Eagen, Michael

English

The Keep

Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - The UConn Perspective

Eastern Illinois University

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the AcademyVolume 0 National Center Proceedings 2016 Article 19September 2016Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, andNegotiations - The UConn PerspectiveMichael EagenUniversity of ConnecticutFollow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/jcbaPart of the Collective Bargaining Commons, and the Higher Education CommonsThis Proceedings Material is brought to you for free and open access by The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Collective Bargainingin the Academy by an authorized editor of The Keep. For more information, please contact tabruns@eiu.edu.Recommended CitationEagen, Michael (2016) "Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - The UConn Perspective," Journal of CollectiveBargaining in the Academy: Vol. 0 , Article 19.Available at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/jcba/vol0/iss11/19Graduate Assistant Unionization and Negotiations  The UConn Perspective  Overview  History of Labor Organizing at UConn  Factors that Contributed to GA Unionization  The UAW Organizing Drive  UConn’s Decision to Remain Neutral  Outcome  The Negotiations & Ultimate Agreement  1Eagen: Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - ThePublished by The Keep, 2016History of  Labor Organizing at UConn  1975 State Employees Relations Act (SERA) enables faculty and professional staff at State Colleges & Universities to organize and collectively bargain directly with their Boards of Trustees   In 1977 faculty and professional staff at UConn negotiate first contracts with the Board of Trustees   91% of full-time workforce at UConn is currently unionized  2Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy, Vol. 0, Iss. 11 [2016], Art. 19http://thekeep.eiu.edu/jcba/vol0/iss11/19Factors Contributing to GA Unionization  Health Insurance Changes – GAs moved from self-insured employee health insurance plan to fully-insured student health plan with higher out-of-pocket costs  Spousal and Dependent Benefits – Proposed elimination/reduction of subsidies for spousal and dependent health insurance   Fee Increases – Increases in student fees not covered by the GA tuition waiver   Teaching Loads– Increased teaching loads in few University departments   Lack of Appeal Process– Inadequate grievance procedures for GAs to appeal decisions about workloads, time off requests, and allegations of discrimination and discriminatory harassment  3Eagen: Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - ThePublished by The Keep, 2016The UAW Organizing Drive  Fall 2013 Graduate Student Senate responds to adverse changes by passing a resolution that:   “The right of a graduate assistants to collectively bargain over terms  and conditions of employment is the only viable recourse for  ensuring the well-being of graduate assistants, the graduate school,  and the University of Connecticut.”    UAW begins card collection drive seeking to unionize UConn’s 2200 Graduate Research and Teaching Assistants   GAs gain support from other campus unions including AAUP and UConn professionals as well as a number of elected officials   Spring 2014 – UAW requests that UConn Administration enter into a neutrality agreement 4Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy, Vol. 0, Iss. 11 [2016], Art. 19http://thekeep.eiu.edu/jcba/vol0/iss11/19University’s Decision to Remain Neutral  Connecticut’s congressional delegation and all state constitutional officers signed letters endorsing the right of UConn GA’s to unionize and urging the University to remain neutral   Majority support for unionization was clear   GA’s status as “employees” for collective bargaining was unsettled    Favorable labor board ruling or enabling legislation was likely   NYU had recently entered a similar agreement with UAW   UConn has a long history of strong and constructive relationships with labor unions that represent 91% of UConn’s workforce  5Eagen: Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - ThePublished by The Keep, 2016The Neutrality Agreement  UConn agrees that GA’s are “employees” only for the purpose of collective bargaining under the state labor relations laws   Academic matters are not subject to collective bargaining including:  Selection of who becomes a GA  Decisions regarding who is taught, what is taught, how it’s taught and who does the teaching  Decisions around academic progress  Decisions regarding the establishment of tuition, fees, and charges of general application   6Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy, Vol. 0, Iss. 11 [2016], Art. 19http://thekeep.eiu.edu/jcba/vol0/iss11/19The Neutrality Agreement  The parties agree that GA’s are not covered by the state employee pension or healthcare   Arbitration will not reach academic policy matters   Majority status will be determined by “card check” and not a secret ballot election   UConn’s senior administration would not engage in efforts to influence a GA’s choice as to unionization   7Eagen: Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - ThePublished by The Keep, 2016Outcome  April 17, 2014 – Connecticut State Board of Labor Relations certifies the GEU-UAW as the exclusive representative of UConn’s teaching and research assistants after verifying signatures on authorization cards from over 70% of eligible GAs   June 2014 – GEU-UAW and UConn begin the process for negotiating a first contract   May 2015 – GEU-UAW and UConn reach a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement covering July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2018    8Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy, Vol. 0, Iss. 11 [2016], Art. 19http://thekeep.eiu.edu/jcba/vol0/iss11/19The Negotiations  Critical Issues in Bargaining  Health Insurance  Fee Waivers  Workload  Leaves of Absence  Compensation for Summer Work  University Prerogatives and Academic Rights     9Eagen: Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - ThePublished by The Keep, 2016

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Panel: Graduate Assistants, Unionization, and Negotiations - The UConn Perspective

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