College Bargaining Update

College, union set for mediation July 2

Proposal would increase current pay rates by a combined 16 percent effective
July 1, 2024, and build in 4 percent increases each of the next three years

Oregon Coast Community College knows its staff and faculty share an unflagging devotion to serving our students. Presently at OCCC, there is one union, the American Federation of Teachers – Oregon,  representing a bargaining unit for faculty (full-time and part-time) as well as a bargaining unit for classified employees. The faculty and classified bargaining units each have their own collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The College is currently negotiating successor CBAs with the faculty and classified bargaining units, both of which expired almost a year ago, on June 30, 2023.

“While the College’s bargaining team certainly hoped to come to an agreement with the Union before now, we believe we are continuing to balance our fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers with unwavering support of our valued employees,” said OCCC President, Dr. Birgitte Ryslinge. “We have bargained in good faith and will continue to do so, recognizing the constraints we face as arguably the smallest community college in Oregon – as well as our responsibility to prepare for uncertainty in the broader economy in the future. The College can use only two revenue sources to pay for compensation and benefits, those are taxpayers and students, through tuition. We have responsibility to both groups, and particularly to keep college affordable – and, by extension, to not create excessive reliance on student loans.”

Ryslinge noted that the College, which spends 67.5% of its budget currently on personnel services, offers a robust benefits package to any employees working greater than half-time (on a pro-rated basis for employees working less than 40 hours per week). As Oregon public employees, OCCC employees also earn credit every year towards a pension, which is increasingly rare in private industry. Among other benefits are a contribution of 6% of earnings into IAP (Individual Account Program) similar to a 401(k), fully paid by the College. These employees receive 13 paid holidays and a minimum of 12 paid vacation days (pro-rated) and 2 paid personal days (pro-rated), plus a robust health insurance benefit plan that ranges in value (depending on plan) from $7,800 to $21,667 annually.

After over a year of bargaining, the College presented a full package proposal for a successor agreement to Union representatives on April 22, 2024 for the Classified contract and May 2, 2024 for the Faculty contract.  The College and Union are scheduled to meet for mediation facilitated by the Oregon Employment Relations Board on July 2, 2024.  The College is hopeful that the mediation process will result in a prompt and mutually acceptable resolution to the remaining issues.

Key elements in the College’s current offer, as of June 25, 2024, include:

• • Compensation (for Classified and Full-time and ¾-time Faculty)
    • Combination of step increases and structural adjustments totaling 28% increase over five years
      • FY ’23-24: 6% total increase, retroactive to July 1, 2023
      • FY ’24-25: 10% total increase, effective July 1, 2024
      • FY ’25-26: 4% total increase
      • FY ’26-27: 4% total increase
      • FY ’27-28: 4% total increase
  • Compensation (for Part-Time Faculty)
    • 18% structural increase combined with 2.5% step advancement (based on a point system) for a potential increase of 30.5% over five years.
  • Work Schedule (Classified Unit):
    • • Proposal makes the College’s current 4-day summer schedule permanent and adds one week to 4-day summer schedule
  • Vacation & Leaves (Classified Unit):
    • • Proposal accelerates maximum vacation accruals from seven years to five
      • Continues paid time off for the three days between Christmas and New Year

“OCCC steadfastly supports our employees’ right to organize, and will continue to bargain in good faith to reach a mutually agreeable CBA for both bargaining units,” Ryslinge said. “We appreciate the hard work the Union’s bargaining team has invested in this process over these past months and we look forward to resolving the issues that stand in the way of agreeing upon a final proposal and moving forward into the new academic year laser-focused on providing an excellent experience to our students.”

Oregon Coast Community College serves Lincoln County at four locations – in Newport, Toledo, Waldport, and Lincoln City. The College offers two-year transfer and associate degrees as well as a rich assortment of career-focused certificate programs.