After multiple mediation sessions and more than a year of contract negotiations, the lowest paid employees at Central Oregon Community College declared impasse today (Monday Feb. 23), starting the clock for a 30 day cool down period with the college, after which the union could vote to authorize a strike at any time, with ten day notice. There has never been a strike at an Oregon community college in state history.
“While the average administrator’s salary has grown 26% since 2023, the average classified worker’s salary has only increased by 10% in that same period of time, making it even harder for the lowest-paid people at the college to survive in one of the most expensive parts of the state”, said Scott Dove, President of the Classified Association of Central Oregon Community College and an academic technology specialist at the college. “Meanwhile, the college board is aggressively trying to grow their reserves instead of helping the people who are the foundation of the institution. By their own admission, COCC can easily afford to allocate the paltry resources necessary to eliminate poverty wages that have left many employees here experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. We demand that COCC management do the right thing and end poverty pay, instead of choosing to make history as the first management team at COCC to provoke a strike.”
“What’s happening at Central Oregon Community College is symptomatic of a larger statewide problem,” said Enrique Farrera, President of the Oregon Education Association. “COCC is one of multiple colleges and school districts in crisis mediation over hoarded reserves that are being stockpiled, instead of spent on essential needs. This approach reflects the reasonable concern public colleges and K-12 Districts have across the state; while most are drastically unfunded, the ones that can often do hoard resources towards an omnipresent unknown crisis on the horizon, because they don’t trust the legislature to continue consistently funding essential programs. What COCC and other schools need to understand is that the crisis for students and their workers is unfolding now. COCC needs to be a responsible employer and stop paying their employees wages that force them out of their communities and strip them of basic dignity.”
Classified educators at COCC perform vital work directly supporting students, including college counselors, administrative assistants, custodians, library assistants, and food service workers. Their lowest wage currently is $18.91/hr. A living wage in Bend for a person with no children is $26.81/hour, and $64.55/hour for a person with two children. COCC classified staff are seeking a contract that will raise their lowest wage to $27.89/hour by the end of the contract.
The parties will have 7 days to cost their final offers, after which a cooling off period will begin and continue for 30 days. After that, the union may authorize a strike at any time via vote of its members. Law requires that 10-day notice be provided before any strike begins. Classified educators at COCC could be on strike for the first-ever Oregon community college strike by early April.
This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.
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