Augsburg Staff Union

We’re thrilled to announce that the Augsburg Staff Union, proud members of OPEIU Local 12, has ratified our first collective bargaining agreement by an overwhelming supermajority! This has been a long time coming–we’ve been bargaining this contract for 19 months. Our goal was to improve the lives of staff and students, drive down the high turnover rate, and make Augsburg a more sustainable place to work. We believe we won policies to achieve these goals and to lay a strong foundation to continually improve on them.

What were some of our big victories? Six weeks of paid parental leave, internal hiring procedures to advance staff, pushing the university to solicit competitive bids for healthcare, a $400 ratification bonus, and a highly organized bargaining unit ready to take on any challenge.

We also locked in annual raises with longevity bonuses, enshrined our commitment to diversity and equity, established a minimum wage floor, and won seats on a health and welfare advisory committee. And so much more!

We rallied, we picketed, we petitioned, we caused trouble, and we won! Thank you to all of our allies among staff, faculty, students, and community members who stood alongside us.

Augsburg’s healthcare plans affect so many more people than just the staff who use them. They affect our spouses, our children, and our families’ futures. This is Maren’s story:

“I started working at Augsburg 7 years ago, and the Augsburg health insurance plans at Augsburg were the best option for my family over the open market. The insurance premiums and HSA contributions consumed HALF of my pay. Except for a minimal contribution to retirement, all the rest of my paycheck went to childcare costs for my young kids. That's it--healthcare and childcare. I couldn't help feed, house, clothe, save for the future, or provide for my family in any other financial capacity.
Augsburg tells students they can come here to get an education to make a living and make a life. Sadly, that isn't the reality for the life and livelihoods of many staff at Augsburg.
Augsburg must feel compelled to address the high healthcare costs for employees. Earlier this year, my spouse changed jobs and we get health insurance through his employer now, at much lower rates. For the first time in 7 years we have a little financial relief. I want my colleagues to have relief, too, to feel like they can breathe a little--yet the only option right now is to leave for a new employer. What does that message mean for our staff? For our students? For the future of Augsburg?”

One of our goals as a staff union is reducing the very high rate of staff turnover. In order to do that, we need to make sure we feel valued and cared for by Augsburg. Healthcare is a good place to start. This is Gabby’s story:

“I am unable to go to the doctor without worrying about the bills that are going to pile up because our deductible is so high. Even the low deductible plan is high! When I took this job, the reactions I received about the terrible health insurance was that people were astounded that the coverage was that poor.
There should be co-pays for doctors visits. I shouldn't have to pay $200-$400 because I got an illness I couldn't prevent. The cost should also be significantly less to the employee. Augsburg does not value our health and well being with the poor coverage we are receiving right now.
I'm going to have to go to a low income health clinic (even though I'm not low income) to get my care because the health insurance coverage is so bad.
The coverage Augsburg provides is inadequate and doesn't make me feel valued as an employee.”

Lucy’s story is unfortunately quite common for staff who are on Augsburg’s healthcare plan. We urgently need to lower healthcare costs now. Read more below:

"I elect the family coverage, which is the only option for my family (partner does not work somewhere with health insurance). Because of this, nearly 40% of every single one of my paychecks goes directly to health insurance. With rising inflation and the lack of any considerable wage increases, I effectively make LESS MONEY NOW than I did when I started almost a decade ago. Please read that again.

A staff member with nearly 10 years of loyalty, making less and less money each year. The health insurance plan is crushing me and my family and I have no other options. This is unacceptable and unsustainable.
I thought I was dying after giving birth to my youngest child and had to truly consider if I should or should not call an ambulance. I did, went to the hospital, and now have bill collectors calling me because I could not pay for the ambulance ride because it was not covered.
I am not asking Augsburg to fix the dire situation we have with healthcare in America, but I am simply asking that they TRY to FIGHT FOR their employees instead of constantly against us. We talk such a big talk about equity and yet, the only people that can afford to work at Augsburg are people in traditional marriages, with partners that are high-income earners and/or have better health insurance elsewhere, or single people.
What an absolutely disgusting way to make a path for young and mid-career professionals that want to have a family but have partners that can't or don't work. And what about single parents? What do they do? My employer presents themselves as an enlightened institution for academic excellence, diversity, and equity, and yet our staff struggle daily with the basic necessity of healthcare.
It is SHAMEFUL. This is why staff leave in droves, and why I have one foot out the door myself.”

This colleague of ours shared their story anonymously because, for many, healthcare is a very difficult thing to discuss. We’re highlighting stories to break the stigma of discussing how much we pay to stay healthy. Their story continues below:

“As a new employee the cost of healthcare was shocking. As someone with ongoing medical issues I took a month to go over the healthcare plan to see if it was do-able to work at Augsburg. The monthly cost far outweighs any of the 5 other universities I have worked at, and then to learn that monthly cost is NOT a co-pay plan... In 4.5 months I have already come out of pocket for $2000.

As a new employee I was told by a vacating employee ‘do NOT get sick. The insurance is terrible.’ They were so excited to go to a new university where the insurance was better to have a surgery they had been putting off for TWO years.

That is why I'm organizing to win a contract with affordable healthcare at Augsburg. It's the biggest way Augsburg can make a meaningful commitment to supporting staff."

Seth is another talented, dedicated coworker of ours who had to leave due to the cost of healthcare. With improvements to our healthcare we can drastically reduce staff turnover at Augsburg. This is Seth’s story:

"Expensive health insurance was a big part of the reason I left Augsburg! While discussing Augsburg's health benefits with a previous HR representative, he said ‘yeah, don't use the healthcare here
if you can help it. It's terrible.’ I laughed, but he wasn't kidding. I unfortunately had no choice but to use the healthcare, which is what caused me to eventually leave. I couldn't afford the massive bill every time I met with a provider. Augsburg staff deserve better."

Katie’s story is familiar to a lot of staff at Augsburg. Healthcare is unaffordable right now, and it forces us to make difficult choices that no one should have to make. This is Katie’s story:

“My partner, two kids and I all rely on Augsburg's health insurance plan. However, with the high premiums and large deductibles, it feels like all we pay for is catastrophic care. Over 1/3 of my paycheck goes towards covering premiums and saving to cover my family's basic healthcare needs, such as ear infections and routine skin checks.
Even small contributions by Augsburg to our HSA could go a long way for my family.
I consider myself a judicious health care consumer: I always consult a nurse line first, try Virtuwell or a Minute Clinic when I can. However, those resources don't cover many common needs for my family. I have regularly put off health care for myself because of the high cost of care. I'm always questioning whether a visit to the doctor will be worth the $300+ bill at the end.”

Today’s healthcare highlight is from Annie Chen, a former colleague of ours who left Augsburg recently in part due to the high cost of healthcare. We’re bargaining for affordable healthcare so we can reduce staff turnover and keep talented coworkers like Annie. Read her story below:

“The Healthcare plan at Augsburg had such high costs attached to it, I could not afford to work there anymore. I hit the 5k deductible in May, which was 75% of my take home income. Meaning it was hard to balance with all my other expenses, and by June my bills had been sent to a collection agency who had to call me repeatedly about payment plans, which was incredibly stressful.

The high cost of healthcare at Augsburg ended up being a huge factor of why I decided to pursue employment elsewhere. And now I have 90% employer paid health care.”

After a year and a half of negotiating our first contract, we’re still not seeing substantial progress from the administration on our healthcare priorities. We’re highlighting stories from Augsburg University employees about why we need affordable healthcare now. This is Deanna’s story.

"It has become such that after I put 10% of my paycheck into the 403(b) trying to catch up on retirement savings, I have $650 leftover per paycheck after health care premiums and childcare and healthcare HSA deductions are taken. All $650 of those dollars go to utilities and health care debt. If it weren't for my husband's income, we wouldn't be able to afford food for our family.

Honestly at this point it would be nice to have a lowered deductible. Like $1,000 vs the $5,600 family plan deductible (and $10,000 annual out of pocket maximum!). Unfortunately I have two chronic conditions that require me to meet my deductible every year. What's ironic is that I had more money for food when I was making $17,000 per year back in 2014 and on Minnesota Care because both chronic conditions were 100% covered and we weren't paying for childcare yet.

I have to work two other part-time jobs in order to pay for things like plane tickets to visit family or gifts for birthdays and holidays.

The administration has most of the power right now to make the financial decisions of this institution. I wonder if the administration’s high salaries lead them to forget about the situation many staff like myself are in–where our healthcare costs are bleeding us dry.

An entry-level position working as a delivery driver for UPS gets paid $2 more an hour than I do and I've been doing administrative work similar to the work I'm doing now for 18 years. If this institution values its students, which it claims to, how could they not also value their staff? We have to strive for a holistic vision of our mission.

I'm a hard worker and love the work I do and love this institution and its mission. I'm an equity-minded individual who seeks justice for all and will hold Augsburg up to the standards it continuously sells to its students and to Twin Cities communities. If we don't stand up and demand a full seat at the table, then I fear Augsburg will continue selling the idea of equity for the world's future out of the paychecks of its current staff."

See how much more Augsburg employees have to pay for family insurance coverage compared to similarly-sized and neighboring institutions. We're used to being an exceptional school...but not like this!

The costs were calculated by combining employee premiums and deductibles minus the employer HSA contribution. Costs can vary, but our research has consistently shown Augsburg to be more expensive than similar institutions. These costs reflect what the employee has to pay annually before coverage kicks in. This does not include dental, vision, or mental health costs.

We want affordable healthcare. Expecting employees to cut their annual salaries by $14,000 just to insure their families is not in line with Augsburg's values!

Help us do the math!

Still no response from President Pribbenow on the petition that hundreds of students, staff, faculty and community members signed and delivered last week! Please continue to add your names as we continue the fight for a living wage and affordable healthcare: https://forms.gle/RPUeX3csjirA45a27

No Cuts without Transparency Dear President Pribbenow and Augsburg University Board of Regents, At the All Hands meeting on Thursday, January 27, a projected $5 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2023 was announced. All aspects of the University’s operation will be affected and every department has been tasked with find...

Minneapolis is a union town! We march in solidarity with striking educators. Join us this Sunday at 3 pm: https://fb.me/e/1ggjmUmyf

Working at Augsburg shouldn't mean worrying about your budget every time you visit the doctor or get a prescription filled.

Maren's right! Everyone at Augsburg deserves affordable healthcare.

☘️We can't use the luck of the Irish to meet our healthcare needs...we need a more affordable healthcare plan! Two St. Patrick's Days have passed without progress on our healthcare proposal. ☘️

We want to be able to work at Augsburg and to earn enough to raise a family, pay loans, and save for retirement. This is only possible with a living wage. For more information on our currently outstanding proposals: http://augsburgstaffunion.org/outstanding-contract-proposals-march-2022/

Transparency is an Augsburg value! Let's work together through this budget crisis, President Pribbenow.

Christine's right! Supporting staff means supporting students.

One year since we first started bargaining our contract with the administration. It has often been frustrating and we still have a long ways to go, but we're still here, we're still fired up, and we're going to win big!

Here's to finishing this contract and continuing the progress we've made. Please add your name to our solidarity petition: https://forms.gle/XBxRV6ayr2q92Gyg9

The Augsburg Staff Union stands in solidarity with our union siblings at MFT Local 59 as they go on strike today.

The Teachers and Educational Support Professionals are in contract negotiations fighting for improved working conditions such as a living wage, improved recruitment and retention of educators or color, culturally relevant and responsive professional supports, improved student mental health supports in every school, smaller class sizes, continued improvements to a Covid-safe school environment, and equitable learning experience for students in quarantine.

Working in education, we know that students always come first, and we are inspired by MFT’s commitment to winning nothing but the very best for our schools.

What is the nature of Augsburg’s financial situation? Will there be cuts? How will it affect students? These are not the questions any member of the staff, faculty, or student body wants to be asking right now, but with vague and limited communication from the administration, these are the questions that are on our minds.

As staff members, we deserve transparency, accountability, and collaboration when it comes to the budget that affects our work and the educational experience of our students. Please join us in asking President Pribbenow and the Board of Regents for this transparency, so we can work through this difficult time together, as Auggies do best.

Sign here: https://forms.gle/JSGkBaCC9yLVrRhNA

Today marks one year since we won official recognition of our union with an overwhelming majority of votes. Here’s just some of what we’ve won for ourselves and the Augsburg community since:

–Tentative agreements: Though we are still bargaining our contract, we’ve reached tentative agreements with the administration on several key articles. These include health and safety, union rights, internal hiring procedures, and grievance procedures.

–Covid-19 Policies: We bargained for and won 16 hours of sick time to be credited to every bargaining unit member who received a Covid vaccine or was approved for an exemption. We also won a permanent spot on the Covid-19 Task Force as well as any future university-wide health and safety committees. This was a major win for transparency. Since winning this spot, our representative sends weekly updates to all bargaining unit members on Covid-19 policy.

–Healthcare: We successfully cut the anticipated healthcare premium increases for 2022 by HALF.

–Pay: We successfully guaranteed our annual cost of living increase for 2021.

–Solidarity: We successfully organized the first private university staff union in Minnesota history! And we did it during a global pandemic.

We still have a long way to go. As of today, the administration STILL has not substantially responded to our proposals on wages and healthcare, two of our top bargaining priorities. We will continue to advocate for ourselves and build solidarity in our community. We will win our contract this year and change Augsburg for the better!

Big win for our union members! We successfully negotiated to cut our 2022 annual healthcare premium increase by HALF! We will continue to bargain for long-term improvements to the structure, cost, and accessibility of our health insurance plans for future years.

Check out this article in The Augsburg Echo on our recent bargaining win!

“It was clear that staff believed that they didn’t have a seat at the table when decisions were being made about them. We set out to change that and we’ve managed to win a place at some important tables!” -Uriah Ward

https://augsburgecho.com/2021/10/04/staff-union-wins-spot-on-covid-19-task-force/

Staff Union Wins Spot on COVID-19 Task Force Olivia Allery, news editor Photo of Augsubrg Staff Union at the official unionization in January 2021, courtesy of Maren Stoddard Mark. The Augsburg Staff Union has officially secured their place o…

Big win! Augsburg Staff Union members who submit proof of Covid-19 vaccination or vaccine exemption receive 16 additional hours of paid sick leave.

Earlier today we heard President Pribbenow share campus updates at the all-hands meeting. We made sure to wear our staff union buttons because we're proud to have a collective voice here at Augsburg. Read what we have proposed for our contract here: http://augsburgstaffunion.org/proposals-tracker/

We're all in this together, which is why it's so important to have a seat at the table. We bargained for and won representation on the Augsburg University Covid-19 Task Force!