Happy New Year from your Bargaining Committee! As we all get ready for the new semester, we want to make sure you're updated on our negotiations.
Our tentative agreements so far:
As of this past semester, we have presented all of our proposals to the University's negotiating team! In total, that amounts to 41 proposals. To create and prioritize our proposals, we drew from our January 2019 Bargaining Survey and our one-on-one conversations with hundreds of GAGE members. This was the best way for us on the Bargaining Committee to ensure that every grad worker's voice here at Georgetown is reflected in these proposals.
We came to tentative agreements on twelve proposals this semester. These agreements covered a wide range of subjects, including the relationship between GAGE and University administration, any future implementations of University-wide evaluations for grad workers, protections for international students, and compensation when paid positions held by graduate students are canceled.
Our progress on negotiating our grievance procedure:
During the Fall semester, we spent many of our sessions negotiating about the grievance procedure that will be available to graduate workers in our new contract. Specifically, we’ve worked hard to specify how our new contract will go farther to protect graduate students from harassment and bias in the workplace. We are close to reaching a tentative agreement and hope that agreement will allow graduate workers to report harassment and bias with union representation, and request that swift interim measures be taken to ensure their safety and respect in the workplace. Since June, our members have been telling Georgetown Admin that existing reporting procedures fail grad workers - like in this personal story shared by a GAGE member in The Voice.
We on the Bargaining Committee would like to stress that our progress is due in large part to the work of rank-and-file GAGE members who were brave enough to come forward with their experiences of harassment and discrimination at Georgetown.
Our progress on top issues: pay and healthcare
Our two top remaining issues are improving health insurance, especially adding vision and dental coverage, and increasing compensation to address the high cost of living in the DC area. To kick off the current academic year, on August 29, 2019 we presented our proposals to increase the minimum PhD stipend and minimum hourly wage for graduate assistantships alongside proposals related to such other non-healthcare benefits as child assistance funding, reduced transportation costs, and retirement savings. To commemorate the one-year anniversary of our successful unionization vote, we presented our healthcare proposals on November 12, 2019.
It's now on Georgetown Admin to respond to these proposals. We've been assured that negotiation on economic issues will begin this month, but it's essential that we keep pushing forward. We've seen that when members crowd the room at bargaining sessions, Georgetown Admin takes note. Can you RSVP for the session next week, January 14th?
Our plans for Spring 2020
We are working our hardest to finalize our first union contract this spring. Ideally, we want to have our contract go into effect for the Fall. We are negotiating for an increase in the minimum stipend and hourly wage, vision and dental coverage, healthcare, and so much more that we know is necessary to fulfill our vision to THRIVE. This will depend on Admin responding reasonably to our proposals, and involvement from all members, including YOU!
We already saw that after our rally on November 11, Georgetown Admin publicly stated that they intend to reach an agreement with us by the end of the academic year. Of course, once we tentatively agree on the contract, it's up for membership to ratify it. We want Georgetown Admin to agree to our proposals soon enough to allow time for members to read, ask questions, and vote for the contract before the end of the semester. We need you to help make this happen by signing up to share your story and to pack the room during bargaining sessions, starting with January 14!
Sincerely yours,
GAGE Bargaining Committee
P.S. Here are those important links again:
Sign up to attend bargaining sessions
Sign up to share your story
Opinion Article in The Voice: Harassment reporting structures are broken - GAGE provides a solution
News Article in The Voice: GAGE rallies for labor contract
