On or about February 16, 2016 PSU-AAUP was contacted by the leadership of RAPS (Retirement Association of Portland State) with grave concern about a letter sent to all emeriti parking permit holders in June 2016 threatening the emeriti parking benefit.
On April 17, 2017 PSU-AAUP was copied on an email from the AVP Facilities to Faculty Senate President Brad Hansen that stated the following:
It is correct that we are considering decreasing or eliminating the Emeriti parking benefit, however, a decision has not been made. A primary reason for this consideration is that we don't think student drivers should cover this expense, which is who will continue to cover the expense if the permits are provided by Transportation and Parking Services. Also, by providing free parking and no transit or bike passes or discounts, it is also counter to the university's goals to decrease the number of individuals who drive to campus and increase the number who take other modes of transportation.
This benefit is not included in the PSU-AAUP/PSU contract and would not be subject to bargaining. We do plan on doing more outreach before coming to any conclusions.
On April 18, 2017 PSU-AAUP brought the matter to the Labor Management Committee where PSU-AAUP declared that the emeriti parking benefit was protected as a past practice by the AAUP contract and/or was a mandatory subject of bargaining and if the matter was changed unilaterally we would file a grievance pursuant to Division A of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. We also protested that an administrator outside of the Labor Management relationship should not be interpreting the contract, especially when that interpretation was incorrect. We also asked Transportation and Parking to provide the emeriti report.
On April 27 we received the emeriti parking report in the form of an email from the Director of Transportation and Parking.The report claimed there had been abuse of the emeriti parking benefit, as well as loss of revenue in the amount of $54,000 per year. Neither claim was substantiated by sufficient evidence to warrant those assertions.
At the Labor Managment Committee meeting on May 3 administration advised their understanding that it was "likely bargainable." We also disputed the assertions in the report and stated that if the report was going to be used to justify the elimination of the emeriti parking benefit, then administration would have to show clear and convincing evidence of both of abuse and the loss of revenue.
At the Labor Management Committee meeting on May 18 administration advised that admin would not seek to change the benefit for AY 17-18, that the administrators involved had been made aware the issue fell within the realm of the collective bargaining agreement and was not subject to change via administrative caveat, and that if any change was sought in the future it would be brought as required to PSU-AAUP.