Bargaining update 09.30.2026

Ergonomics, Discipline & Discharge, Grievance & Arbitration, Pagers, Onboarding and more

Ergonomics

We proposed language that would make information regarding ergonomic resources more accessible to house officers.

Discipline and Discharge

We proposed language to prevent OHSU from treating all alleged employment related misconduct or non compliance as an "academic matter" and therefore not subject to union involvement or grievance. Multiple times, house officers have been disciplined for what OHSU claims are "academic" problems, when union members feel that they are related to interpersonal conflicts, other employment related problems, or even retaliation for raising concerns about training or working conditions. We want to ensure that this does not continue to happen.

Grievance and Arbitration

We proposed language in article 11.2 Non Grievable Disputes that sets a standard for OHSU to provide proof that any non-grievable dispute is purely academic. We defined what could be considered academic, such as deficiencies in medical knowledge and inability to meet ACGME milestones.

Just Cause

We also submitted a "just cause standard" that is present in other OHSU AFSCME contracts. This is a set of criteria used to determine if a worker's discipline or termination is fair and valid. 

Annual House Officer Reports

OHSU countered this proposal. They do not want to notify the union of times when house officers leave the bargaining unit, such as when they are fired or leave a program. 

New House Officer Onboarding

OHSU also countered this proposal. They agreed to allow two house officers to attend GME check-ins, but added language that explicitly states that participating in GME check in could count as time away from medical training and cause program extension. They also added that time spent away from work for any reason may result in program extensions. 

Access to OHSU Secure Electronic Communication Systems

OHSU countered this proposal to remove language about pagers, which are no longer used. They also added that recurrent instances of missed pages due to alleged OHSU messaging system failures may be investigated by OHSU. They felt that this language was necessary to make sure that house officers not receiving pages were not blamed for a lack of response; rather the paging system would be at fault.

Refusal to Perform Allegedly Unsafe Work - Tentatively agreed upon

Lastly, OHSU countered this proposal and we tentatively agreed. They combined language from some other proposals to make it more clear. The language states that if a house officer feels their work location or equipment is unsafe and refuses to work, they can write their reasoning to their Program Director. Supervisors will contact Environmental Health and Safety to make a determination of the safety of the job or equipment.