Oregon AFSCME has submitted union authorization cards signed by over half of the more than 2,000 research workers at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). The cards were turned in to the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB) April 26. Under the state laws for public sector unions, once ERB verifies the cards, OHSU will be required to recognize Oregon AFSCME as the workers’ bargaining representative.
The unit will include workers who conduct lab experiments, order equipment, file paperwork, and care for animals used in studies. It would not cover the faculty members who apply for grants and lead the research. Workers announced their intent to unionize in 2022 and started a card-signing campaign in October 2023. The research workers had asked the university to voluntarily recognize the union, but OHSU declined.
