Bargaining update 09.16.2026

Bargaining Unit Scope, Establishing Care, and Union Provisions

OHSU began with a virtual presentation from Christine Flores, Director of Accreditation for Graduate Medical Education (GME). She went on to discuss OHSU’s responsibilities in training House Officers under Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). 

OHSU agreed to maintain current contract language in the Union Scope Article. They proposed a few technical edits though most Union Scope Subarticles have been tentatively agreed upon. HOU also proposed a few technical edits to unify reporting requirements from OHSU to HOU regarding union membership. In addition, OHSU agreed to changes proposed in the Health and Safety Article regarding House Officer refusal to perform allegedly unsafe work. House Officers maintained the right to refuse to enter patient homes and other patient care settings if they reasonably believed entering the building was unsafe. OHSU countered with their prior proposed language limiting this to patient homes, and House Officers shared why expanding this to all clinical encounters was important.

The HOU team previously proposed language stating that OHSU will provide priority scheduling to House Officers so that they have “established care visits” within 90 days of starting work, as well as providing schedulers to onboarding days to facilitate this. OHSU could not agree due to scheduling capacity concerns. OHSU countered with language allowing use of sick leave for establishment of care visits. 

OHSU also countered proposed language regarding Union provisions. During the discussion, OHSU referenced their earlier ACGME and ABMS presentation to further iterate how their responsibilities to these organizations and differences among individual specialty boards limits their ability to agree to language that would give House officers dedicated time away for union business. OHSU proposed language that would allow House Officers to participate in union business or programs at the discretion of their program director under program policy.