Notes from a Co-President

​Thank you for your interest in GAU and preservation of our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)! The CBA is a binding contract between your labor representatives (GAU) and the employer (University) that establishes wages, terms, and conditions of GA employment. Every year, GAU has bargained for improvements in GA working conditions. In order to effectuate any changes to our wages, terms, and conditions of employment, GAs must ratify the agreements reached by GAU and the University. Normally, GAU is limited to Article 10 negotiations. This means that GAU can seek to modify wages and fee relief every year but not other issues unless the University mutually agrees to do so. However, every three years we have "full book" negotiations,  meaning all items in the contract were negotiable. These will occur in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Article 10

​After over 10 months of bargaining and multiple actions, we secured the most expensive package ever negotiated by UF-GAU and our first increase to the minimum stipend in over 5 years.

While we recognize that this increase is not enough to cover for five years of inflation and significant increases to the average cost of living in Gainesville, we are proud of how hard the Bargaining and Organizing Committees worked to secure a wage increase for all GAs.

We will be opening Article 10 (Stipend) Bargaining again this Fall and our first offer will be a minimum stipend that covers ​the cost of living in Gainesville, FL - a city that has now reached the top 25% most expensive cities in the United States.

Article 8

This Fall, we opened negotiations with UF concerning paid leave for GAs. Previously GAs were only guaranteed 5 days of paid leave and six weeks of unpaid leave per semester. After just three bargaining session, we tentatively agreed to eight weeks of paid leave for graduate assistants for family or medical leave. This is a huge win that has been a priority for UF-GAU for years!

​If you have any questions about ratification, negotiations, or any of the article breakdowns below, please do not hesitate to contact GAU at organizing@ufgau.org or via office hours.

RACHEL HARTNETT, Co-President

Tentative Agreements

Article 8: Paid Leave (2022-2023 Academic Year)

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Article 10: Stipends (2021-2022 Academic Year)

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Next Steps

Once GAU and the University reach a tentative agreement on portions of the CBA, these articles are subject to ratification by all graduate employees. If each receives a majority vote, it is officially ratified and becomes part of our collective bargaining agreement.

Who can vote?

ALL GRADUATE EMPLOYEES, regardless of GAU membership, are eligible to vote and encouraged to do so.

When is ratification?

Monday, November 14th from 10 AM to 1 PM in Turlington Plaza
Tuesday, November 15th from 10 AM to 1 PM in the Reitz Union Breezeway

How do I vote?

Bring a photo ID to the voting location. You will sign the membership list to ensure each GA only votes once. You will then be given an anonymous ballot. Ballots will be counted at 1 PM each day at the voting site.

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Voting Results

​Final results were announced during our Payday Party on Friday, November 18th, at 6 PM and simultaneously posted on social media.

Final Results
Monday, November 14th, 10 AM to 1 PM, Turlington Plaza
          Article 8: 27 Yes; 0 No
          Article 10: 27 Yes; 0 No

Tuesday, November 15th, 10 AM to 1 PM, Reitz Union
          Article 8: 38 Yes; 0 No
          Article 10: 37 Yes; 0 No

TOTAL:
          Article 8: 65 Yes; 0 No
          Article 10: 64 Yes; No

​You can check out our latest bargaining sessions on YouTube!