Your PSU-AAUP team was bargaining for a full day on Valentine’s Day. We have great news to share!
We reached a conceptual agreement on longevity salary increases for academic professionals!
These salary increases would be awarded every three years, upon an AP receiving a satisfactory review in their annual review. The details of the process for longevity increases, and the specific language in our Collective Bargaining Agreement, are now going to be worked out.
The conversation is underway on a PSU system of paid family/caregiver leave.
The State of Oregon passed legislation requiring paid family leave, which is to be implemented by 2023. This legislation establishes minimum standards that have to be met by all paid family leave programs. PSU-AAUP is aiming for a PSU program that exceeds the state minimum standards. Here are the basic elements of our proposal:
- Implement before 2023, as soon as our new collective bargaining agreement is in place, including:
- Expand the definition of family to match the more inclusive definition in the new Oregon legislation.
- Allow caring for victims of domestic violence as a qualifying situation.
- Up to 24 weeks of protected leave:
- 12 weeks with full salary
- 12 additional weeks drawing on PTO or the sick leave bank
- Up to two weeks of protected paid bereavement leave.
- Job protection for colleagues who need to take extended leave for catastrophic illness.
Behind the PSU-AAUP bargaining team, in full view of the management team, we had a wall-sized photo gallery of faculty and academic professionals with their dear ones — children, parents, siblings, relatives — the people that we occasionally have to take a leave in order to care for. This wall stood as a poignant reminder that family and caregiver leave is a fundamental human issue. During bargaining breaks, members of the management team, and guests, walked up to the photo gallery and read the wrenching stories behind your experiences as caregivers fending without an adequate leaves program.
Our next day or bargaining is Friday, February 28, in RMNC 541. On that day our primary bargaining items will be:
- Paid family/caregiver leave (continuation)
- Longevity increases for Academic Professionals (review details)
- Post-continuous appointment reviews for Non-Tenure Track Faculty