UO Student Workers is a union at the University of Oregon. The union and the university are actively negotiating the terms of an initial collective bargaining agreement.
The information provided below is intended to help student employees and resident assistants understand the current situation, know their rights, set expectations, and offer resources for support.
UOSW Union, Bargaining, and a Potential Strike
What is the UO Student Workers union?
UO Student Workers (UOSW) is a labor union that represents most hourly paid student employees and resident assistants working at the University of Oregon. A labor union is an organization made up of employees who come together to establish the rules and practices for their working conditions. The UO is required to work with UOSW representatives to negotiate employment rules and agree to terms for certain working conditions. The negotiation process is called collective bargaining, and the rules agreed to form a collective bargaining agreement or CBA that the union members, supervisors, and other leaders must follow.
Am I in the UOSW union?
Student employees are represented, or are “in the union,” if they are enrolled as a student at the UO or an accredited educational institution and are paid hourly for work they do on behalf of the UO, or they are resident assistants. The following arrangements are not considered part of the bargaining unit, and the student would not be “in the union:”
- Students who receive stipends either at the beginning or end of each month or once per term through their student billing account (“stipend workers”).
- Student employees in positions that last fewer than 30 days.
- Students contributing to research or administrative projects without receiving pay.
If you are unsure about your position, ask your supervisor or the Human Resources representative for your department.
What is a strike?
A labor strike is when workers intentionally withhold their labor - often because they are in a dispute with their employer related to collective bargaining. During a strike, workers often picket or protest by marching with signs outside their workplace to raise awareness and pressure the employer into an agreement.
What You Need To Know About a Strike
You can work.
Striking is a choice not a requirement.
- Participation in a strike is a personal choice made by each student employee individually.
- Those who work get paid. Those who don’t work do not get paid.
- Those who strike by not working can return to work at any time. If you choose to strike again by not working, you will not be allowed to return to work until the strike ends.
- You cannot use sick leave to cover shifts missed to strike.
- You can work assigned shifts and take part in picketing in protest.
- You cannot be disciplined at work for your involvement in a strike or associated protests. Oregon law protects against retaliation.
There will be protests.
Protesting during a labor strike is a freedom of expression and those involved should follow all policies and guidelines.
- You can expect to see picket lines, groups of striking workers carrying signs and chanting, outside buildings on campus.
- Picketing and protesting will occur near locations where lots of student employees work, such as dining halls and the EMU.
- Picket lines or other forms of protest cannot block entrances, exits, or public walkways.
- You may have to walk through or past picketing workers to get to class, to access university services, or to report to work for an assigned shift.
- Striking union members will expect others to strike as well and may use their influence and a variety of tactics to identify and pressure non-striking workers
Notice to Resident Assistants
If UOSW chooses to strike, student employees who lawfully exercise their right to strike will not receive compensation. This includes Resident Assistants who are no longer performing their duties or functions while on strike.
Resident assistants’ compensation is unique because it includes room and board in addition to stipend pay. If an RA withholds their labor during a strike, their compensation is uniquely impacted. An RA choosing to strike has the following options:
- Assume financial responsibility for appropriate charges for the room and meal plan accrued during the time they are on strike, consistent with the standard agreement process and terms and conditions available to all other residents; or
- Vacate their current room to live off campus or at another available location on campus, charged at the rate of that location. The process for vacating a room during a strike is similar to when an RA resigns or is let go from their position.
Resident Assistants who choose to strike and wish to return to their position should contact their supervisor.
The information and impact to RAs who choose to strike have been communicated to UOSW representatives.
Getting Support During a Strike
Student employees are students first. All university support services available to enrolled students remain available to student employees regardless of their involvement in a labor strike, such as University Counseling Services, Office of the Dean of Students, and the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance to name a few. Visit onestop.uoregon.edu for quick access to resources available to you.
Tips for non-striking workers
Encountering striking workers or protests while working may feel uncomfortable. In the event this occurs, please address the situation as you have been instructed to do in similar instances, such as an upset customer or disruption in the workplace.
- If you are unsure about how your supervisor wants you to respond to disruptions to your work or in the workplace, ask for instruction and guidance.
- Do your best to deescalate the situation. It is ok to excuse yourself and walk away.
- If you encounter an uncomfortable situation while working, ask for a break or ask for a momentary reassignment to other duties or placement in another available location.
- Seek out support or help from your supervisor when feeling overwhelmed or concerned as you would in any other workplace experience.
- While on-the-job, report concerns and disruptions to a supervisor or authority.
- During a strike, you can report any concern or disruption to the university through an online submission form (link available during a strike). A team will actively monitor submissions and respond accordingly.
We understand this situation may feel challenging.
Under Oregon’s Public Employers Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA), you have the right to decide whether or not to participate in strike activity without fear of retaliation. This includes protection from harassment, intimidation, or coercion. If you experience any issues or feel pressured, legal protections are in place to support you.
While the University cannot control interactions between the union and its members, we are here to help if you need guidance or resources to navigate the situation.
Tips for striking workers
The university respects your right to strike and expects you to abide by university's codes of conduct and established policies.
- Know and follow Freedom of Expression policies and guidelines.
- Be respectful. Remember that striking is a personal choice made by each individual worker.
- You will not be paid if you do not report to an assigned work shift and will be considered on strike. You may not be scheduled for work shifts until the strike ends or you choose to return to work.
- If you choose to participate in the strike initially by withholding your labor, then decide to return to work during the strike, you may do so. However, if you choose to return to striking after you have returned to work, you may not return to work again and will not be scheduled to work again until the strike ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: The following frequently asked questions (FAQs) are informational only and represent questions typically received by the university during a period of labor dispute, as well as the university’s anticipated position regarding those questions. The university reserves the right to change its approach or position with respect to any of the following. A few frequently asked questions are provided below to address key topics.
Please refer to the complete FAQ for more information.
Do I have to strike?
No. Participation in a strike is a personal choice made by each student employee individually. Each UOSW represented employee decides on their own whether to participate in a strike by withholding their labor or to continue to fulfill their work obligations.
Will I get paid if I strike?
No. Student employees who lawfully exercise their legal right to strike will not be paid.
Can a student employee alternate between going on and off strike?
Not repeatedly. If a student employee who went on strike by withholding their labor wishes to return to work during the strike, they may do so. However, if a student employee resumes striking after they return to work, they may not return to work again and should not be scheduled to work again during the period of a strike.
Do I have to notify my supervisor that I plan to go on strike?
Participation in a strike is a personal decision, and you are under no obligation to share your intention to strike or not to strike with your supervisor. Should you choose to participate in a strike, it is understood that you may be unavailable to your supervisor and unwilling to engage in work-related activities during the strike period. However, you should perform the duties and responsibilities of your job and be responsive to your supervisor’s questions and instructions until the strike begins. Please know that under Oregon law, there can be no retaliation or penalty for student employees who choose to participate in a legal strike, and you elect to participate in the strike by withholding your labor.
What does it mean to be represented by a union?
To be represented by a union means that the union speaks and acts on your behalf, especially when dealing with your employer about important job-related matters, such as pay, training, and discipline. For example, instead of each worker negotiating their own pay or resolving problems alone, the union negotiates for everyone in the group (called a bargaining unit).