The deal includes a 0.5% salary increase this year and 3% raises in each of the next two years. That is less than the union had sought, and bargaining co-chair Amelia Cuomo said some workers will still struggle financially. "But every dollar helps when you're somebody who's struggling to make ends meet and struggling to not go into the red every month," Cuomo said.

The university also agreed to a one-time reset of healthcare cost-sharing, returning to a 95%-5% split with the university covering the larger share. The two sides will work together to lower costs going forward. The university had said the union's latest insurance plan increased its annual costs by $1.6 million.

In addition, UO agreed to retain one position designed to support graduate educators after previously proposing to eliminate all four such jobs.

Cuomo credited the strike declaration and campus demonstrations with pushing the university to cooperate. "The mounting frustration of the GEs over both cuts that are going to happen soon on campus and the university's unwillingness to participate at the table resulted in these actions and demonstrations on campus that were a show of power," she said. "And ultimately, they got the university to come and cooperate."

University spokesperson Angela Seydel said in an emailed statement that the university is pleased with the agreement. "The University of Oregon is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the GTFF that makes meaningful investments in our graduate employees and supports the university's long-term financial well-being," Seydel wrote.

Union members must still ratify the contract. According to the union's Instagram, voting begins Friday. The agreement comes after months of negotiations and a strike authorization vote that union leaders said was necessary to secure a fair deal.