The University of Oregon and United Academics continue to present proposals as they enter the third month of bargaining to reach agreement on a new contract.

Missy Matella, senior director of employee and labor relations, provided a negotiations update to the faculty Feb. 27. The full text of the message is on the Office of Human Resources website.

United Academics represents university faculty members, which includes tenure-track and career faculty members.

The UO has presented several career-faculty-focused proposals that would establish an expectation of continuous employment and create a UO distinguished teaching faculty title. Matella said the proposals reflect the university’s continued efforts to stabilize and enrich career faculty employment while also acknowledging the unique needs of research faculty members by providing terms that recognize the effect of the loss of funding. 

The UO also provided its opening salary proposal. The proposal includes merit, equity, promotion and post-tenure review increases. Matella said the UO’s offer reflects its current financial situation and its principle of acting as a good steward of public funds.

Based on the costing committee’s preliminary analysis, union proposals would cost more than $140 million over the course of the contract. By year three of the contract, United Academics’ proposals would add more than $55 million of recurring costs.

The union has presented proposals on promotion and tenure review, parking, child care, salary and sabbaticals. The proposals are available on the United Academics website.

The bargaining teams have tentatively agreed to several articles, including personnel files, summer session appointments and distribution of agreement.

Additional information is available on the United Academics bargaining webpage on the human resources website.