Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
UAW Contract Action! Help Improve Workload Protections! (5/12)
As an important step toward winning our bargaining demands for improved workload protections, UAW 2865 members around the state are having a grade-in/tutor-in during finals week. Our action will demonstrate to the University of California just how much work it takes to ensure the students at UC Santa Cruz get the quality education they deserve. Come out and show your support for increased workload protections while you get your work done.
WHO: All TAs, Graders, Tutors and Grad Students
WHAT: Grade-in/Tutor-In
WHERE: Bay Tree Plaza, next to Joe's Pizza
WHEN: Tuesday, June 12, 11:30am 1pm
As contract negotiations have progressed, the administration has stalled having any serious discussion over workload. As enrollment has steadily increased statewide, class and section sizes have ballooned, creating more work for Teaching Assistants, Tutors, and Readers. When we are overworked we cannot provide quality education to our students and we are slower to advance in our academic careers. We are faced with pressure to speed up our work and do more with less. Employees want increased workload protections that would give the union a say over class and section size.
The Union has made several proposals to proactively prevent overworking that have not been addressed by the administration. In addition to negotiating with UC administration over class and section sizes, TAs Tutors, and Readers are also want to win the right to arbitrate over workload. With the current contract, academic student employees cannot take workload grievances to arbitration, which means any workload disputes are settled by an internal university board rather than a neutral arbitrator.
We need to show the administration that the issue of workload is important to us and remind them how crucial our work is for the quality of education at the University of California. Bring any exams or papers you need to grade or hold outdoor office hours/tutoring sessions and help send a strong message to the administration that they must address this key issue.
If you have any questions or would like to get more involved, please contact your campus union office via http://www.uaw2865.org/contact.html.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UAW Local 2865 - Santa Cruz
310 Locust St., Suite B/Mailbox 2
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
phone: (831) 423-9737 / fax: (831) 423-3606
santacruz [at] uaw2865.org
WHAT: Grade-in/Tutor-In
WHERE: Bay Tree Plaza, next to Joe's Pizza
WHEN: Tuesday, June 12, 11:30am 1pm
As contract negotiations have progressed, the administration has stalled having any serious discussion over workload. As enrollment has steadily increased statewide, class and section sizes have ballooned, creating more work for Teaching Assistants, Tutors, and Readers. When we are overworked we cannot provide quality education to our students and we are slower to advance in our academic careers. We are faced with pressure to speed up our work and do more with less. Employees want increased workload protections that would give the union a say over class and section size.
The Union has made several proposals to proactively prevent overworking that have not been addressed by the administration. In addition to negotiating with UC administration over class and section sizes, TAs Tutors, and Readers are also want to win the right to arbitrate over workload. With the current contract, academic student employees cannot take workload grievances to arbitration, which means any workload disputes are settled by an internal university board rather than a neutral arbitrator.
We need to show the administration that the issue of workload is important to us and remind them how crucial our work is for the quality of education at the University of California. Bring any exams or papers you need to grade or hold outdoor office hours/tutoring sessions and help send a strong message to the administration that they must address this key issue.
If you have any questions or would like to get more involved, please contact your campus union office via http://www.uaw2865.org/contact.html.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UAW Local 2865 - Santa Cruz
310 Locust St., Suite B/Mailbox 2
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
phone: (831) 423-9737 / fax: (831) 423-3606
santacruz [at] uaw2865.org
For more information:
http://www.uaw2865.org
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
When we began our contract negotiations with the university administration earlier this spring, both parties agreed to concentrate on non-economic issues (e.g., workload) before focusing on economic issues (e.g., wages). This was the case with our most recent round of negotiations, which took place on June 4th and 5th, and we anticipate that the next few bargaining sessions will also be devoted to non-economic issues.
Several proposals were exchanged at this session, but the bulk of the time was spent discussing our proposals on workload, appointment notification, and the posting of jobs. Throughout these discussions, we highlighted the importance of transparency in how hiring decisions are made and what is expected of us as employees. Again, UC admin dismissed this need and insisted that added transparency would be problematic.
We also stressed the importance of having workload disputes resolved by a neutral third-party arbitrator. The admin balked at this proposal citing the unique approaches taken by professors in assigning workloadsomething, they argued, an outsider (i.e., an arbitrator with extensive knowledge of employment issues) could not understand.
Despite this, we were able to engage in productive discussions over workload. We again emphasized the impact of increasing class, section, and lab sizes on the amount and type of work we do as tutors, readers, and teaching assistants as well as our overall working conditions.
However, by the end of the meeting, the admin fell back into their old habit of stalling and refused to offer us a counterproposal on our workload article, going back on their agreement to bargain over this issue.
In light of the administrations stalling tactics, its crucial that you participate in the grade-in/tutor-in actions that are taking place on all of the quarter campuses this finals week. Join us in sending the admin a strong message that these issues are important to us, and well take that message back to our next bargaining session on June 18th!
Your campus grade-in/tutor-in will take place TOMORROW (Tuesday), June 12 from 11:30AM to 1:00PM at the Bay Tree Plaza (next to Joe's Pizza).
Please visit http://www.uaw2865.org for campus-specific contact information and to check out the current contract.
In solidarity,
UAW Local 2865 Bargaining Committee
Tarone Bittner, Davis Unit Chair
Toi Carter, Riverside Recording Secretary
Meaghan Chadwick, Merced Unit Chair
Clinton Christensen, San Diego Recording Secretary
Cassandra Engeman, Santa Barbara Recording Secretary
Michelle Gallagher, Los Angeles Unit Chair
Tim Gutierrez, Davis Recording Secretary
Adam Hefty, Santa Cruz Recording Secretary
Samantha Iyer, Berkeley Recording Secretary
Jamie Keeton, Los Angeles Recording Secretary
Daraka Larimore-Hall, Santa Barbara Unit Chair
Christine Petit, Riverside Unit Chair
Dan Roth, Berkeley Unit Chair
David Selby, San Diego Unit Chair
Sara Smith, Santa Cruz Unit Chair
Coral Wheeler, Irvine Recording Secretary
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UAW Local 2865 - Santa Cruz
310 Locust St., Suite B/Mailbox 2
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
phone: (831) 423-9737 / fax: (831) 423-3606
santacruz [at] uaw2865.org / http://www.uaw2865.org
Several proposals were exchanged at this session, but the bulk of the time was spent discussing our proposals on workload, appointment notification, and the posting of jobs. Throughout these discussions, we highlighted the importance of transparency in how hiring decisions are made and what is expected of us as employees. Again, UC admin dismissed this need and insisted that added transparency would be problematic.
We also stressed the importance of having workload disputes resolved by a neutral third-party arbitrator. The admin balked at this proposal citing the unique approaches taken by professors in assigning workloadsomething, they argued, an outsider (i.e., an arbitrator with extensive knowledge of employment issues) could not understand.
Despite this, we were able to engage in productive discussions over workload. We again emphasized the impact of increasing class, section, and lab sizes on the amount and type of work we do as tutors, readers, and teaching assistants as well as our overall working conditions.
However, by the end of the meeting, the admin fell back into their old habit of stalling and refused to offer us a counterproposal on our workload article, going back on their agreement to bargain over this issue.
In light of the administrations stalling tactics, its crucial that you participate in the grade-in/tutor-in actions that are taking place on all of the quarter campuses this finals week. Join us in sending the admin a strong message that these issues are important to us, and well take that message back to our next bargaining session on June 18th!
Your campus grade-in/tutor-in will take place TOMORROW (Tuesday), June 12 from 11:30AM to 1:00PM at the Bay Tree Plaza (next to Joe's Pizza).
Please visit http://www.uaw2865.org for campus-specific contact information and to check out the current contract.
In solidarity,
UAW Local 2865 Bargaining Committee
Tarone Bittner, Davis Unit Chair
Toi Carter, Riverside Recording Secretary
Meaghan Chadwick, Merced Unit Chair
Clinton Christensen, San Diego Recording Secretary
Cassandra Engeman, Santa Barbara Recording Secretary
Michelle Gallagher, Los Angeles Unit Chair
Tim Gutierrez, Davis Recording Secretary
Adam Hefty, Santa Cruz Recording Secretary
Samantha Iyer, Berkeley Recording Secretary
Jamie Keeton, Los Angeles Recording Secretary
Daraka Larimore-Hall, Santa Barbara Unit Chair
Christine Petit, Riverside Unit Chair
Dan Roth, Berkeley Unit Chair
David Selby, San Diego Unit Chair
Sara Smith, Santa Cruz Unit Chair
Coral Wheeler, Irvine Recording Secretary
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UAW Local 2865 - Santa Cruz
310 Locust St., Suite B/Mailbox 2
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
phone: (831) 423-9737 / fax: (831) 423-3606
santacruz [at] uaw2865.org / http://www.uaw2865.org
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$135.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network