UO student workers ratify contract, continue fight to drop RA charges

UOSW announced Friday, May 15 that over 95% voted yes to approve their first collective bargaining agreement with the university. The union’s bargaining team won the tentative agreement after 10 days on strike and over 11 months of bargaining. UO student workers began organizing three years ago.

Student workers at the University of Oregon became the first wall-to-wall union to win a contract at a public university. Just over a year ago, student workers at the small private college of Grinnell became the first to organize a campus wide undergratuate union. While other public undergrad workers have unionized, such as at Cal State, they have yet to gain a contract.

The union says that resident assistants are still facing retaliatory charges for striking. The university shifted back the charges to after fall registration and prorated the fees for just the days that the workers were on strike. Previously the university was blocking RAs from registering for classes until the fees were paid.

The university has let up on the timing and size of the charges, but the union still notes that these charges are unprecedented. The UO does not charge prorated rent for other absences of work for RAs. Additionally the union has filed a unfair labor practice charge with the state noting that these sorts of punitive practices are illegal.

On the Friday the union announced contract ratification, a small group of student workers rallied in front of the University Housing office to protest these charges.

“I love this job, but I was also really ashamed of my bosses and of housing administration for their naked attempt at intimidation of RAs.” Resident Assistant Diego Duarte said, “I was in one of the majority participation residence halls and yet it took immense bravery from all of my fellow RAs who did end up going out on strike.”