UO student workers strike for fair pay, safe working conditions

At 5 AM on Monday, April 28, student workers at the University of Oregon went on strike. This was after 11 months of bargaining with the university. While the union has made some wins through tentative agreements they say there is still a gap between the two sides in such issues as a reasonable wage, and protections against harassment and discrimination. Workers will mantain picket lines across campus and continue to strike until they are able to reach a fair contract

This is the first strike to take place on campus since 2014, when GTFF workers went on strike. Over the last several years SEIU, UA, and GTFF again went down to the wire in negotiations, but ultimately were able to land a deal with the university before their planned strike date.

Monday morning student workers informed other unions in the area about their strike as several have agreements to not cross the picket line. For instance they were able to turn away a UPS delivery truck after notifying the driver. When trades workers taking part in new construction at the Knight Science Campus were informed by UOSW that they were setting up picket lines, many of them went home. However according to some people that visited the work site later that day, not all of them left. In part, some were given bad information by their union and belived it was just a protest and not a labor strike.

Campus unions such as SEIU and UA have been letting their members know about their rights in showing solidarity. While the workers in sibling bargaining units cannot hold sympathy strikes, the unions encourage their fellow workers to participate in picket lines during their off the clock hours. Additionally SEIU, whose members’ work overlaps with UOSW in many places, says “We must continue to do our work during the strike, but we should NOT be picking up the work of others.”

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Strikes are meant to be disruptive. They are a demonstration of worker power. By striking, UOSW are using one of the few tools available to them to demand a fair contract. The Administration should diligently focus on coming to terms with the UOSW on settling their first contract,” SaysSEIU 503 sub-local 085 President Jennifer Smith.

Eight o’clock in the morning, UOSW kicked things up a notch holding a larger picket line in front of Johnson Hall, where many of the university’s adminstrators have their offices. Around a 100 people joined in the kickoff, and many more joined throughout the day. The union says that in total on the first day around 1000 workers signed in to join the picket line.

“It’s crazy that we’re being forced to strike for such simple things as protection against sexual harassment, being able to make a modestly-decent living, and having the UO obey the law,” said dining worker Sophia Jones. “We came here thrilled to be at the UO, and trusting in the University leadership. I’m so disappointed – I can’t believe they would treat their own students this way.”

Through their organizing union workers were able get the EMU, Student Rec Center, and Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art to close early. Many more places on campus were disrupted from understaffing due to the strike.

Community members can support strikers by physically showing up on the picket line, which is operating from the early morning until night time. Additionally those wishing to contribute financially can donate to the union’s online fundraiser that will supplement the strike pay they receive from their parent union UAW.