Why We Organize

How RWU has improved working as a researcher at OHSU:

 

Before Organizing

After Bargaining

Wages

  • Annual raise determined by employer with no input from employees or managers beyond GROW process.
  • No guaranteed raise

 

  • Across the board increases:
    • Year 1: 5.5% to 4% Progressive ATB or $1.25/hour, whichever is higher. Minimum wage of $23.18/hour
      • Effective 2nd pay period after ratification
    • Year 2: 3.25% ATB or $1/hour, whichever is higher, minimum wage of $23.84/hour
      • Effective October 1, 2026
    • Year 3: 3% ATB or $1/hour, whichever is higher, minimum wage of $24.09/hour
      • Effective October 1, 2027
  • 5% Differential Pay for bilingual researchers 

Insurance

  • 88% coverage for dependents on all plans, except high deductible plan, which has >97% coverage for dependents.
  • Domestic partners not guaranteed to be covered - OHSU tried to take this away last year
  • Limited tier 1 options for employees outside of the Portland metro area. 
  • 100% coverage for dependents on EPO plan
  • Domestic partners guaranteed to be covered
  • Making improvements to existing Aetna national health plan to address access and administrative burdens for remote workers
    • National plan with Tier 1 options by Jan 1, 2027
    • By June 1, 2026, OHSU will convert 100 clinics in Oregon outside of Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties and a hospital in Lane County to Tier 1 under the PPO plan.
  • Mandatory coverages:
    • Pregnancy ending care and
    • Gender-affirming care, treatment, and procedures.
  • Addition of open enrollment period to allow change to EPO plan (after ratification).

 

 

Job Security

  • Annual contracts – any researcher could be terminated on June 30th for any reason
  • Not automatically eligible for unemployment insurance
  • No preferential re-hiring of laid off researchers
  • We are permanent employees – no more annual contracts!
  • 60 day notice of layoff required.
  • Eligible for unemployment insurance if laid off
  • Preferential hiring list to ensure laid off researchers get first shot at eligible position

Reclassification

 

  • Only manager can initiate reclassification
  • No guaranteed raise
  • Splitting reclassifications into:
    • Promotions - prospective change upward through series
      • Employee or Manager can submit request
      • 4% minimum raise
      • Temporary work out of class pay (4% above current salary)
    • Reclassifications - any other change of classification, employee or manager submits requests. If reclassification to a higher job grade, 3% minimum raise, if reclassification is upward in series, 4% minimum raise.

Paid Time Off

  • Cash out 80 hours PTO at 50% when leaving OHSU
  • Access EIB after 40 hours PTS
  • 5 days UNPAID bereavement leave
  • Cash out 40 hours of PTO at 100% salary when leaving OHSU
  • Reinstatement of accruals (PTO/EIB) after separation from employment
  • Access EIB after 24 hours of PTS
  • 3 days PAID bereavement leave per year

Hours of Work

 

  • No premium pay
  • Premium pay for non-exempt employees when working on designated holiday and when called back to the worksite with short notice. 

International Affairs

  • Variable by department   
  • Employer has to pay for visa costs and if there are any changes in policy that increase the costs for employees, they would have to bargain with us.

Hardship Fund

 

  • No hardship fund
  • $50K each year to help members facing food, housing, or childcare insecurity

Retirement

  • Hired pre-July 1, 2017: 12%
  • Hired post-July 1, 2017: 6% employer, up to 6% match
  • Ensures status quo levels of benefits, including for employees hired before July 1, 2017.
  • Adds pre-retirement counseling 

Career Development

  • No universal career development policy. Left to departments/ institutes. Inequitable across OHSU
  • 16 hours of dedicated career development time each year
  • Counseling on how to progress in your classification series
  • Paid time for licensure and certification at discretion of department (ensuring that members who currently have access to this will continue to have access)
  • Time spent at PI approved educational or training function is paid time, without using the career development hours

Discipline

  • OHSU HR issues final decisions in disputes, without policies specific to researchers
  • Clear procedures for addressing violations of our union contract, once ratified
  • RWU members have right to union representation at all stages of grievance procedure
  • Right to appeal to neutral 3rd party arbitrator as final decision maker

Health & Safety

  • OHSU unilaterally set and enforced health and safety standards.
  • Protections for working with dangerous materials
  • Protections for researchers who refuse to perform unsafe work
  • No employee will be asked to pay out of pocket costs for exposure to serious communicable disease

Who can be in the Union?

  • Not all Research Workers were included as bargaining unit members when the union was certified in May 2024
  • Staff Scientists, Research Project Managers are in our union!
  • No “supervisors” have been excluded from union so far

Non-

Discrimination

  • Existing reporting systems are understaffed, tilted in favor of managers. 
  • Non-discrimination article ensures that a researcher can file a grievance through the union in addition to existing avenues at OHSU if they experience discrimination, harassment or bullying.