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Oregon Higher Education Workers Settle New Contract

Rachael McDonald
/
KLCC

Oregon public university workers reached a tentative agreement early Saturday morning with university administrators on a new contract that covers wages, benefits, and other workplace policies.

The agreement follows months of negotiations and worker actions, including a strike authorization, in pursuit of a new contract.

Melissa Unger, Executive Director of SEIU Local 503 said in a press release, “this is a win for the 4,500 workers who dedicate their lives to Oregon universities.”

The new contract includes The largest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)  in more than a decade, 3% retroactive to July 1, 2019 pending ratification and another 2.1% starting July 1, 2020. There was No change in healthcare costs for workers, which the union views as a significant improvement from the 10% increase originally proposed. The agreement also includes A 48-hour leave bank for workers over the 2-year contract to be used if campuses are shut down because of inclement weather.

Love Cross joined KLCC in 2017. She began her public radio career as a graduate student, serving as Morning Edition Host for Boise State Public Radio in the late 1990s. She earned her undergraduate degree in Rhetoric and Communication from University of California at Davis, and her Master’s Degree from Boise State University. In addition to her work in public radio, Love teaches college-level courses in Communication and Public Speaking.