COMING SOON: a summary and full text of our third TA/GA contract (2009-2012). In the meantime, you can download a PDF version of the final 09/12 contract. You may also view the FULL TEXT or PDF version of the previous (06/09) contract. You can also download a PDF of the GEO’s first contract.
This is a summary of the gains in our third (09/12) contract. You can download a handbill summarizing the contract gains here.
Major Contract Gains:
- Unprecedented contractual protection for tuition waivers
- An increase to the minimum salary in each contract year
- Increased health insurance coverage
- Increased parental accommodation period
Salary:
- Effective August 16, 2009-August 15, 2010, the minimum salary for a 50% nine month appointment is $13,840. Lower percentages are calculated proportionally; for example, the minimum salary for a 33% TA or GA appointment is $9,134.
- Unlike the previous contract (06/09), an annual cost of living increase is assessed only to the minimum salary – no annual raise is mandated for any salary above the minimum.
- The minimum salary for a 50% nine month appointment will be $14,250 in AY 2010-’11 and $14,820 in AY
2011-2012.
Parental Leave
- Eligible TAs and GAs are entitled to up to six weeks of “parental accommodation” following the birth or adoption of a child. An assistant is eligible if s/he holds an active appointment at the time the leave is taken.
- These six weeks consist of: two weeks paid parental leave, two weeks paid sick leave, personal unpaid leave
of absence up to the six week maximum if the assistant does not have enough paid sick leave. The first two
weeks of paid parental leave is guaranteed, and does not require sick leave.
Health Care
- The University will contribute 65% of the Student Health Insurance fee in the first year and 75% in the
remaining two years of the contract.
Tuition Waivers
- “During the term of this Agreement, Graduate Assistants and Teaching Assistants will not have their tuition
waivers reduced while they hold qualifying assistantships, are in good academic standing, and are making
proper progress toward graduation in the program in which they began.” - The GEO and the University stipulate that “this commitment is consistent with longstanding and ongoing
practice,” meaning that changes to tuition waiver policy that violate past practice are grievable under the
contract.
Scope/Coverage:
- The contract duration is August 16, 2009-August 15, 2012.
- The contract covers all members of the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) bargaining unit, whether or not they are members of the GEO. With few exceptions, all graduate employees who hold Teaching or Graduate Assistantships are members of the bargaining unit. Fellows or RAs who do not hold TA or GAships are not subject to the contract. It is very common for graduate employees to move in and out of the bargain-ing unit as their appointments change from semester to semester.
Questions? Call the GEO office at (217) 344-8283 or speak with your departmental steward.