Updated
The strike was called off September 28.
Report to work as scheduled. Our tentative agreement is now before members for ratification.
The September 2026 guidance below is retained as history. It is not a current instruction to picket or apply for strike benefits.
Oregon strike-rights resource · September 2026 reference
Know your rights. Ask a steward.
Oregon law provides a path to a lawful public employee strike. The strike notice and timeline below describe the September campaign, which ended with the strike called off. Bring individual concerns to a steward. [1]
Sources checked: September 19, 2026.
We have moved beyond the pledge stage.
- Strike authorization reported Sept. 17. SEIU Local 503 reported that 97 percent of votes supported authorizing a strike. Authorization gives our bargaining team authority to call a strike; members still need the announced start and instructions. [2]
- Strike notice delivered Sept. 18. Our local reports delivery to OSU leadership of a notice identifying Sept. 28 at 6 a.m. as the intended start. [1]
- Bargaining continues. The notice affirms our commitment to bargaining Sept. 24 in hopes of reaching an agreement that averts a strike. Follow our bargaining team’s updates for any change. [1]
What makes a public employee strike lawful?
The Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA) governs this process. For ordinary successor-contract bargaining, the Oregon Employment Relations Board describes these steps: [3]
- Direct bargaining. Ordinarily, 150 calendar days of good-faith bargaining precede a unilateral mediation request; both sides may agree to mediation sooner.
- Mediation. After at least 15 days, either side may declare impasse if there is no agreement.
- Final offers and cooling off. Final offers and cost summaries are due within seven days of impasse. Their publication starts the 30-day cooling-off period.
- Notice. A strike-permitted unit must give 10 days’ notice by certified mail to the employer and ERB, stating its intent and reasons. Notice may run during cooling off, but the strike cannot start before that period ends.
ORS 243.726 also requires an appropriate represented unit, good-faith compliance and a qualifying contract expiration or reopening. It excludes certain unconventional strike activity. [4]
Does every OSU worker have the same right to strike?
No. Our notice concerns strike-permitted classified workers in the SEIU Higher Education bargaining unit. It is not a strike call for every person at OSU. [1] Oregon law prohibits strikes in specified public safety and other units. Confirm your unit with a steward, especially if your job, appointment or employment status recently changed. [4]
Being represented by our contract, paying membership dues and qualifying for strike benefits are separate questions. Use our pay and benefits guide to identify what benefit administrators still need to confirm.
If you are worried about retaliation
PECBA protects lawful union activity and bars employer interference, coercion and discrimination to encourage or discourage union membership. Report threats or adverse treatment tied to protected activity promptly so our stewards can assess the facts and response. [4]
Keep picketing peaceful, respect access and safety instructions, and bring conflicts to a picket captain. A lawful strike does not turn threats, violence or property damage into approved strike activity. Questions about essential duties, probation, a second OSU job or return-to-work instructions need an individual answer from our organizer or legal team.
If management questions you or gives a direction
- Request representation when appropriate. Our posted agreement, Article 17, Section 5(A), provides representation on request during an investigatory interview you reasonably believe will result in discipline. Use the Weingarten rights guide and contact a steward. [5]
- Make a clear record. Note the date, exact words, witnesses and any direction. Save messages you are entitled to keep, and ask for directions in writing.
- Contact our stewards promptly. Do not wait for a situation to escalate. Ask about recording rules before recording a conversation and about any deadline that applies to your concern.
How to use the posted contract
Article 4 of our posted 2022–2026 agreement lists June 30, 2026, as its expiration date. Article 8 bars strikes and lockouts during its term. Articles 10, 17 and 18 address union rights, discipline and grievances. Read the actual provisions with a steward when a workplace issue arises. [5]
July mediation and the previously reported extension through Aug. 31 are historical background. The Sept. 18 notice report is the newer status source; the older PDF alone does not establish the current expiration history or authorize an individual work stoppage. Leadership should confirm any extension documents and the complete legal timeline before approving this guide. [1]
Law, contract and current union reports
Sources checked Sept. 19, 2026. Source checks are not legal-team approval.
- Local 083, Sept. 18 strike notice report — reproduces the notice body and reports delivery, intended Sept. 28 start and Sept. 24 bargaining.
- SEIU Local 503, Sept. 17 strike authorization result — 97 percent approval and instruction to watch for strike updates.
- Oregon Employment Relations Board, Dispute resolution process — bargaining, mediation, impasse, publication, cooling off and notice.
- Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 243 — ORS 243.662 and 243.672 on protected rights and unfair labor practices; ORS 243.726 on lawful strikes; ORS 243.736 and 243.738 on strike-prohibited units.
- Posted 2022–2026 Oregon Public Universities–SEIU agreement (PDF) — Articles 4, 8, 10, 17 and 18. Confirm extensions and current applicability with our union.