Graduate Assistants United eNewsletter Vol. 2, No. 10, July 21, 2003 http://www.ufgau.org ------------------------------------------------------------ You are being sent this newsletter because GAU represents you in employment matters as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Florida. (If you have recently graduated you will automatically be removed from this list in September) =========================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: Save your union, save your contract International student issues Out-of-state tuition waivers UWF Faculty election Release-time position =========================================================== SAVE OUR UNION, SAVE YOUR CONTRACT Because of the administration's refusal to negotiate with our union, graduate assistants at the University of Florida are in danger of losing the rights guaranteed to us by GAU's contract. GAU is your union, and will only be as strong as the support and energy you give it. Now, more than ever, we need every GA's involvement to ensure that the university's management cannot roll back the clock 20 years on our compensation, terms of employment, and rights. Without our contract, we have no protection for tuition waivers and no guarantee of pay raises or even of basic employee rights and benefits. Without our contract, we have no basis from which to struggle for health insurance and better pay. Without our contract and our union, we will forfeit more than 20 years of hard-won progress. To save GAU, the majority of GAs need to sign blue collective bargaining authorization cards which state that we want our union to continue representing us in negotiations with the university. Signing these cards will ensure that the university cannot unilaterally change or dictate the terms of our employment. Union representatives are visiting GAs in their labs, offices, worksites, and homes; if you have yet to speak to your steward or a union organizer, contact the GAU office at the number and/or email address below to arrange to sign your card. GAU has launched an organizing campaign for the summer and fall to collect authorization cards and sign new members. We need volunteers from every department to talk with their colleagues about the union, collect cards, and build membership. Even if you only have a couple of hours a week, we can use your assistance in this campaign. To find out more, contact us at organizing@ufgau.org or 392-0274. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ISSUES In the wake of powerful protests last year by GAU and various international student groups, international students now have three choices for health insurance. Formerly, many students complained that the UF International Center was only offering one insurance choice. Please compare the insurance plans carefully to find the plan that best suits you. Many of us have spoken up to protest the $50 international student fee that was initiated last year. GAU has asked an attorney to explore the questionable legality of this fee and we will keep you updated if we find positive news. As the result of GAU's complaints to the administration, the International Center is once again allowing international graduate assistants to pay for their insurance via payroll deduction, something formerly available only to domestic graduate assistants. Please contact Scarborough Insurance directly if you would like to use payroll deduction to pay for your insurance through Scarborough. UWF FACULTY ELECTION In an overwhelming show of support, the faculty of the University of West Florida voted in favor of retaining the United Faculty of Florida as their union last month. Prior to the vote, the UWF administration had refused to recognize the faculty union on the same legal pretext that UF administrators are using in refusing to negotiate with GAU. But, by a margin of more than nine to one, faculty cast ballots reaffirming their commitment to collective bargaining. Seven other Florida universities are now bargaining with their faculty. UF administrators, however, have raised legal challenges in an effort to thwart faculty's right to union representation, despite a petition in which over 70% of eligible faculty reaffirmed their desire to be unionized. OUT-OF-STATE TUITION WAIVERS Several Graduate Assistants have expressed concern that the University's new residency policy may affect their tuition waivers. If you have received any communication calling into question your eligibility for a tuition waiver because of residency requirements, please contact GAU's Grievance Officer, Todd Reynolds, at reynolds@english.ufl.edu, or call our office at 392-0274. We have discussed this matter with the administration, and have been assured by Associate Dean Gerhardt that nobody's tuition waiver will be reduced this Fall (2003) because of this new policy. We vigorously object that this new policy was imposed on a contractual item and was not negotiated with GAU before it was implimented. RELEASE-TIME POSITION GAU is accepting applications until August 1 for one remaining 0.25 FTE position. For details, contact GAU Co-president Frank Goeddeke at frank.goeddeke@cba.ufl.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------- You are being sent this email because Graduate Assistants United represents you in University employment matters. If you would like to be added to the list, please send an email to frank.goeddeke@cba.ufl.edu -----------------------------------------------------------------