University Bargaining Guiding Principles
Portland State University (PSU) is committed to negotiating in good faith and collaboratively with the Graduate Employees Union, AFT/AAUP (GEU) to reach an agreement on a successor collective bargaining agreement. Our bargaining principles include financial stewardship, operational flexibility, competitive compensation, and accountability to all of our employees. Importantly, our positions and approaches are informed by the PSU Strategic Plan “Future in Focus” and in alignment with the strategic imperatives of PSU, which include:
- Create clear pathways for learners to achieve their goals and secure a strong return on investment.
- Lead the Pacific Northwest in serving minoritized students and boosting college success rates.
- Support and empower PSU employees and operations.
- Drive Portland's economic, social, and cultural resurgence through research partnerships and community engagement
(All exchanged proposals are able to be viewed through the proposal tracker link above.)
May 13, 2026 - Bargaining Session Update
The University and the Graduate Employees Union (GEU) met on May 13 to continue negotiations for the successor collective bargaining agreement. The session began with the University providing updates on Article 6 (Communications), where both parties expressed a shared interest in streamlining notification processes while retaining physical street addresses for legacy purposes. Discussions also included Article 9 (Discipline and Discharge), with a focus on clarifying timelines for investigations and ensuring graduate assistants have longer notice periods to meet with Union representatives.
The GEU presented proposals covering Articles 3, 4, 16 and 23. Notable highlights include a proposal to streamline FERPA waivers within notices of appointment to improve information sharing, as well as requests for increased compensation for union activities and a new "notice of impact" for employees affected by departmental changes. On the topic of layoffs (Article 16), the GEU proposed reappointment rights and ensuring tuition remission continues through the end of the academic year for affected workers. Finally, the teams discussed transit benefits, with the GEU proposing free designated parking spaces, TriMet passes and expanded access to bike-share programs to assist with the "last mile" of commutes. Teams will return to the table on Monday to continue the dialogue.
April 22, 2026 - Bargaining Session Update
The University and the Graduate Employees Union (GEU) met on April 22 to continue discussions focused on establishing ground rules and scheduling for the upcoming successor contract negotiations. The session opened with a review of the University’s counter proposal on ground rules, highlighting areas of mutual agreement. However, much of the dialogue centered on a provision proposed by GEU in the ground rules requiring timelines for responding to proposals. The University emphasized the need for flexibility to ensure quality responses and noted that legal standards under the PECBA do not mandate either party agree to concessions or proposals. The University expressed a commitment to bargaining in good faith and maintaining open communication through regular agenda-setting at the end of bargaining sessions.
The University and GEU also exchanged proposals on Articles 6 and 7 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The University introduced a proposal for Article 7, suggesting a shift to digital distribution of the ratified contract via the HR website to modernize the process. GEU passed a proposal on Article 6 updating Union contact details. Under PECBA, the 150-day statutory bargaining process begins when the Parties exchange initial proposals.
The session concluded with a productive discussion on future scheduling; with the University team committed to reviewing their availability alongside existing commitments to other bargaining units. The University also agreed to present their first proposal for article 5 at the next bargaining session. Both parties agreed to exchange further counters on ground rules via email and aim to finalize the meeting calendar by the next session.
March 5, 2025 - Bargaining Session Update
The Graduate Employee Union (GEU) and Portland State University (PSU) met on March 5, 2025, to open successor contract negotiations. The session began with the GEU bargaining team introducing members from diverse departments, while emphasizing the critical role graduate workers play in the university’s research and teaching output.
PSU provided GEU with a counter on the GEU’s ground rules proposal that was shared in advance of the session. The teams engaged in a detailed discussion regarding a "color-coded" system for tracking proposals, with the GEU proposing specific colors to distinguish between new language, struck text, and tentative agreements to ensure transparency and accessibility. While PSU expressed concerns regarding the logistical overhead of maintaining multiple colors and the teams had a discussion about how to interpret language that had been marked as agreed to but a full tentative agreement on the article had not been reached. The teams agreed that the language-color syntax did not mean that each team was agreeing to interim language before a full article is closed. The Parties expressed a shared interest in maintaining an efficient and clear process.
Additional discussions covered logistical arrangements such as hybrid meeting formats, the importance of closed captioning for accessibility, and the use of lactation spaces for team members with dependents. The parties also debated the timeline for responding to proposals and the transparency of bargaining sessions. While several items remain under review, including specific response deadlines and the attribution of comments in meeting notes, the session concluded with a commitment to establish a consistent meeting schedule for the coming months.
The teams agreed to schedule future sessions to continue the dialogue.