WOUFT and WOU Administration agree to extend the current CBA for one year for reasons outlined in a joint statement from both Melanie Landon-Hays (WOUFT President) and Jesse Peters (WOU President):

WOU Community,

We are pleased to report that the administration and WOUFT have reached an agreement to extend the current CBA for one year. This means that we will not engage in a full bargaining session until the next academic year. During a year with numerous major activities taking place (Accreditation Visit, Legislative Session, Budget Cuts. Etc.), an extension provides the campus with some breathing room. Additionally, this is a year of transition with six new BOT members, a new President, a new VP for Advancement, and a new Director of Government Relations. Additionally, we are searching for a new Executive Director of HR and a new Provost. Next year, the campus will be in a much clearer position with regards to leadership and budget, so there are benefits in waiting to engage in a full bargaining session.

We would both like to thank all of the people engaged in this honest discussion about extending the CBA. Particularly, the WOUFT bargaining team and Carson Campbell provided ideas and suggestions in a spirit of collaboration and transparency. We hope this agreement signals a positive step for our WOU community.

Thanks again to all involved.
Jesse & Melanie
Jesse Peters, President of Western Oregon University
Melanie Landon-Hays, President WOUFT 

Please check out the WOUFT Collective Bargaining page (https://wouft.org/collective-bargaining/) for two LOAs (Donated Leave Bank and COVID-19) that WOUFT just negotiated. The Donated Leave Bank LOA permits folks who are retiring or otherwise separating from WOU to make a one-time donation of up to 520 hours to the Donated Leave Bank. The COVID-19 LOA extends the previous COVID-19 LOA through Spring Term 2021.

WOU President Fuller has invoked Article 15, indicating that “program or discipline curtailment” is “imminent” at WOU. The President released his Final Plan in early December 2020, leaving the WOU community reeling. The Final Plan included the termination of the Philisophy minor program, which was not in the Draft Plan and which WOUFT was therefore unable to review the cut, a violation of the CBA. WOUFT filed a successful grievance and was permitted to review and provide comment, delaying the implementation of all cuts. After WOUFT reviewed and opposed the cut, President Fuller included the Philosophy minor cut in his Revised Final Plan, released to WOUFT on February 26.

Link to Download WOUFT Response to President Fuller’s Article 15 Draft Plan

Link to Download President Fuller’s Article 15 Revised Final Plan

Your WOUFT Executive Council has been reaching out to key legislators and the press to ensure that they are aware of the leadership crisis at WOU.

If you have any questions please contact WOUFT President Bryan Dutton.

Welcome to our new WOUFT webpage.  We hope it contains useful information for you and helps you to engage with the Union directly.  If you have suggestions on information that should be included, please contact Dr. Melanie Landon-Hays, WOUFT Executive Secretary at haysm@mail.wou.edu.

Welcome to WOUFT–Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers!