Tentative Agreements as of August 2020
- Establishes a clear timeline for notifications of funding and appointments and improves upon current practice that is inconsistent between programs and departments.
- Outlines the content of appointment letters and other information to be provided prior to the start of an appointment.
- Improves funding security for student workers to avoid last minute withdrawals of prior commitments.
- Stipulates a right to review, copy, and supplement confidential employment files.
- Memorializes provision of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Provides protections against having to work in unsafe environments.
- Increases student worker input on health and safety issues.
- Guarantees protection against retaliation for reporting health and safety concerns.
- Codifies university compliance with New York State Workers’ Compensation law.
- Establishes a right to an alternate day off if a student worker has to work on a university holiday.
- Establishes a provision for one personal day off per semester for salaried workers.
Intellectual Property and Research Integrity
- Guarantees coverage under CU’s IP policies.
- Establishes protection against retaliation for asserting IP or Research Misconduct rights.
- Guarantees that the contract remains in effect even if a section is found to be unlawful.
- Provides for sections that are found to be unlawful to be renegotiated.
- Establishes that necessary trainings & orientations are considered part of the workload.
- Provides increased worker input on content and delivery of trainings.
- Establishes a right to timely reimbursements, travel advances, direct funding, and travel insurance.
- Establishes a 10-member (5 from GWC-UAW and 5 from CU) joint committee that will meet each semester to discuss student worker issues during the contract.
- Establishes protection from being required to work more than an average of 20 hours per week.
- Allows unreasonable workloads to be grieved if not resolved with the department chair.
- Guarantees access to workspace, facilities, equipment, materials, and internet access required to perform duties.
- Establishes a right to timely reimbursement of pre-approved purchases for materials.
- Provides a 30-day notice of any changes to a workplace.
Open Article Proposals
SA = Student Assistant
Appointment Guarantee
Up to 7 years of eligibility for doctoral student to receive SA appointments when they do not otherwise have funding.
Not included in CU’s economic response.
Compensation and Payroll
Floor of $43.5k/year for doctoral SAs. Minimum rate of $46/hour for all hourly SAs. On-time pay. Annual increases in pay rates that account for rate of standard inflation/CU’s annual rent increase.
3-year agreement. No quantitative proposals for the first year of the contract. 2% annual across-the-board increases in the two consecutive years.
Discipline and Discharge
Employment-related disciplinary actions only for just cause. Both parties agree to have a conference meeting before any suspension or discharge. For cases of suspension or discharge, expedited grievance procedure and pay status and student status maintained until the arbitrator renders a decision.
Discipline and discharge for conduct related to academic matters to continue to be at CU’s discretion and not subject to grievance or arbitration. Discipline and discharge for other (narrowly-defined) conduct will be only for just cause.
Family Friendly Benefits
Untaxed and increased subsidies. Proper access to childcare facilities. Increased flexibility in scheduling for SAs with caretaking responsibilities.
Not included in CU’s economic response.
Fee and Tuition Waivers
Waived full tuition costs for PhD SAs and 50% of tuition costs for Masters SAs. Waived fees (e.g., International Services Charge, Student Activity Fee) for all SAs.
Not included in CU’s economic response.
Grievance and Arbitration
Both parties agree that all disputes under the contract should be subject to a 3-step grievance procedure and then outside arbitration if unresolved.
High standard of treating Management and Academic Rights in arbitration.
Health Benefits
Enhancements to previous 100 plan that would improve coverage for prescription drugs, emergency, mental health, and gender-nonconforming services. Improved dental and vision coverage. Timely, accessible, and appropriate delivery of on-campus health services.
Considered a student benefit and a management right. 100 plan seen as an unreasonable starting point in negotiations. No movement regarding improvements to on-campus health services. No written counter.
International Worker Rights and Protections
Both parties agree that SAs unable to return to the U.S. due to immigration issues may perform duties outside of the U.S. In addition, we agree that a reasonable amount of time off should be provided to attend to immigration proceedings.
CU insists that certain provisions of this article are not subject to the grievance and arbitration procedure.
Job Posting
Both parties agree that most of the time appointments are made without posting and those that aren’t can be posted on a central website. We specify what information should be included in a job posting.
CU will use the currently existing website(s) to post open hire positions.
Leaves of Absence
Paid leaves for medical reasons, disability, taking care of family, childcare, bereavement, civic duty. Regular pay, benefits, and appointments preserved for SAs on leave.
SAs to be governed by student leaves policies. Status quo of parental accommodation and unpaid personal leave of absence for Doctoral students. Reasonable number of days for sick leave.
Management and Academic Rights
Outlines the management and academic rights of CU unless otherwise stated elsewhere in the contract.
Establishes management and academic rights of the CU unless expressly modified by any provision of the contract. Health care benefit as student benefit. Violation of this provision not subject to Grievance and Arbitration.
No Strike/No Lockout
No written or verbal response.
No strikes or lockouts for the duration of the contract.
Non-discrimination and Harassment
Codifies definitions of forms of harassment and discriminatory conduct and expands to include bullying (power-based harassment). Makes those cases grievable and arbitrable with real recourse to lower the barriers to reporting, interim measures, and a fair process.
Memorializes CU EOAA policy and statutory regulations, which, for instance, do not account for bullying (power-based harassment) as harassment and discrimination.
Past Practices
Practices not explicitly covered by the contract to continue unless altered by mutual consent.
Rejected.
Professional Development
Funds for participation in and/or development of conferences, seminars and workshops outside of those required by appointments.
Not included in CU’s economic response.
Recognition
Reflects certification decision of the NLRB and the Bargaining Framework Agreement.
Only recognizes fully-funded Doctoral SAs. All undergraduate, Masters, and casual/part-time SAs excluded from the contract.
Retirement Programs
Current Voluntary Retirement Savings Program.
Not included in CU’s economic response.
Subcontracting
No Bargaining Unit work shall be subcontracted.
Rejected.
Successorship
Collective bargaining agreement to remain in case of CU or any of its parts being sold or removed from CU’s jurisdiction in any other way.
Rejected as having unlikely practical need.
Tax Assistance
Discounted access to tax assistance and free access to appropriate software.
Not included in CU’s economic response.
Titles and Classification
Clear system of appointment titles depending on duties.
No substantial verbal response or written counter.
Transportation
Access to pre-tax benefit program available to other CU employees. Improvements to shuttle services provided by CU.
Not included in CU’s economic response.
Union Access and Rights
Access to information about the unit, SAs offices, orientations, and facilities to conduct Union business.
Access to SAs’ offices, with the exception of restricted areas. Access to information about the bargaining unit limited by CU’s interpretation of FERPA.
Union Security
Union shop: Union dues or fair share fees as a condition of employment. Voluntary membership in the Union.
Open shop: Voluntary membership in the Union and dues contributions.
Vacation
Minimum number of vacation days per year: 16 days of vacation per year for 12-month appointments and 12 days for those on appointment for two consecutive semesters.
10 days of vacation per year for 12-month appointments. SAs on teaching appointments for two consecutive semesters are entitled to 7 vacation days.
GWC-UAW Bargaining Committee:
Contact us: gwc.bargaining@gmail.com
Andrew Bishop, Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics
Lilian Coie, Neurobiology and Behavior
Tristan du Puy, Sustainable Development
Steven Lazickas, School of International and Public Affairs
Joanna Lee, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Ludda Ludwig, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Lauren Moseley, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Miles Richardson, Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies
Kinnari Shah, Earth and Environmental Engineering
Anna Waller, Theatre and Performance
Next Bargaining Dates:
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Friday, October 16, 1:30 pm-5:00 pm
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Wednesday, October 28, 9:30 am-1:00 pm
RSVP to our upcoming bargaining session(s)
