What have graduate student EMPLOYEES
achieved at other universities?
Graduate student employees are forming unions across the country:
Graduate student employees have created unions at:
Graduate student employees have created unions at:
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Universities where graduate student employees are creating unions:
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When graduate student employees work together, they've won major improvements such as:
PAY
The graduate student employees at the University of Massachusetts−Amherst have bargained minimum stipend increases in their current contract of 3.5% each academic year. These increases are paid to all graduate student employees regardless of funding source.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
At the University of Washington in Seattle, the graduate student employee union won protection from discrimination based on “age, sex (except where age or sex is a bona fide occupational qualification), race or ethnic origin, color, creed, national origin, religion, disability, disabled or Vietnam era veteran status, political affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, pregnancy status, HIV status, or membership or non-membership in a union.” Violations can be settled through both the University Complaint office as well as through the union grievance procedure process. At the University of Michigan, the union won a contract that requires jobs to be posted in a fair and open way, and forced the university to create a committee that acts as a watchdog for affirmative action and anti-discrimination. The committee publishes an annual report on the status of affirmative action on campus.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE/ OB PROTECTION
At the University of Wisconsin at Madison, there is a three-step grievance procedure. The first step is to seek to solve the issue at the department level. If the issue is not settled to the graduate student employee’s satisfaction, the steward can then take it to the dean of the college. If the grievance remains unsettled, it can then go to the chancellor. If the issue remains unresolved after exhausting this process, a neutral arbitrator will be agreed upon by both sides to make a final and binding decision to solve the issue. This sort of language is common in many contracts.
CHILD CARE
At the University of Michigan graduate student employees with one child get $2,630 per term, those with two children get $3,850, and three children get $5,076 per term to cover child care costs. For the 2007-2009, the graduate student employee union at the University of Wisconsin – Madison won through contract negotiations a fund of $157,500 to be awarded to graduate student employee families for child care needs.
LEAVE
Graduate student employee unions have made a lot of advances for leave language. At the University of Iowa, they have paid vacation, sick leave, family illness leave, bereavement leave, and jury duty leave.
SECOND JOB
While outside employment to supplement wages is prohibited at the University of Pittsburgh, the union at the University of Massachusetts−Amherst won the right to hold a second job in their contract (as long as the second job does not interfere with their duties as a graduate student employee).
WORKLOAD
At Temple, graduate student employees cannot be forced to work more than 20 hrs. each week−with fractional appointments given a proportional maximum work load. There’s a procedure for review if a worker feels their workload is too high and is inconsistent with work guidelines. If the review finds the graduate student employee is working more than required, the administration will pay for the extra work done on a pro rata basis. They may also reduce the workload, add assistance, or, with the consent of the graduate student employee, increase the workload set forth in their appointment letter to include the additional hours of work and increase the TA/RAs wages commensurately.
JOB SECURITY
At the University of Iowa, the graduate student employees bargained contract language that committed departments to honoring initial offers of employment length, gave employees the right to protest below standard evaluations, and required departments to provide employees written descriptions of their duties and associated time expectations.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM
At the University of Florida, Graduate Assistants United has a contract provision that provides freedom for TAs to “give their own interpretations of instructional materials used by them─whether self-chosen or prescribed,” and encourages RAs to “exercise creativity” in their research work.
HARRASSMENT/DIVERSITY TRAINING
The Teaching Assistants Association at the University of Wisconsin – Madison negotiated for a fund of $50,000 a year to be used for training in the areas of harassment and diversity. Graduate Student Employees who attend the training receive an increase in their stipends.
WORKPLACE SAFETY
The union at the University of Oregon negotiated for paid training on equipment that poses a safety hazard for graduate student employees, and New York University negotiated for a workplace safety committee that includes graduate student employees to oversee safety issues.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
Graduate Students United at the University of Chicago have campaigned for and won the right for students on parental leave to retain their student status, allowing the retention of visa status, health insurance, and access to university facilities
PAY
The graduate student employees at the University of Massachusetts−Amherst have bargained minimum stipend increases in their current contract of 3.5% each academic year. These increases are paid to all graduate student employees regardless of funding source.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
At the University of Washington in Seattle, the graduate student employee union won protection from discrimination based on “age, sex (except where age or sex is a bona fide occupational qualification), race or ethnic origin, color, creed, national origin, religion, disability, disabled or Vietnam era veteran status, political affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, pregnancy status, HIV status, or membership or non-membership in a union.” Violations can be settled through both the University Complaint office as well as through the union grievance procedure process. At the University of Michigan, the union won a contract that requires jobs to be posted in a fair and open way, and forced the university to create a committee that acts as a watchdog for affirmative action and anti-discrimination. The committee publishes an annual report on the status of affirmative action on campus.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE/ OB PROTECTION
At the University of Wisconsin at Madison, there is a three-step grievance procedure. The first step is to seek to solve the issue at the department level. If the issue is not settled to the graduate student employee’s satisfaction, the steward can then take it to the dean of the college. If the grievance remains unsettled, it can then go to the chancellor. If the issue remains unresolved after exhausting this process, a neutral arbitrator will be agreed upon by both sides to make a final and binding decision to solve the issue. This sort of language is common in many contracts.
CHILD CARE
At the University of Michigan graduate student employees with one child get $2,630 per term, those with two children get $3,850, and three children get $5,076 per term to cover child care costs. For the 2007-2009, the graduate student employee union at the University of Wisconsin – Madison won through contract negotiations a fund of $157,500 to be awarded to graduate student employee families for child care needs.
LEAVE
Graduate student employee unions have made a lot of advances for leave language. At the University of Iowa, they have paid vacation, sick leave, family illness leave, bereavement leave, and jury duty leave.
SECOND JOB
While outside employment to supplement wages is prohibited at the University of Pittsburgh, the union at the University of Massachusetts−Amherst won the right to hold a second job in their contract (as long as the second job does not interfere with their duties as a graduate student employee).
WORKLOAD
At Temple, graduate student employees cannot be forced to work more than 20 hrs. each week−with fractional appointments given a proportional maximum work load. There’s a procedure for review if a worker feels their workload is too high and is inconsistent with work guidelines. If the review finds the graduate student employee is working more than required, the administration will pay for the extra work done on a pro rata basis. They may also reduce the workload, add assistance, or, with the consent of the graduate student employee, increase the workload set forth in their appointment letter to include the additional hours of work and increase the TA/RAs wages commensurately.
JOB SECURITY
At the University of Iowa, the graduate student employees bargained contract language that committed departments to honoring initial offers of employment length, gave employees the right to protest below standard evaluations, and required departments to provide employees written descriptions of their duties and associated time expectations.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM
At the University of Florida, Graduate Assistants United has a contract provision that provides freedom for TAs to “give their own interpretations of instructional materials used by them─whether self-chosen or prescribed,” and encourages RAs to “exercise creativity” in their research work.
HARRASSMENT/DIVERSITY TRAINING
The Teaching Assistants Association at the University of Wisconsin – Madison negotiated for a fund of $50,000 a year to be used for training in the areas of harassment and diversity. Graduate Student Employees who attend the training receive an increase in their stipends.
WORKPLACE SAFETY
The union at the University of Oregon negotiated for paid training on equipment that poses a safety hazard for graduate student employees, and New York University negotiated for a workplace safety committee that includes graduate student employees to oversee safety issues.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
- The graduate student employee union at Temple University negotiated a contract provision that provides a 15% discount at the university bookstore.
- The union at the University of Michigan’s contract ensures that graduate student employees have a say in determining the departmental class size limit.
Graduate Students United at the University of Chicago have campaigned for and won the right for students on parental leave to retain their student status, allowing the retention of visa status, health insurance, and access to university facilities