Such an amazing rally today!!! And yet our members face more emails from the Provost trying to pressure our entire campus community to settle, and let go of getting paid leave for parents and injured workers who need it most. Such a disappointment. Seeing hundreds and hundreds of GTFs, members of the entire campus community, and fellow workers from around the state of Oregon at the rally today was inspiring. Well have lots of great photos from todays event to share. In the mean time, please feel free to read this translation of the Provosts email put together by one of our very talented GTFs: --------------------------------- (From the Mass Email Provost Bronet sent out en mass) I want to assure you that the University of Oregon is working hard to find common ground and avert a strike, but it is also fully prepared to deal with the unpleasant possibility of a walkout. Translation: We are freaking out. Telling professors to do the GTFs work is pissing them off, and there is no one else around able to grade and do the work of the GTFs. Later this week, both sides will sit down for the first of two mediation sessions. It is our hope that the GTFF bargaining team will see the benefits of the university’s current offer and will work with us to bring negotiations to a close. Translation: We are close to caving, but really, REALLY hope the GTFF does first. The current proposal offers the equivalent of a 9 percent pay increase, over two years, on minimum graduate student salaries. Also included is the extension of full health care, vision and dental benefits for the students and their families, including for GTFs working as few as eight hours per week during the academic year. Translation: A living wage is fine to push down the road another few years. And ignore the fact we tried to screw up the healthcare last school year and give us credit for the hard earned improvements the GTFF did on that. Beyond employment benefits that exceed those of many Oregonians working in the private sector, our graduate students receive full tuition waivers in their role as graduate teaching fellows. This means that many will earn their graduate degree with very few extra out-of-pocket costs. In fact, 72 percent of UO GTFs do not take out student loans. Translation: You earn money by shopping at stores when they have sales going on. A penny saved is like another entire salary. We trust that the degrees they earn at UO will prepare them for careers as teachers, researchers, and administrators in the public sector and for employment in the private sector that will maximize their potential for success. Translation: Yeah, we know that having a degree does not guarantee employment and the earning potential of a college degree has eroded significantly over the past few years as the economy has slowed, but still, the GTFs should be grateful to get anything at all. The university has moved a great deal during these contract negotiations and we are proud of the progress we have made. We hope that the GTFF leadership is ready to demonstrate its willingness to find common ground so that graduate students across the institution can return their full attention to their education and to helping the university teach our undergraduate students. Translation: We messed this up so bad. But still, we tried. And, we are big, rich, and scary so the GTF and other Unions should respect our authority and shape up. The message that has been lost in all the rhetoric is the fact that, first and foremost, these GTFs are students. They are among the best and brightest at the University of Oregon. They are in training to become first-rate scholars and researchers, poised to make careers for themselves and support their families. The offer the university has on the table helps these students achieve their goals. Translation: Students should never have children, never get injured, never have need of leave, and dont deserve a living wage. Students arent employees. Students should be quiet and be happy with what we are willing to give them. [NOTE: This is not an official GTFF response to the Provosts email. Its reflective of the general sentiments of GTFs around campus right now though, in particular one GTF who is highly skilled in tricky task of translation of the written word. While it is disappointing to see the Provost use their position to push GTFs into settling, we also just want to take the opportunity to applaud GTFs who are willing to use their voices to speak the truth.]
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 04:59:43 +0000