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SOU staff may strike over wages, insurance By DAMIAN MANN ASHLAND - Almost one-third of Southern Oregon University staff could strike by the start of the school year if a compromise cannot be reached over wages and insurance. The walkout, which could take effect before students return on Sept. 24, could involve 185 to 190 classified personnel who belong to the Service Employees International Union, Local 503. These workers, part of a union that represents personnel at universities throughout Oregon, do everything from campus maintenance to helping students get financial aid. SOU officials have just begun planning for a possible strike that would force management to assume some of the duties of classified personnel. Union officials predict the impact could be severe, resulting in disruption of services to students, and a refusal by Teamsters union employees, such as UPS workers, to cross picket lines. Another mediated bargaining session will be held Monday in Portland in an effort to break the impasse. Union officials have asked for 3.23 percent salary increases in each of the next two years to compensate for cost-of-living increases, and they want full payment of health care premiums. State officials say they can only afford 2 percent increases and also want union members to shoulder some of the costs of health care. Another wing of the same union, which represents 18,000 state employees, ratified a new contract with the state earlier this week. As university officials prepare a plan to deal with a strike, union workers are ready to picket. "Many of our people are ready to walk the line right now," said Jim Brobisky, president of the local union chapter and bargaining delegate. He said that over the years the university has cut back on classified employees, making the campus top-heavy with management, which he says consumes 51 percent of the payroll. At SOU, Brobisky said there are 210 classified workers who are part of the union, 212 management and 200 faculty. "It is shocking so much of the budget of this campus goes to administration," said Brobisky. If there is a strike, he predicts that about 90 percent of the classified workers would take part in the walkout. He is skeptical of claims that management staff can assume the duties of up to 190 workers. "Administrators aren't the people out on the front line doing the work," he said. Ron Bolstad, SOU vice president for administration and finance, said the university will not shut down. "But we're not going to be as effective," he said. "Our goal is to maintain essential services to the student population as well as faculty and staff." In some cases, where health or safety is an issue, the school would contract out for services such as plumbing or electrical. Since contracting out has become an issue with union representatives, Bolstad said the university would be judicious in seeking this kind of help. At this point, the university has only done some preliminary preparations for a strike, but will be develop specific plans in the weeks ahead. As an example, he said, "I have a staff of four. We will try to determine how many of us will work here and how many can we free up to work elsewhere." Bolstad said the decision to offer the union less than they want is an effort to control costs rather than a reflection on the worth of the work done by the classified staff. It is the goal of university officials, he said, to bring classified workers salaries more in line with prevailing wages in Oregon. As to the charge that the university is management top-heavy, Bolstad said he hasn't seen any comparison with other universities to support that claim. Registration should only be mildly impacted by the walkout, said Bolstad, because much of the registration process has been computerized. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.