PORTLAND, Ore. – There’s good news out of Oregon for a group of AFSCME members who work at the state’s only public medical university, and it’s a great example of the difference a union makes.
Some 250 postdoctoral researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) called off their strike, scheduled for Aug. 15, after finally receiving a proposed contract from administrators that they believe is worth considering.
They were on the verge of walking off the job when OHSU administration came up with the contract offer. The postdocs will vote to ratify the tentative agreement (TA) this week.
According to this article by Oregon AFSCME (Council 75), which represents the OHSU postdocs, the TA includes:
- A salary schedule above the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) current salary table, including a commitment to increase pay by 6% after ratification, and annual increases of 3.5% in years two, three and four.
- A $2,000 one-time lump-sum payment if the postdocs ratify the TA before Aug. 31, 2024.
- Additional supports for postdocs with international visas, including reimbursement for initial and renewal visa fees, and up to 10 days of additional paid leave to eligible international postdocs to assist with renewals in their home countries.
- More accessibility and visibility to benefits and resources for postdocs such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) trainings, income verification forms, leave/accommodation, relocation reimbursement, and support for the use of NIH Family Friendly Initiatives.
- Increased access to paid time off.
- Commitment to creating a joint labor-management committee.
“This is a huge accomplishment, and we appreciate the dedication and collaboration of both bargaining teams for their time spent reaching this agreement and their support of our valued people,” Oregon AFSCME and OHSU said in a joint statement.
OHSU postdocs — who stood strong through their union, OHSU Postdoc Workers United — were so frustrated by management’s resistance to offering a fair contract that they gave the university the necessary 10-day strike notice on Aug. 5.
The postdocs voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if OHSU executives continued to offer scrimpy wages and benefits. That move came after nine months of OHSU refusing to offer a contract with fair wages, benefits and improved working conditions.
AFSCME President Lee Saunders joined the postdocs for a rally on the OHSU campus earlier this year, putting the power of the Green Machine behind the postdocs’ struggle to secure a fair contract.
Read our prior coverage here and here.