VOLUME XXIII, No. 6
JULY 1981
H
P U B L IC
A publication of the Oregon Public Employes Union, SEIU
Contract Vote Begins July 13
Fifty OPEU members negotiated the central and coalition contracts along with
OPEU staff. Four members who participated in both central and coalition
OPEU has reached tentative agree
ment with the State on a two-year
contract that includes an average 15.6
percent pay increase, fully-paid
health and dental insurance, no take-
backs of provisions won in previous
contracts and major gains in many
areas of job security and employe
rights.*
Contract ratification ballots have
been mailed to all OPEU members.
Voting will take place at worksites on
July 13 and 14. Results of the ballot
ing will be announced on Monday,
July 20.
The pay increase is spread out over
the two years of the agreement:
*$55 retroactive to July 1,1961;
* 2 percent increase on Jan. 1,1982;
* 3 percent increase on July 1,1982;
* 3 percent increase on Nov. 1,1982;
and
*3 percent increase on March 1,
1983.
“ No one is happy with the salary
increase, but we recognize the
economic facts of life,” said OPEU
Executive Director Thomas Gallag
her. “ However, in achieving fully-paid
health and dental insurance and other
aspects of the fringe benefit package,
we squeezed out every nickel that is
available."
He added, “ You don't strike when
there is no more money to be gained
except the wages you lose by going
out on strike."
The pay package—which is not
compounded—is a 15.6 percent
increase for the average state salary.
Overall, the salary increases range
from 19 percent for the lowest-paid
employes, in clu d in g clerks and
secretaries, to 14 percent for the
highest-paid employes.
Employes can figure their own per
centage increase by dividing the $55
by their own salary and then adding
the additional 11 percent increase
they will receive over the term of the
contract.
bargaining were (left to right) John Clapp, ODOT; Stephanie Hellinga, PUC;
Yvonne Stubbs, McLaren and Dick Myers, State Library.
In addition to this overall pay in
crease, selected salary increases
were won for many classes of
employes. Certain “ skilled trades” —
such as electricians, plumbers,
welders and carpenters—are the
largest classification of employes
listed. They will receive an additional
four percent in the second year of the
contract.
OPEU employes. The State will pay
$95.17 for each employe for first-year
health and dental coverage and
$107.83 for each employe for the
second year of the contract.
Compared to the State’s present
insurance payments for each em
ploye, the first-year contributions will
be a 59.6 percent increase and its
second-year contributions will be a
80.9 percent increase.
“We were successful in gaining
additional salary adjustments for
many classifications,” said Gallagher
in discussing the selective increases.
“ But the factfinder (William Dorsey)
ruled against us on part of the trades
and maintenance classifications and
on teachers, because of the very low
turnover in these positions.
“ However, in one of the major
social goals of this union—getting
more money for lower paid em
ployes—we were successful in
principle,” he added. “We’re only
sorry there wasn’t more money."
Maintaining fully-paid health and
dental benefits was a major gain for
The State tried unsuccessfully
during the course of negotiations to
take-back many provisions—espe
cially in job security and workers’
rights—which OPEU members had
won in previous contracts.
“ Obtaining a contract with no take-
backs is a major accomplishment for
state employes, because it (take-
backs) was one of the Executive
Department’s principle strategies,”
said OPEU’s chief negotiator Alice
Dale. “ Not only were we able to
prevent any significant take-backs,
we were able to make numerous
major gains in job security and
employe rights.”
OPEU’s and the State's biggest
area of contention in job security and
employe rights was over layoffs.
While the State was awarded the
elimination of statewide bumping by
factfinder Dorsey, OPEU negotiators
were able to win two significant
improvements in layoff rights for state
employes:
’ Seniority—Seniority will be the
only factor used in determining
service credits that define bump
ing order. This is a major gain,
since nearly all state employes
have limited bumping to their
geographic area.
* “ One Right Over Refusal"—State
employes will be offered at least
two jobs before their names are
removed from the layoff list.
Other important gains made in job
security and employe rights in the
new contract are in complete agree
ment and past practices, contracting
out, discipline and discharge, holi
days, leadwork differential, leave with
pay, no discrimination, reclassifica
tion upwards, salary administration
(perform ance appraisal system),
union rights and work out of class. (A
short explanation of each appears on
page 3.)
In the final analysis, the six-month
1981 bargaining process must be
measured against the political forces
that OPEU had to fight.
Bob Gourley, OSU (left) and Steve Teters, Health Division (right) negotiated
both at the central and coalition levels.
“ It was not only the governor that
we were bargaining against, but also
the political process,” said OPEU
G overnm ent R elations D ire c to r
Chuck Mendenhall. "Despite the
precarious fiscal posture of the State,
the two sacred cows—basic school
support and property tax relief—
basically remained untouched. In the
future, if we are to overcome these
political obstacles, we must increase
the political maturity and the political
strength of this organization.”
4P