Communication About the Threatening Statements

Jim Clark, acting on our behalf, sent this communication to the dean of the graduate school, David Wilson, about statements made in the Southern about our tuition scholarships and other aspects of graduate assistant working conditions and pay:

 

Dean Wilson:

 Prior to the October 21, 2011 bargaining session I asked the Graduate School staff if a Graduate Assistant Handbook still existed as part of the Graduate School policies.  At the October 21 session I asked you if you had such a document and you presented the GAU Bargaining Team with a copy of the 2007-2010 Agreement between the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University and the GAU.  You said the collective bargaining contract is the policy.

In the Southern Illinoisan online article of October 26 (copy attached) SIU spokesperson Rod Sievers makes a threat to punish Assistants who do not work 13 weeks.  He also threatens to require GA repayment to the university for the employer share of student-fee paid health coverage [assistants have already paid in full the primary care fee] if an assistant exercises his/her right to strike. Participating in a legal action is not a break in employment negating insurance benefits or payments as asserted by Mr. Sievers.

The statements of Mr. Sievers are not express provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and are inappropriate and misleading.

On behalf of GAU, I ask that you and SIU Legal Counsel take immediate steps to require Mr. Sievers to publicly retract his October 26 statements as erroneous and misleading.  In addition, I am also informing you under advice of IEA Legal Counsel that the Chancellor’s recent FAQ to graduate assistants must also be retracted since it contains illegal threats of punishment and retaliation designed to chill graduate assistants in the exercise of their legal right to strike under the Illinois Educational Labor Relation Act.

Please provide me and GAU President, Jim Podesva with proof of compliance within 24 hours of receipt of this communication.

James F. Clark
Uniserv Director
Illinois Education Association-NEA
500 E. Plaza Drive
Suite 5
Carterville, Illinois 62918
Tele:  618-733-4472 (Work)
800-431-3730 (Toll Free)
Fax:    618-733-4481

We will keep you updated on the administrative response.