Hi all,

This is James from your RWU Member Action Team. The RWU bargaining team had another productive session on Thursday. Additionally, the team worked out a new system with management in order to jointly share copies of all "in-progress" articles with "team rationale" blurbs written into each PDF to explain what was proposed at the table. We hope that this will add another layer of transparency and information to these bargaining updates moving forward!

You can see copies of all in-progress articles from the last bargaining session here.

Counters:

• Grievances and Arbitration - RWU added back our language to the article regarding discrimination and harassment and allowing up to 1 year to file a grievance in those cases.
• Corrective Action - RWU included language around non-investigatory meetings/discussions and requirement for employer to notify the employee of their right to request union representation.
• Retirement - RWU introduced a fast-tracked contribution to the full amount from OHSU based on years of service, maxing out at 10 years. The article included a carve out for Researchers receiving retirement benefits prior to 2017. Added a section to allow a Leave of Absence for pre-retirement counseling per 328 contract language.
• Modified Operations - OHSU removed RWU's inclusion to use EIB during Modified Operations, due to the calculated cost to implement. Additionally, they specified differences between non-exempt and exempt employees in regard to delayed openings/closures and when to use accrued time off, and some minor clarifying edits based on other contracts.
• PI Eligibility - OHSU also declined the RWU proposal for Researchers to be able to apply for grants, based on the conflicts it has with the faculty series of classifications. There was some further back and forth because of this, as RWU proposed this so that researchers such as Core Scientists could seek smaller grants (equipment, etc.) but did not have to become PIs in order to do so. Management were receptive to some revision and specificity in a counter.

Tentative Agreements:

• The RWU Bargaining Team reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) on the "Employment Trio" (featuring Layoff & Loss of Funding, Appointments & Probationary Periods) articles after some counters proposed today, you can view that here alongside all of the other TA'd articles here.

The next bargaining session is a bit longer away and will be on Thursday, April 17th from 1-5pm. You can join remotely by Webex at the link below:

Bargaining Session Observation Link:
https://ohsu.webex.com/ohsu/j.php?MTID=ma1a89de4c1b53e3209ae8aaeb8218598

Meeting Number:
2867 749 7423

Meeting Password:
G5Tm3D2ZmgQ

Join from a video or application:
Dial [email protected]

You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.Join by phone:
+1-503-388-9555

Toll Access code: 28677497423

Global call-in numbers:
https://ohsu.webex.com/ohsu/globalcallin.php?MTID=mde484d4fd69e728b416856acd57b247e

Your RWU Bargaining Team,

Henry Harrison

Lynne Swarbrick

Victoria Halls

Lillian Raley

Wes Horton

Cort Cox

Anna Levy

Caitlin Burbank