Our bargaining team met with management recently, and they brought forward a proposal that strikes at the core of how we support one another: they want to eliminate our Hardship Leave benefit entirely.
Management claims that the program is "inequitable" and resembles a "popularity contest." They are telling our bargaining team that because members now have access to FMLA and Paid Leave Oregon, Hardship Leave is no longer necessary.
Our union strongly disagrees, and we are fighting to keep this vital benefit exactly as it is.
Why We Must Protect Hardship Leave
Hardship Leave is a member-to-member safety net we fought hard to win in our contract. It allows us to donate our earned vacation and comp time to coworkers experiencing devastating, temporary medical conditions.
Here is why management’s arguments fall flat:
- It Costs the University Nothing: Hardship leave is a voluntary gift between members. Management is simply trying to remove their own administrative overhead at the expense of our solidarity.
- It Is Not a Popularity Contest: Under Article 36 of our contract, if a member receives more donated time than they need, the extra hours go into a university-wide Hardship Leave Pool. This pool ensures that any eligible member in crisis has a safety net to fall back on, regardless of what department they work in.
- Other Leaves Are Not Enough: FMLA provides job protection, but it is unpaid. Paid Leave Oregon is a fantastic program we fought for, but it has specific formulas and may not cover 100% of an employee's wages. During a severe medical crisis, our members deserve every safety net available to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.
We cannot let management claim "equity" as an excuse to strip away a benefit that disproportionately protects our most vulnerable members.
What We Are Asking Members To Do
We won this benefit because members stood together in the past, and we will keep it because members are showing up today. Our bargaining team needs management to see our strength across campus.
These are the actions we expect to keep in the final published version once review is complete:
- Wear Purple: Wear your SEIU 503 purple every Tuesday. Let management see that we are united and paying attention.
- Talk to Your Coworkers: Share this update in the breakroom. Make sure your colleagues know what management is proposing and why it matters. Read more about your current rights on our Hardship Leave Resource Page.
- Show Up: Join our next campus action. Visit our Events Calendar to find out when our union is gathering next to support the bargaining team.
Review checklist before publication
- Confirm the public release date and update all page metadata to match it.
- Decide whether to keep or remove the in-review notice and planned-publication language.
- Confirm the member action links and next event callout reflect the current campaign plan.
When we stand together, we win. Let’s make sure management hears us loud and clear: hands off our Hardship Leave!