EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY BOARDROOM, July 8, 2026 - Five months into bargaining and after the prior contract expired, Oregon public university management presented classified staff with another economic offer Wednesday.
The proposal includes no cost-of-living adjustments over four years and continues management proposals that would roll back layoff and contracting-out rights.
What changed in the offer
Management moved away from an outright step freeze. Its replacement proposal would restructure the step system so that it takes 19 years for a worker to move from step one to step ten.
That change would permanently alter a step system Oregon's public universities have honored for nearly half a century. For workers, the proposal would mean much slower wage growth over a career.
What has not changed
No COLAs
The latest offer provides no cost-of-living increases over four years.
Layoff protections
Management continues to propose rolling back negotiated layoff protections.
Contracting-out protections
Management continues to propose weakening protections for bargaining-unit work.
Why the economics matter
Many university administrators earn annual salaries well over $200,000. Many classified staff, including workers who clean campuses, maintain buildings, keep operations moving, protect safety, and serve students, earn less than $40,000 a year.
In the bargaining survey, more than half of responding workers said they worry about having enough money to make it to the next month. The latest offer does not address that pressure. It asks workers to absorb rising costs while accepting slower movement through the wage scale and fewer enforceable rights.
Next step for members
SEIU members are asking workers and supporters to email OSU President Jayathi Murthy a clear message: classified staff will not accept an offer built around no COLAs, a 19-year step path, and rollbacks to hard-won rights.