, management is propos-
ing replacing the current sick-
leave system that protects dedi-
cated time for ill workers, to a
“paid-time off” (PTO) system
that would force workers to
choose between coming to work
sick or spending time off with
their families.
“OHSU belongs to every-
one,” said Karyn Trivette, a
physical therapist at OHSU.
“We are a vital teaching and re-
search hospital for our region.
When patients come to OHSU
they deserve to know that those
providing their care aren’t sick
themselves and that administra-
tion at OHSU is focused on pa-
tient care, not just profits.”
Local 328 presented a “last,
best, and final” offer to OHSU
on July 29. At that point, a
mandatory 30-day cooling-off
period began. If a deal isn’t
reached before the cooling off
period expires, OHSU may im-
plement its final offer after five
days’ notice. The union can
strike on 10 days’ notice.
A mediation session between
the two sides has been set for
Aug. 13.
Local 328 will hold an infor-
mational picket Thursday, Aug.
8, from 4 to 6 p.m. at OHSU’s
MacKenzie Hall. Family,
friends, and the entire labor
community are invited.
A strike authorization vote
will be held Aug. 19-29 if a set-
tlement hasn’t been reached.
Legacy appeals Unity Health nurses’ union victory
Legacy Health Systems is chal-
lenging a union election by
nurses at Unity Center for Be-
havioral Health, Portland’s only
24-hour psychiatric emergency
facility. The facility is operated
by Legacy Health as a joint ven-
ture with several other health net-
works.
On June 19, a unit of 202 reg-
istered nurses voted overwhelm-
ingly to join Oregon Nurses As-
sociation (ONA). The tally was
128 to 25.
Legacy Health argued to the
National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB) that Unity Center was
part of a broader health system
that includes Legacy Emanuel
Hospital, and that because of
that, nurses couldn’t create a sep-
arate bargaining unit. Legacy
Emanuel Hospital nurses are
non-union.
The NLRB’s regional director
ruled against Legacy and al-
lowed the election to take place.
On July 11, Legacy Health
asked the NLRB’s appointed
board in Washington, D.C., to re-
view the regional director’s deci-
sion to allow the election to be
held. The NLRB can either grant
or deny the request. ONA ex-
pected a decision by the end of
July. (A decision had not been
announced at press time.)
If the NLRB grants the request
for review, oral arguments from
ONA and Unity’s legal counsel
will be made in Washington,
D.C., in front of the full NLRB.
The Board is controlled by
three Trump appointees who
have been issuing management-
friendly decisions since taking
charge. One Obama appointee
remains on the Board, and one
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seat is vacant.
“Legacy’s request to have the
NLRB review the decision from
the regional director is another
tactic to suppress the voice of
nurses at Unity Center,” ONA
said in a written statement.
“Legacy has repeatedly said they
value the opinions, expertise and
input of nurses from Unity. If that
were true they would respect the
results of the vote. This is a tactic
to delay bargaining and confuse
the public, patients and nurses.
Nurses at Unity Center are mov-
ing forward with elections for
their bargaining team and expect
Legacy to meet them at the table
during contract negotiations.”
August 2, 2019 | PAGE 5
SEIU deal with Oregon
includes 10-15% raises
Service Employees International
Union (SEIU) Local 503 reached
a tentative agreement with the
State of Oregon on a two-year
union contract covering 24,000
public employees.
State employees at the depart-
ments of Human Services, Trans-
portation, Administrative Serv-
ices, and Revenue will see raises
ranging from 10% to 15% over
the next two years as a result of
cost-of-living-adjustments and
step increases. Those who are at
the top steps of their salary range
will see, on average, a 10% raise
over the same period. The new
contract contains the largest in-
creases in public employee wages
in a decade, the union said.
The state initially proposed a
four-year contract with a 1.68%
raise in 2019, a 1% raise in 2020,
and no guaranteed raises in 2021
or 2022.
“In the face of legal challenges
and anti-union organizing, Ore-
gon’s public employees chose to
stick together. They won a con-
tract that represents a major in-
vestment in our state’s public
services,” Melissa Unger, execu-
tive director of Local 503, told
Oregon Public Broadcasting.
The contract still must be rati-
fied by members and the State of
Oregon.