After a long battle following the 9-11 attacks, University of Florida administration eliminated discriminatory fees against international students, many of whom are graduate employees covered by the University Board of Trustees/GAU Contract.  Union Co-President Todd Reynolds hailed international worker involvement in several public protests, and coordinated union efforts at the statehouse, as the impetus behind the reversal.  Just a few weeks prior, an independent auditing committee found that, indeed, UF acted without statutory authority in creating the fee.  UF GAU became the focus of national media attention when it began a legal, grassroots, and political struggle against the $50/semester fee.  UF claimed the fee was used to investigate possible security threats, but it could never show how these fees were spent or why other similar fees were distributed evenly over the general student population. Read the full press release here

NEW GAU FAQ!!!

Grads Ratify 2005 - 2008 Contract! - On Thursday evening, Sep. 29th, grad employees in the bargaining unit unanimously ratified the Tentative Agreement (TA) with the University Board of Trustees.  The University Board of Trustees had previously ratified the TA.  Major changes include an increase to $500 for the health benefit and a record 3.6% across-the-board increase.  At the general meeting, grads expressed an interest in seeing a more competitive provider environment.  Many felt that Scarborough insurance does not provide adequate health insurance.  Currently, Scarborough is the only "university-approved" provider with payroll deduction, and thus the only one that domestic grads can utilize for the benefit.  International workers have a few more options, but they would also like to see the benefit become more competitive with UF's peer institutions.   See the New Contract HERE!

Organizing Campaign - Because of high turnover in our unit, our membership drive never really ends.  Without strong and active membership and the creation of a strong grad community (what we call "organizing" in union parlance), we can easily loose decades of gains in health benefits, tuition waivers, and the struggle for international grad worker rights.  Your dues are valuable, but your time and your effort to recruit new members from your department are even more vital.  The Organizing Co-Chair and office staff are coordinating campus office visits, phone banks, and other recruiting and activism events to increase presence and membership.  Please hit the "ORGANIZING" button to the left for more, or contact us at organizing@ufgau.org.

Departmental Socials - If a GAU member from a department would like to hold a social at a local establishment or in their home, they should contact officers@ufgau.org or phone 392-0274 to invite a GAU officer or organizer.  The best place to organize is among your colleagues and friends in a relaxed environment.  GAU is happy to recommend a suitable venue and send a representative.

GAU TRIVIA . . . How did UF keep grads from getting health benefits?
                Find the Answer On our Health Benefits Page.

Check out what Other Non-Tenured Academic Professionals are doing.

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