A reminder of what collective bargaining can do

As bargaining talks continue with MSU, it's important to remind ourselves of how much we, and our predecessors, have achieved for graduate teaching assistants on campus. Many of the things that make our work life reasonable and some perks we take for granted are only here because we bargained successfully in the past. Here's a list of some hard-earned rights MSU TAs have under our outgoing contract:

1. Health insurance – platinum-level coverage

2. Tuition waiver – 9 credits for both fall and spring semester, 5 in

summer.

3. Parking – access to faculty and staff parking south of the river.

4. Protection from overwork – stipulated maximum hours, clearly

defined employment periods.

5. Definition of levels – higher pay for more experience.

6. Mandatory increases in stipends – yearly raises.

7. Due process (grievance procedure) – employees cannot be arbitrarily

fired; right to free legal representation.

8. Access to teaching resources – teaching materials, workspace, safe

working environment.

9. Guaranteed course-specific training.

10. Extended library privileges, deadlines for appointment notices,

and much more!

We're sitting in meetings to ensure we keep these rights and gain a few things to combat the increasingly difficult position we're in as educators in a workplace with shrinking funds, increased students, and less support. Want to help? Want to sit in on a bargaining session, see what it looks like, and lend some solidarity to the bargaining team? Have any questions? Shoot us an email geu at msu.edu! 

#GEUisYOU