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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2019)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian A2 Saturday, September 21, 2019 EOU, student services workers prepare for strike By DICK MASON EO Media Group LA GRANDE — The specter of a strike by the clas- sified staff at Oregon’s seven public universities, including Eastern Oregon University, is looming larger. The employees voted late Tuesday to authorize a strike if their union, SEIU 503, and the state’s public universities can’t reach an agreement on a new contract by next Mon- day, according to The Asso- ciated Press. Classified staff are student services employees, such as custodians, carpenters, plumbers, office specialists, information technology spe- cialists and heating, air con- ditioning and ventilation sys- tem specialists. These employees of the state’s seven public universi- ties would officially start the strike Sept. 30, according to an announcement from SEIU 503, which represents 4,500 public university employees, among them about 130 who work at EOU. Jo Hickerson, president of EOU’s SEIU 503 chapter, was optimistic earlier this summer that a strike could be averted and remains so now. “I’m still hopeful that a settlement can be reached before there is a strike,” Hick- erson said Wednesday. EO Media Group Photo/Dick Mason As thousands of classified employees at Oregon’s public universities, including La Grande’s Eastern Oregon University, prepare to strike, college administrators are making contingency plans in case a strike happens at the same time classes start. She said university work- ers would prefer not to strike. “It is not something we want to do. It is something we have to do (if an offer they feel is not fair is put on the table),” Hickerson said. “We feel we have no choice.” Hickerson said the big- gest issue in the bargain- ing concerns cost-of-liv- ing wage increases. She said what the state is offer- ing would be less than the expected inflation rate. “Anything less than (a raise of) 3% is taking away the buying power of employ- ees,” Hickerson said. A Sept. 23 bargaining ses- sion, set to take place at Port- land State University, may the last one prior to a strike, but Hickerson said the SEIU bargaining team is willing to participate in future bargain- ing sessions. “We are not walking away from the table,” she said. “We will meet on any date if there is a conversation to be had.” Tim Seydel, Eastern’s vice president for university advancement, said EOU offi- cials are hoping for the best but also preparing for a strike. He said that should there be a strike, EOU will continue holding classes and provid- ing all of the same services it does now for students, keep- ing its offices open and hold- ing all scheduled on-campus events. He said EOU wants the best for its classified staff, whom he describes as “very valued employees.” According to an SEIU news release, 95% of the state’s 4,500 student services workers at public universi- ties voted to strike Sept. 30 if a settlement is not reached. Hickerson said that at EOU, where fall term classes begin Sept. 25, at least 90% of the university’s student services employees voted for the strike date. Should there be a strike, workers will be assisted by a union hardship fund that would provide employees with up to $400 a week, said Jay Parasco, a spokesman for SEIU 503. EOU President Tom Insko, in an email sent to all Eastern employees Wednes- day afternoon, said he has a feeling of optimism. “As we open the new aca- demic year, and despite ongo- ing conversations around a possible strike, we continue to be optimistic an agreement that supports EOU employees and students can be reached. Our classified employees are an integral part of the univer- sity and their contributions toward our shared success are valued and appreciated,’’ Insko said. He noted that the state’s universities have boosted their offer to student services BRIEFLY Forecast for Pendleton Area TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Man suspected of theft critically hurt outside Home Depot Partly sunny; pleasant A touch of afternoon rain Sun and some clouds Some sun; breezy in the p.m. A blend of sun and clouds 76° 48° 73° 51° PORTLAND — Police say a Home Depot customer and a man suspected of theft near a Northeast Portland store got into an altercation that left the suspect critically injured. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported a security guard was on a bike trail con- fronting a suspect Thursday when a com- munity member got into a confronta- tion with the suspect and “weapons were produced.” Police say the suspect’s injuries are believed to be from gunshots. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police said the community member, a man, was cooperating with investigators. Around 3:15 p.m. he was still at the scene, and appeared to have minor injuries. Police haven’t said who fired a weapon. An investigation is ongoing. PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 72° 52° 70° 47° 75° 46° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 80° 51° 76° 53° 76° 56° 74° 50° 79° 50° OREGON FORECAST ALMANAC Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Seattle Olympia 67/58 70/49 77/48 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 76/56 Lewiston 70/56 79/53 Astoria 68/55 Pullman Yakima 77/50 69/54 76/51 Portland Hermiston 72/58 The Dalles 80/51 Salem Corvallis 73/54 Yesterday Normals Records La Grande 72/46 PRECIPITATION John Day Eugene Bend 75/55 72/48 71/47 Ontario 73/44 Caldwell Burns 72° 57° 77° 47° 93° (1967) 30° (1983) 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Albany 74/55 0.04" 0.15" 0.26" 4.76" 5.15" 6.38" Today Boardman Pendleton Medford 78/55 Family of woman killed dashing across road settles for $305K WINDS (in mph) 70/45 67/35 0.03" 1.06" 0.32" 10.80" 6.52" 8.70" through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Pendleton 68/42 74/56 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date HERMISTON Enterprise 76/48 77/54 66° 53° 76° 48° 92° (1917) 31° (1912) PRECIPITATION Moses Lake 70/54 Aberdeen 69/48 75/53 Tacoma Yesterday Normals Records Spokane Wenatchee 70/58 workers in recent bargaining sessions. “This new proposal is intended to recognize the meaningful value our clas- sified staff contribute to this institution,” Insko said. The public universities are offering cost-of-living increases that would total 4% over two years, plus incre- mental wage step increases that total 9.5% over two years, said Di Saunders, a spokesperson for the public universities. She explained that increases are provided to classified employees each year for satisfactory or better job performance. More than 70% of the university’s clas- sified staff qualify for annual step increases. These are employees who are not at the top of their wage scale, which takes 10 years to reach. Saunders said those who have “topped out” and no longer qualify for step increases have been offered a one-time $750 bonus by the state under proposed terms of the contract. According to the SEIU news release, the union is seeking a 6.25% cost-of-liv- ing increase spread over two years and a modified wage scale. The union is asking for the lowest step of the wage scale to be removed and a new top step added. Sun. WSW 6-12 WSW 4-8 PORTLAND — The family of a 31-year-old woman who died after she tried to run across U.S. 26 at night has agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit in exchange for $305,000 from the two drivers who struck her. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the family of Savannah Munden was scheduled to go to trial this week against the first driver, who was drunk when he hit Munden on an on-ramp near down- town Portland. Police say Brent McCune had a blood alcohol level of 0.22% over two hours after his car struck Munden Aug. 8, 2016. The legal limit for driving is 0.08%. McCune was sentenced to 30 days in jail for driving under the influence of intoxicants and hit-and-run driving. He wasn’t prosecuted for causing Mun- den’s death because prosecutors couldn’t determine whether a sober driver would have been able to avoid hitting Munden. It also was unclear if McCune or the sec- ond driver caused her death. The second driver, Salvador Santillan Gomez, stopped, stayed at the scene and wasn’t charged with any crimes. McCune and his insurance com- pany agreed to pay $255,000. Although Gomez wasn’t listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, Gomez’s insurer agreed to pay $50,000. — Associated Press WSW 6-12 W 6-12 SUN AND MOON Klamath Falls 69/41 Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2019 Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today Last 6:40 a.m. 6:55 p.m. 11:16 p.m. 2:10 p.m. New First Full NATIONAL EXTREMES Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 102° in Cotulla, Texas Low 19° in Bodie State Park, Calif. Sep 21 Sep 28 Oct 5 Oct 13 We Hear You! You deserve total audiological care. Professional. Experienced. Local. NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Renata Anderson, MA Pam Wagenaar, Administrative Assistant 2237 SW Court, Pendleton 541-276-5053 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. -10s -0s 0s showers t-storms 10s rain 20s flurries 30s snow 40s 50s ice 60s cold front E AST O REGONIAN — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 211 S.E. 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