Continuing a recent trend, bargaining session of 9/19 was substantially productive. Most of the discussion focused on the GEO’s counter to a package of Administration proposals that explicitly includes evaluations, training, appointment terms, and discipline/dismissal. The package of proposals also covers some issues currently contained in job security and work rules. The GEO also presented a counter on employment files and introduced tuition and fees. The Administration presented counters on health and safety and no-strike. The sides also discussed the elimination of paper staff cards. As long expected, the sides signed off on the expenses article.
Details
After an extensive review of the Administration’s evaluations/training/appointment terms package the bargaining team agreed that the proposals represented substantial Administration movement. On almost every clause of each article the GEO was able to accept Administration language with little or no modification. The only substantial disagreements concerned those sections of the Appointment terms article dealing with discipline for unsatisfactory conduct. Although the Administration has moved towards a model that treats discipline rather than dismissal as the normal remedy for most job performance deficiencies, the GEO wishes disciplinary procedures to be more explicitly laid out and to include more extensive protections for grad employees.
The employment files article places limitations on what information the University may keep in a grad employee’s employment file and ensures grad employee access to that file. The GEO counter takes into account information provided by the Administration regarding university filing procedures. Remaining disagreement is focused on the sorts of materials that are allowed to be included in the files. In particular, the GEO wishes to have records of grievances excluded from the file.
The Health and Safety article establishes the extent of the University’s responsibility for providing a safe work environment. Some time ago, the GEO presented a comprehensive proposal including both a general commitment to safety and specific recommendations on such issues as asbestos removal, provision of first aid equipment, and late night security. The Administration has been unwilling to do more than voice a general commitment to maintaining a safe work environment and a willingness to abide by applicable law. The new Administration counter differs from previous proposals only in the inclusion of a clause requiring grad employees to report unsafe work environments. The proposal does not articulate an obligation for unsafe working conditions to be fixed.
The Administration’s proposal on no-strike showed more movement. Illinois law requires that every contract include a clause prohibiting the union from striking during the term of the contract.
The GEO’s main objection to previous Administration proposals was that they seemed to threaten grads rights to engage in non-union political activity. The new Administration proposal contains language that acknowledges this concern. Although the GEO does not think the Administration language provides adequate protections, the disagreement does not seem to be insurmountable.
The agreed upon expenses article provides that grad employees will not be expected to pay job related costs of travel, lab equipment, immunizations, and certifications. Elsewhere, the sides agreed that grads would not be required to pay for teaching supplies and other work related materials.
The GEO proposal on tuition and fees seeks to guarantee full tuition waivers for teaching assistants and full fee waivers for all assistants. In addition, the GEO has asked that the SEVIS tracking fee be paid for all international grad assistants. A tuition waiver was not requested for GA’s because an anomaly in tax law would make such a waiver taxable income, costing GA’s hundreds of dollars in tax liability. The GEO did reserve the right to re-open discussion in the event that the Administration threatened to eliminate the GA waiver.
As part of a university wide effort to reduce the use of paper, grad assistants will no longer be automatically provided with staff identification cards. The cards remain available upon request. The Administration has agreed to notify grads of their right to request a staff card.
The next bargaining session will be Friday, October 3. The Administration is expected to present counters on tuition and fees, employment files, and the
evaluations/training/appointment terms package. The GEO may present counters on health and safety and nostrike. Discussion may begin on other economic issues.