Contributed By: newsletter
November 6, 2023
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On Conversations with GEs in the run-up to a potential GTFF strike
Several faculty members have asked us what conversations they may and may not have with graduate employees during (and in the run up to) a strike. Individual GEs may want to talk with you about the strike and how you can help avoid or end it. Some have suggested that these types of conversations are illegal. We have talked with our labor attorney, and we believe this suggestion is incorrect.
Supervisors are not allowed to engage their employees in contract negotiations; the negotiations take place at the bargaining table. If you do talk with your GE about what is happening, do not pressure them into agreeing with either side’s proposals. Do not try to influence their thinking about a strike nor what you think they should settle for. Instead, do what any good ally would do: listen, ask questions with the intention of understanding more, and be supportive. We hope the administration will reconsider their current bargaining position so a strike can be avoided. In the meantime, we encourage you to offer your support to the GTFF and the GEs in our departments and workplaces.
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| Pre-Bargaining Listening Sessions
Every Friday at 9am and 4pm
We want to hear from you!
We are entering a bargaining year for our union. To include your voices and ideas on issues that concern you, we are holding listening sessions every Friday at 9am and 4pm on Zoom. We are also happy to schedule in-person meetings with faculty in your department who may want to discuss matters together. Please reach out to your steward or Representative Assembly member if you would like to schedule a meeting for your department. If you do not have a steward or representative, feel free to reach out to UA Executive Vice President Deborah Green directly.
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Pro Tem Health Care Eligibility
From our colleagues at AFT-Oregon: The eligibility criteria for state funded health insurance for Pro Tem faculty is greatly expanded this year. All Pro Tem faculty who taught 600 hours /.39 FTE or more during the previous calendar year (including summer) at any combination of Oregon public universities or colleges should now qualify for a full year of health insurance with the state paying 90% of the cost. Starting this academic year, dental and vision are also included in this coverage.
Applicants must choose a “home institution” where they are currently employed and follow the process at their chosen employer. Oregon HB 2611 requires that each college provide application instructions. You can find additional information on the UO’s Benefits for Part-Time Faculty webpage.
AFT-Oregon wants to thank all the Pro Tem faculty who testified to our legislators year after year to make Pro Tem faculty healthcare legislation actually work!
Pro Tem faculty who need help accessing these new benefits should contact UO Benefits staff at [email protected] or United Academics staff at [email protected].
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Upcoming Caucus Meeting
On Thursday, November 9, 5:30-7:30pm, the Faculty of Color Caucus and the Pride Caucus will host a joint caucus meeting, and happy hour at Nelson’s in the Whit (400 Blair Blvd). This is an excellent opportunity for new faculty to meet other faculty who care about issues of equity, inclusion, and diversity in the workplace and off campus. Allies are welcome!
The Faculty of Color Caucus seeks to build on the legacy of a faculty-led initiative from before the days of the UA, the Faculty and Staff of Color Coalition. The caucus understands its constituency expansively. It is a forum for faculty who care about issues of equity, inclusion, and diversity in the workplace and off campus.
The UA Pride Caucus aims to foster connection and solidarity among faculty from across campus who care about workplace and social issues related to gender identity and sexual orientation. It also works to support a sense of community across campus and across employee classifications by organizing events with other queer employee associations.
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