Strike Watch #1

July 25, 2011 by Leave a comment

Strike Watch #1
July 25, 2011

Number of days without a contract: 390
Last bargaining session with the SIUC administration: July 13, 2011
Next bargaining session with the SIUC administration: August 2, 2011
Days left to the start of the academic year: 25

Fellow graduate assistants,

As of today, Graduate Assistants United (GAU) members at SIUC have been working without a contract for 390 days. On April 28, GAU filed an “Intent to Strike.” Since that moment, SIUC has been under a “strike watch.” We are at the moment where we decide whether to settle or strike and if no settlement has been reached, the general membership will move to authorize a strike and set a strike date.

Your bargaining team is working toward the following goals on your behalf:

  • Relief from fee increases that degrade the value of our stipend; the average GA does not actually get to keep their pay until mid-October and the rest is given back to the university in the form of skyrocketing fees
  • Primary care insurance fee is paid 100% by the university (our 2007-2010 contract had a university reimbursement of 50%); we are paying too much for inadequate health care that offers no coverage for partners, no vision, no dental, no prescription drug benefit, and a $1000 annual maximum out of pocket
  • The university’s compliance with the Affordable Care Act, which would include changes such as the removal of the one-year wait before preexisting conditions were covered; our current student health plan is not accountable to any agency — including the new regulations under this federal law
  • Assistants shall not be used to replace permanent workers and/or used as strike breakers under the “other duties” clause
  • GAU partnership with the administration expressed in the form of a reasonable fair share agreement that legitimizes graduate assistant solidarity and power; all graduate assistants pay a fair share fee for the  cost of  union representation.
  • A ratified agreement effective July 1, 2010.

A “strike watch” means conditions are favorable for a strike for GAU and our sister unions, the Association of Civil Service Employees, the Faculty Association, and the Non-Tenure Track Faculty Association. The administration can solve this crisis today by settling our contracts. Make your voice heard by joining GAU!

In solidarity,
Jim Podesva
GAU President

http://gaunited.org

Filed under bargaining, strike watch

The Board of Trustees Hears Our Message

July 14, 2011 by 1 Comment

Today’s showing at the Board of Trustees meeting was very successful! Fifty-five people showed up to the Board meeting and those of us wearing black far outnumbered everyone else! During the public comment portion of the BOT meeting, we had two speakers:

Kristi Brownfield, on behalf of Graduate Assistants United, delivered a statement urging the Board to make the public commitment to improve student health care by agreeing to follow the guidelines set out in the new Patient Affordable Health Care Act. You can read a text version of her remarks here:

GAU Health Care BOT Statement 07-14-2011 [PDF]

After Kristi was finished, William Stodden, a member of GAU, came to the podium to deliver our message about bargaining. He delivered the statement on behalf of the presidents of the four IEA-NEA unions on campus, the Association of Civil Service Employees, the Faculty Association, Graduate Assistants United, and the Non-Tenure Track Faculty Association. The letter asks the Board of Trustees to urge the teams bargaining on their behalf to come to the table and settle contracts. The 3400 members of those four unions have been working without a contract for 379 days as of July 14, 2011. You can read a text version of his comments here:

Union Presidents’ Letter to the Board of Trustees 07-14-2011 [PDF]

We also have video of Stodden delivering the statement available here on Youtube (via shaky camera phone, so I apologize for the quality!).

News coverage:
Union members protest to SIU board [The Southern]

379 Days Without A Contract

Union Members Holding the Contract Count

Union Members Filling the Seats

Union Members Filling the Seats

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures taken by David Vitoff during the meeting:

Cheng's Eye View of the BOT Meeting 07-14-2011

Cheng's Eye View of the BOT Meeting 07-14-2011

William Stodden Delivering the Letter to the BOT 07-14-2011

William Stodden Delivering the Letter to the BOT 07-14-2011

Members Remain Resolute in Front of the BOT 07-11-2011

Members Remain Resolute in Front of the BOT 07-11-2011

Kristi Brownfield Delivers GAU's Statement Regarding the Current Inadequate Student Health Care 07-11-2011

Kristi Brownfield Delivers GAU's Statement Regarding the Current Inadequate Student Health Care 07-11-2011

Labor Coalition Members Give a Standing Ovation After William Stodden Presents Letter 07-11-2011

Labor Coalition Members Give a Standing Ovation After William Stodden Presents Letter 07-11-2011

Filed under bargaining, board of trustees, events, health care

Labor Film Series

July 12, 2011 by Leave a comment

Labor Film Series Flier

Labor Film Series Flier

The four IEA unions are sponsoring a labor film series held at the Varsity Center for the Performing Arts. Join us for movies and discussion on:

Sunday July 17, 2pm: Bread and Roses, based on the fight of janitorial workers (SEIU) in L.A. for better working conditions and the right to unionize
Sunday August 14, 2pm: Inside Job, the award-winning documentary exposes the inner workings of the principles during the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent economic meltdown
Sunday September 18, 2pm: Struggles in Steel: The Fight for Equal Opportunity, over 70 African-American steel workers speak about their struggles for fair treatment during both their 125-year industry as well as after shutdown

Admission is free and family is welcome!

Filed under events

Send the Board of Trustees a Message

July 11, 2011 by Leave a comment

The SIUC Labor Coalition, comprised of all four locals on the SIUC campus, is organizing a collective action for Thursday, July 14th. On that day the SIU Board of Trustees will be meeting at approximately 10:00 in Ballroom B of the Student Center. Our plan is to gather in the lobby outside the ballrooms at 9:45 am. From there, we will go into the ballroom together, take seats, and hold up signs that simply say the number “379.” As of July 14th, this will be the number of days that SIUC employees will have been working without a contract – including graduate assistants. One person will be designated to hold up a larger sign that reads “How Many Days Without a Contract?”

The public comment portion of the meeting is scheduled for approximately 10:30 (the schedule is not always exact, so please allow for the possibility that it may happen a bit later). At that time, a Labor Coalition spokesperson will read a public statement to the BOT on behalf of all four IEA locals. The statement will convey our concerns about the gravity of the labor crisis at SIUC and our sincere hope that the BOT will join with us in preserving collective bargaining rights on our campus. A representative of GAU will also be speaking separately about health care under the inadequate and unfair student health care plan. At the end of the public comment portion of the meeting, we’ll distribute copies of the statement to fellow audience members, board members, and the press.

We are asking everyone to wear black to this action as a show of solidarity. Please help spread the word about this action and attend if at all possible. It is crucial that we show the Board that union power on this campus is strong.

Filed under board of trustees, events

Health Care Experiences

July 5, 2011 by 1 Comment

GAU will be approaching the Board of Trustees on Thursday July 14th to press them about our current health care coverage. This is a Do-It-Yourself health care plan that is not comparable to other health care plans across the state and GAU strongly believes that this should change in several ways. Some of the proposals still on the bargaining table:

Remove the year wait on preexisting conditions
Reduce the maximum-out-of-pocket (currently $1000)
Begin phasing in multi-tiered plans so that GAs (and other students) have access to options in quality health care (such as vision, dental, coverage for partners/dependents)

The SIUC health care plan is not regulated by the new federal government Affordable Health Care Act — which would require some of the changes we are asking for — and is not regulated by insurance laws in the State of Illinois. If changes are to be made only public pressure will get the SIUC administration to change the benefits– exercise your free speech rights and turn out for this event.

We need to hear more from graduate assistants who are dealing with the student health care plan. How has the coverage worked for you? What were your experiences dealing with the Student Health Center, local hospitals, and other health care providers? We would like to carry those stories to the Board of Trustees and let your voices demonstrate the coverage we have is inadequate and needs to be changed. Feel free to send us your stories at our email address (gau.siuc@gmail.com), on our website (http://gaunited.org), or on Facebook!

Filed under board of trustees, events, health care

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