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Oregon

SEIU 503 Ratifies Contract With Oregon Universities

Members of the union representing about 4,600 employees at seven Oregon public universities approved a new contract after a planned strike was called off.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Unions

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Members of SEIU 503 ratified a new contract with Oregon's seven public universities on Oct. 15, covering roughly 4,600 employees after a planned strike was called off. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Members of SEIU 503 ratified a new contract with the coalition of Oregon Public Universities, which covers roughly 4,600 employees across seven public universities. The agreement followed a strike authorization vote in which 95% of members voted in favor, and the planned strike was called off after a final bargaining session on Sept. 27.

Why it matters

The contract includes cost-of-living adjustments, contracting protections, and layoff and bumping protections for represented workers. Ratification required a vote by SEIU members before the agreement became binding.

The contract provides 3% cost-of-living adjustments on Nov. 1, 2026, and Nov. 1, 2027, following a 97% ratification vote. The source does not describe the adjustments relative to prior contract increases.

The players

SEIU 503

A union representing about 4,600 public university employees in Oregon, which negotiated and ratified the new contract with the university coalition.

Oregon Public Universities

A coalition of seven public universities in Oregon that negotiated the contract with SEIU 503.

The details

Members voted 95% in favor of a strike on Sept. 17, and a final bargaining session on Sept. 27 produced terms that led to calling off the strike planned for Sept. 28. SEIU announced the ratification in an article on its website on Oct. 15.

Timeline

  1. Sept. 17: Members voted 95% in favor of a strike.

  2. Sept. 27: Final bargaining session; terms agreed and strike called off.

  3. Sept. 28: Planned strike start date, later called off.

  4. Oct. 15: Contract ratified and announced by SEIU.

  5. Nov. 1, 2026: First 3% cost-of-living adjustment takes effect.

Labor Pattern

The sequence of a strike authorization vote followed by a last-minute agreement mirrors how Oregon public-sector bargaining has recently resolved disputes without a walkout. The extraction does not confirm specific prior cases for comparison.

Represented employees at the seven universities will see 3% cost-of-living adjustments starting Nov. 1, 2026, and again Nov. 1, 2027. The contract also adds contracting, layoff, and bumping protections for these workers.

The takeaway

Ratification confirms that the agreement is binding only after member approval, and the vote margin of 97% indicates broad support among the represented employees for the terms reached in negotiations.

Further reading

Explore more on Unions coverage across Oregon.

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Do you support public university workers' unions winning cost-of-living raises?