As usual, we began this week’s meeting with reports from organizing on the ground. We talked through questions and issues that had come up for graduate workers in different departments. Following on the university’s email about renewing health insurance for next year, a number of graduate workers have had questions or concerns about changes in coverage. Uptown, where the default graduate health plan has been the platinum plan, graduate workers are being switched to the gold plan by default, even though in many cases they can still get the platinum plan for free. We’re reaching out to different departments to see what they’re doing and to try and get the issue resolved, and we’ll be Uptown with our Bargaining Table this Tuesday, August 1 from 9am to 1pm to help people switch to the platinum plan. Come find us outside Hammer!
We’re also beginning to think about our organizing strategy for the Fall. We’re hoping to plan some events around orientation to reach out to new students, and are also planning on bringing the monthly general meetings back for the coming academic year.
Let us also remind you of all the events we have coming up! In addition to Tuesday’s Uptown Bargaining Table, we’re doing the first Workers’ Meal on discrimination and sexual harassment on Wednesday, August 2 at noon in Morningside (Mudd 1024) and at 6pm at CUMC (Taub Conference Room A P&S 12-460A). Lunch will be served at the downtown event and dinner will be served uptown!
Then we’ll have our next organizer training Friday, August 4th, and further in the future we’re planning our annual summer BBQ, and a Workers’ Forum with Congressman Jerry Nadler and other speakers on September 20. Stay tuned for more details!