2018-2019 Bargaining

What’s happening in negotiations?

The GTFF entered contract negotiations with UO administration in November 2018, presenting them with proposals based on our R.A.I.S.Ebargaining platform.

In April 2019, after months of minimal movement, GTFF called for mediation and continued to bargain during the summer term.

In September 2019, GTFF declared impasse, starting off a legal timeline for our next steps. On Thursday, October 3, teams exchanged “last best final” offers, but continued to negotiate. 

Between October 15 and 17, over 85% of the membership cast ballots in our strike authorization vote, and 1,044 members—over 95% of voters—voted to authorize the executive board to call a strike if necessary.  On October 24, we deemed it necessary, and declared our intent to strike on November 4 if a deal was not reached.

Thanks to this credible strike threat and our active and engaged membership, alongside incredible community, undergraduate, faculty, and staff allies, we reached a tentative agreement late October 29, five days before a potential strike and after nearly one year of negotiations. We successfully defended our quality, affordable health care coverage while achieving 3% raises for minimum salaries and 1.4% increases for all salaries. More details of this tentative agreement are forthcoming, and we will be holding a ratification vote in the next few weeks.

Questions? Check out our Bargaining FAQs page.

For updates on our bargaining efforts, check out our Bargaining Blog!

Support our bargaining efforts!

Sign our petition to ask the university to agree to a fair contract for GEs now!

Bargaining Platform

We R.A.I.S.E. each other up!

Recognition & Development
We insist the university take into account the many roles of Graduate Employees on campus and provide ample support for those roles, both individually and in general. We expect the university to treat GEs – the group that teaches the most classes and produces the most research on campus – as professionals and to support our service to the university. We demand recognition of the critical roles GEs play at this university and for the administration to invest in our development as researchers, teachers, and professionals.

Accountability, Transparency, & Participation
We demand the university act transparently to assure accountability on decisions that affect the GE population, undergraduates, and faculty. GE hiring decisions should be made in tandem with graduate workers, our students should not fear immigration enforcement in our classrooms, and the university must make tangible movement towards a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable campus.

International Student Advocacy
We demand the university recognize the needs of international employees and students. International graduate workers are in an increasingly precarious position with their visa status under constant threat from heinous immigration policies. The university must ensure that international GEs are treated with the same dignity and respect as domestic GEs while removing economic and administrative barriers to their flourishing.

Safety, Equity, & Inclusivity
We stand for the fair treatment of all GEs regardless of their identity or status. We demand that disparities not exist between GEs on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, etc. Where disparities do exist, we demand the university take actionable, concrete steps to rectify those inequities. In particular, we intend to dramatically improve the lives of parents, GEs of color, GEs with disabilities, and those of non-normative sexual and gender identities by providing more services and preventing discrimination throughout the university.  

Economically Fair & Dignified Standard of Living
We demand the university support the well-being of its GEs by finally committing to a real living wage and support for affordable housing. The vast majority of GE salaries remain well under the university’s own cost of living calculations. Housing prices continue to skyrocket year-to-year throughout Eugene, leaving many GEs without safe and affordable housing. Combined, these two pincers leave many GEs with constant economic anxiety and in tremendous debt. We will not rest until the university treats its teachers and researchers with the dignity they deserve through adequate financial compensation.

GTFF’s Bargaining Proposals

See all of the changes the GTFF Bargaining Committee would like to make to our contract with the university:
GTFF Bargaining Proposals – 11/9/2018

Read a summary of these proposals:
Info Booklet

UO’s Bargaining Proposals

See all of the changes UO would like to make to our contract with them:
UO Opening Proposals – 1/18/2019

Read a summary of these proposals:
Letter from the President

Bargaining Committee

Voted in by the membership on October 19, 2018, the members of the Bargaining Committee include the following:

    • Youssef Bennaser (Economics)
    • Trevor Brunnenmeyer (Physics)
    • Curtis Dlouhy (Economics)
    • Michelle Dreiling (SOJC)
    • Michael Hurst (Chemistry)
    • Alexis Kiessling (Chemistry)
    • Andy Labuza (Sociology)
    • Haley Laningham (Creative Writing)
    • Pearl Lee (Comparative Literature)
    • Alberto Lioy (Political Science)
    • Rita Ludwig (Psychology)
    • Michael Magee (Political Science, GTFF President)
    • Michael Marchman (GTFF Staff Organizer)
    • Adam Morse (Geography)
    • Juan Ospina (Philosophy)
    • Hannah Pell (Music)
    • Larissa Petrucci (Sociology)
    • Kyle Raze (Economics)
    • Amy Robbins (Biology)
    • Morgan Sosa (Chemistry)
    • Sarah Stach (Political Science)