OSU graduate workers and administration reach tentative deal, could go back to class Monday

By TIFFANY CAMHI/Oregon Public Broadcasting

Hundreds of graduate student workers at Oregon State University are set to go back to work on Monday, just in time for the blitz of exams, closing projects and grading associated with finals week.

At a mediation session Friday, university administration and OSU’s Coalition of Graduate Employees agreed on a tentative contract deal and terms for union members to return to work next week.

CGE represents more than 1,700 graduate student workers at Oregon State. Hundreds of its members have been on strike since Nov. 12.

“The feeling in the room right now is that we’ve won something big here,” said union president Austin Bosgraaf. “The university came at us with a really aggressive plan to weaken our power and to pay us very little over a longer contract.”

Wages were among the main sticking points between the two parties throughout bargaining.

CGE’s lowest-paid workers have the most to gain from the tentative agreement. The proposed contract will raise the salary minimum floor for graduate workers a cumulative 16.4% over a three-year contract.

CGE also sought a 45% raise to salary minimums when the strike began, arguing their paychecks have not kept up with the increased cost of housing, food and transportation in Corvallis, as well as rising inflation. Union leadership said some of its members have been forced to take on extra jobs and max-out credit cards to make ends meet.

Oregon State administration did not return requests for comment.

The proposed deal comes after mounting pressure on OSU administration to bargain fairly from teaching faculty and undergraduate students. Some students in departments that lean heavily on graduate teaching assistants have said there’s been learning loss during the strike. And faculty described having quadrupled workloads that they can barely keep up with.

The union ramped up its actions this week in an attempt to move university administration closer to its demands. On Thursday, the union rallied at a winter celebration event attended by Oregon State President Jayathi Murthy at the Corvallis campus. The union also staged a sit-in at an administration building that houses the president’s office on Friday.

The graduate workers union has been negotiating a new contract with university administration for over a year. The union’s previous contract ended over the summer, on June 30. CGE members have accused OSU of slowing down the bargaining process and not negotiating in good faith.

Union vice president of bargaining Brandi Whiteman said negotiations with the university have been a long process.

“I’m definitely glad that it’s coming to a close,” said Whiteman. “Our union has grown a lot, showed up for the bargaining team and backed us at every step. I’m really thankful for all of that.”

Union members, Oregon State undergraduate students and faculty have expressed frustration with the administration’s reluctance to increase worker wages as the university’s growing enrollment continues to bring in more tuition dollars. In October, OSU’s Board of Trustees voted to increase Murthy’s salary by 4%, bringing her total annual salary to nearly $780,000.

OSU’s faculty union, United Academics of Oregon State University, recently conducted a financial analysis of the university. According to UAOSU President Joseph Orozco, the study shows the university is in good financial standing and can afford to invest more in faculty and graduate workers. UAOSU is currently in contract negotiations with OSU.

CGE members have until 11:59 p.m. Monday to vote on the tentative agreement. If the vote does not pass, CGE could call on its members to strike again later in the week.