2014 Bargaining

The Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation and the University of Oregon Administration are currently in the process of working out a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for graduate teaching fellows (GTFs). This page serves as composite source for information about bargaining.

 

Introduction

The GTFF and University of Oregon enter into contract negotiations every two years. A contract for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 academic year began in November of 2013 and is currently still ongoing.

 

Information for Faculty, Staff, Students and GTFs

Here are numerous FAQs about bargaining.

 

 

State of Bargaining entering 2014-15 AY

A description of the state of bargaining after the summer of 2014 and where the GTFF looks to go from here to finalize a contract is available here.

Clarification Misunderstandings

The GTFF has heard some misinformation about our bargaining. Some clarification information is available here.

 

Articles still open

There are a number of articles that are still opening and being discussed by the two bargaining teams. These articles can be broken into 2 categories, articles that are in the financial package and those that deal with ratification. The two groups are divided up accordingly below.

Financial Package Articles

All financial package articles must be agreed to as a complete package. The teams have effectively agreed to language on some articles (marked with a *), but since they are part of the overall financial package, they have not been finalized and could still change before a final agreement on the financial package has been reached.

Article 18 Summer Session* Latest Admin Proposal Latest GTFF Proposal
(same as Admin Proposal)
Article 21 Salary Latest Admin Proposals:
Option 1
Option 2		 Latest GTFF Proposal
Article 22 Tuition Waivers* Latest Admin Proposal Latest GTFF Proposal
(same as Admin Proposal)
Article 23 Health Insurance Latest Admin Proposal Latest GTFF Proposal
Article 28 Absences Latest Admin Proposal Latest GTFF Proposal
Appendix B Family and Medical Leave Latest Admin Proposal Keep current appendix
language if no paid leave

A few notes:

  • For article 21, salary, the Administration has most recently proposed two options, one that provides raises of 6.1% for level I GTFs and 3% raises for levels II and III for both years, and a second that provides 5% increase for all minimum rates in year 1 and 4% for all minimum rates in year 2. The Administration has stated they are open to other suggestions for how to provide raises, as long as the total cost of the raises is the same as their proposals (around $1.02 million over the two years of the contract).
  • Article 22, tuition waivers, also contains language about student fees. Limiting tuition waivers for GTFs was never a topic discussed by either side, but changing how GTFs pay student fees was discussed, which is why this article was opened.
  • The Administration transferred nearly all of the language in the Family and Medical Leave appendix into their proposal for article 28, it was not just cut entirely.
  • The evolution of the “size” of financial packages is below. You can click the image for a PDF.

finan-graph-ay14

 

Ratification Articles

The GTFF believes the Board of Trustees, not the University President, should be the body that ratifies the agreement between the GTFF and the University, just as the state Board of Higher Education had been in the entire 38 year history of the GTFF. Giving this power to the President would be an unprecedented change in our own collective bargaining agreement and in graduate student CBA’s nationally, as no other University President has this authority.

As the public body that runs the University of Oregon and oversees its mission, priorities and values, the Board of Trustees should play a key role in overseeing how these are reflected in collective bargaining agreements, rather than the President, whose turn over is much faster than that of the Board. The Board of Trustees, just as the Board of Higher Education had done, can delegate the negotiations to other parties, but the GTFF believes that the Board should hold the final ratification power to guarantee the University is living up to its long-standing values with respect to its employees.

Article 31 Negotiation of Successor Agreement Latest Admin Proposal Latest GTFF Proposal
Article 33 Notices and Communications Latest Admin Proposal Latest GTFF Proposal

 

How do I read these, you might ask. Colored text are changes from the current CBA. Green or blue text is language written by one side that the other has accepted. Red text are changes being proposed by the side writing a proposal. In the health insurance proposal by the Administration, some red crossed-out text is language proposed by the Administration previously that they are removing in the latest proposal.

Strike Authorization Vote

In the Spring 2014 term, the GTFF membership voted overwhelmingly, 98% in favor, to authorize a strike if the University were unwilling to agree to a platform set by the membership. Information about the strike follows.

 

 

Statements of Support

The GTFF has received the support of a number of different organizations. These statements are available here.

 

TA’d Articles

Following are articles that have been “TA’d” (tentatively agreed to). This means both sides have agreed to the new contract language, signed off on it, and set that article aside to be included in the finalized agreement.

Article 3 Union Rights Opened by Administration Signed 2/14/14
Article 4 Dues deductions/Fair Share Members Opened by Administration Signed 2/21/14
Article 8 Nondiscrimination Opened by GTFF Signed 4/18/14
Article 9 Work Agreement/Work Assignment Opened by GTFF Signed 9/30/14
Article 10 Health, Safety and Work Environment Opened by GTFF Signed 5/7/14
Article 12 Evaluations Opened by Administration Signed 2/14/14
Article 13 Grievances Opened by GTFF Signed 3/14/14
Article 15 Arbitration Opened by Administration Signed 2/14/14
Article 16 Discipline and Discharge Opened by Administration Signed 3/14/14
Article 17 Appointment/Reappointment Opened by GTFF Signed 5/9/14
Article 20 Layoffs Opened by GTFF Signed 5/9/14
Article 25 Courses as a Condition of Employment Opened by Administration Signed 3/21/14
Article 30 Severability Opened by Administration Signed 2/14/14
Article 32 Printing and Distribution of the Contract Opened by Administration Signed 2/14/14
Appendix H Ongoing Systematic Monitoring of Course Load Opened by GTFF Signed 3/21/14
New Appendix Criminal Records Checks Opened by Administration Signed 3/14/14
New Appendix Drug Testing Opened by Administration Signed 4/18/14

 

 

Bargaining in the News

The GTFF has had much news coverage in relation to bargaining. Below are links to these articles.

 

 

Public Statements about Bargaining

The GTFF has taken advantage of a number of opportunities to speak to the campus community, the public, and the University Administration about bargaining. Fellow are a collection of a variety of statements made by members of the GTFF.

 

 

Bargaining Session Updates

Below are updates released by the GTFF that cover individual bargaining sessions.

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