New Union Rights Under House Bill 2016
House Bill (HB) 2016 makes sweeping changes to OSEA’s rights to represent, organize and educate employees under Oregon’s Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA). These are some of the most significant new regulations.
OSEA Representatives Have Paid Time to Conduct Union Business
- Designated OSEA union representatives (i.e. chapter officers, stewards, and worksite organizers) can perform union duties during paid worktime, without losing compensation or leave.
- Union business can include bargaining, investigating grievances, discussing representation issues with your OSEA field representatives and explaining the collective bargaining agreement to new hires.
- OSEA chapters can also negotiate release time agreements.
Chapters Have Stronger Rights to Communicate with Bargaining Unit Members
- Administrators have to allow for new employees to meet with designated union representatives for half an hour on paid time, within their first month on the job. This may happen in a group orientation or individually.
- Union representatives are allowed to meet with members during work hours and at their worksites to address union business.
- Employers must provide OSEA with the contact information for new employees within 10 days of their date of hire. Employers must also provide contact information for all bargaining unit members every 120 days.
Protection From Unfair Labor Practices
- Employers cannot attempt to influence an employee to resign from or decline to obtain union membership.
- Employers also cannot encourage an employee to revoke authorization for dues.
- HB 2016 designates both of these actions explicit unfair labor practices.
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