The state increased its pay offer to state and university employees Tuesday, in collective bargaining negotiations with Service Employees International Union Local 503. The state offered a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, to take effect retroactively on July 1, plus a 2 percent COLA on Jan. 1, 2009, said Catherine Stearns, a Department of Human Services hearings representative who sits on the bargaining team.
"It's not a breakthrough," Stearns said. However, she added, "it's progress. They're going in the right direction."
Bargaining is continuing Tuesday evening and is set to resume Wednesday and Thursday. The current contracts with state workers were set to expire June 30, but have been extended while negotiations continue on a new two-year deal.
The contract applies to 18,400 SEIU members working for the state and 3,600 working for the Oregon University System. Terms also are likely to become the template for other contracts with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 75, and other state-worker unions.
(statesmanjournal.com)
