There are generally 2 types of negotiations that can happen with an employer:
Interim bargaining means that something has changed during the life of the current contract. This can be related to a law change and/or a change in working conditions or the union becomes aware of a change in working conditions, but the full contract has not expired. Generally, interim agreements will roll into the next contract so long as there is no expiration date attached, both parties agree to do so or the law remains in effect that led to the agreement.
Examples of some of our most recent interim negotiations:
- Legislative Changes, such as Senate Bill 756, Just Cause and Paid Leave Oregon
- Changes in working conditions, for example, additional assignment of duties of a higher pay grade for an extended length of time and/or permanently, changing the environment of your work, increased workloads that are unreasonable, or a significant change in a well-established past practice.
- Doing work that is not clearly defined in our contract, or work that has less benefits than another employee group gets for doing the same exact work (Pay Equity). This can be evidenced by our recent Classified Coaching Assignment agreement.
Full Contract bargaining/negotiations (these terms are interchangeable) means the contract we currently use is expired or is about to expire. Our current contract expires on June 30, 2025. When contracts are renegotiated, the length of the contract is also determined through the bargaining process. We are currently undergoing full contract negotiations. When the contract is in effect, it MUST be adhered to by both parties and it is generally used as a guide to ensure there are fair processes applied evenly to all classified staff. OSEA and 4J are required to follow the contract and it should not become the center of arguments in the workplace. If this happens, please contact us immediately. chapter1@osea.org or teresa@osea.org
Things to keep in mind:
OSEA Members who have had at least 1 dues deduction can vote on a contract that is ready to be ratified by our members. Unions are formed to raise the standard for the collective “good” and it takes dues to ensure we can do this work on behalf of our members. While non-members can reap the benefits of union negotiations, it does seem unfair to our members who have invested to protect and build upon our collective efforts.
Non-union members can attend information meetings about contract ratification and bargaining sessions the same as members, but member priorities will be the focus of the bargaining team's goals.
PECBA requires certain rules to be followed and has legal responsibilities for the bargaining team to adhere to. More info here: https://www.osea.org/member-resources/your-union-rights/collective-barg…