OHSU-HOU bargaining: Session 16

Members of the Oregon Health & Science University and House Officers Union bargaining teams met virtually on Thursday, Dec. 28, for their 16th bargaining session. The parties discussed moonlighting and economics.

OHSU and HOU exchanged proposals on the following proposals, focused on moonlighting, parking and transportation, insurance and economics:

• Article 4 Moonlighting: OHSU proposed language that included the definitions for internal moonlighting and external moonlighting, as proposed by HOU. OHSU’s proposal continues to maintain the distinction between work associated with a house officer’s training and work outside a house officer’s training — i.e. moonlighting — which is governed by separate employment agreements between house officers and their moonlighting employer.
• Section 5.7 Parking and Transportation: OHSU added language to its proposed process for helping house officers avoid parking tickets when they are held over from non-pay-to-park hours into pay-to-park-hours. The added language would allow house officers who are unable to provide the notice before the pay-to-park hours start to provide the notice as soon as they are able, and have their ticket put on hold during the appeal process.
• Section 5.1 Annual Salary Stipend: OHSU increased its salary proposal for years two and three of the CBA, such that house officers would receive a 6.5% increase for the 2024-2025 academic year, a 4.5% increase for the 2025-2026 academic year, and a 4.25% increase for the 2026-2027 academic year. The HOU countered with a proposal decreasing their prior request to 10% for the 2024-2025 academic year, 4.5% increase in year 2025-2026 and 4.75% increase in year 2026-2027.
• Section 5.3 Housing Allowance: OHSU increased its proposed housing allowance to $3,200 for the 2024-2025 academic year, which is a 45% increase above the current housing allowance, and increases thereafter to that match the salary percentage increases. HOU proposed increasing the housing allowance to $6,000 for the 2023-2024 academic year, to $7,000 for the 2024-2025 academic year and then increases thereafter that match the salary percentage increases.
• Section 5.4 Meal Money: OHSU maintained the dollar amounts in its tiered approach but increased its proposed barcode maximum to $750, which is double the current barcode maximum, and its daily spending limit to $50, which is a 25% increase from the current daily spending limit. The HOU agreed to the proposed barcode maximum of $750, as well as the $50 daily spending limit. Some elements of the tiered meal money system remain under discussion.
• Section 7.2 Vacation: OHSU re-submitted its vacation proposal that provided clarifications on the meaning of “day” for purposes of vacation, that expressly prohibited retaliation for submitting vacation requests, and clarified that, when a house officer works in-house call immediately preceding their vacation, any ACGME/program required rest will not be considered part of the vacation leave. The HOU has agreed to many components of the OHSU proposal, but maintains its proposal to cash out up to seven vacation days per academic year.  
• Section 7.3.1 Wellness Days: OHSU re-submitted its previous proposal to expand sick leave use to include four wellness half-days that can be used to engage in any kind of activity that adds to their well-being. HOU countered requesting that wellness half-days be separate from sick leave days.
• Section 7.4 Professional Leave: OHSU enhanced its proposal by creating a rollover of professional leave days up to an eight-day cap, which was met by HOU.
• Section 7.7.5 Worked Holidays: OHSU re-submitted its previous holiday leave proposal, which included a requirement that programs survey their house officers about their holiday preferences and review the previous holidays worked by the house officers in the program before creating the program’s holiday schedule, created a process for house officers to request an alternative procedure for distribution of holidays, and incorporated a Juneteenth floating holiday. HOU countered by proposing a financial incentive for holiday work, while limiting the number of days eligible for the incentive pay.
• Section 7.6.1 Parental Leave: OHSU proposed language encouraging house officers to apply for Paid Leave Oregon benefits and allowing them to use accrued leave to supplement those state benefits.

Article 6 Insurance and Health Care: HOU proposed adding eligible dependents up to the age of 26, as well as same-sex, opposite-sex, and domestic partners. In addition, they proposed tail coverage for departing house officers and opt-out credit for those declining coverage.

Next Meeting

The OHSU and HOU teams hope to exchange proposals over email next week and will resume in-person bargaining on Thursday, Jan. 11. 

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