Today, our team presented in detail changes we’ve proposed to Articles 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 25, and 35, as well as Appendix A. The University asked a few questions, but did not bring proposals of their own; they stated that we should expect to see some of their proposals at the next session. We are not thrilled to find ourselves needing to explain why mandatory attendance policies in a global pandemic can contribute to an unsafe workplace, or why we so frequently find ourselves overworked and underpaid. However, we look forward to seeing the University’s commitment to necessary solutions when they do bring their formal counters.
Our proposals include:
Health & Safety
- Increase access to and resources in lactation spaces
- Ability for GE’s to work with supervisors to modify attendance policies that would lead to an unsafe environment.
- Ensuring safe air quality and reasonable temperatures, as well as access to air purifiers upon request.
Respectful Workplace
- Clearer and more consistent hiring, evaluative, and workload determination processes
- Expediting disability accommodation requests
- Expanded language addressing workplace bullying
- Wireless internet for all GEs
- Publicized locations for all-gender bathrooms on each floor of the workplace, menstrual products provided in all bathrooms, and adding bidets on campus
- More grad-focused resources and GE positions in the Division of Grad Studies
- Increase access to employee information and compensated releases for union work.
We’ll be back in McKenzie 221 in two weeks at 12pm on April 21. Next time, we’re hoping to talk more about important contract protections for international GEs, the administrative needs of our incredible Health and Welfare Trust, and more! Bring a colleague or two and wear your GTFF shirt–we’ve got to keep showing the University how committed we are to getting the protections, compensation, and benefits that we need!