Coalition of Graduate Employees

The third round of negotiations will be held in the Westminster House on Monday, March 17, from 3-5 pm. This session will see the first round of real negotiations (as opposed to simply exchanging proposals, as the sides have done at previous meetings). Keep an eye on this post to see what specific issues we will be negotiating over.

We understand that the 17th is the Monday of finals week, but your contract is probably more important to you than a grade anyway, so we hope you’ll show up. This session may be the most interesting so far, since we hope to engage the Adminstration in a real back-and-forth over some important issues. We are especially looking forward to seeing how the University justifies some of its proposals, such as the elimination without replacement of the $250-per-term fee differential (i.e. a $750-per-year pay cut).

We hope to see you there. As always, feel free to come and go as you please, and bring some work to do if you want. Your simple presence is imposing enough.

The second round of CGE-OSU negotiations will be held from 3-5 pm on Wed., March 5, in room 206 in the MU.

Things started to get a little contentious at the last meeting, and we didn’t even talk about any of the more sexy articles (as Brett, our master lead negotiator, calls them). At this meeting, we’ll introduce some of our economic proposals, including ones on salary and fee relief and, if we’re fast, health care and child care, so the proceedings should be riveting.

To date, the Administration seems to be looking only to maintain (or perhaps regress from) the status quo, while our vision includes many improvements to the current contract.

We’re hoping to get a huge contingent of observers to come out to this meeting to support that vision. We’re planning to meet at 2:45 in MU 206 to review what’s happened so far and to give a briefing about what to expect at this meeting. (A little bird told me there might also be some sort of social gathering involving refreshments immediately after the meeting.) If you are interested in observing, you can come for any amount of time. What is really important is that you show your support.

First Bargaining Session - 2:30 to 5 PM - Wednesday February 20th - Westminster House

Observers are encouraged to come out and support CGE’s first bargaining session with OSU on Wednesday February 20th. We’ll be gathering at Westminster House (101 NW 23rd Street) in the large upstairs meeting room for pizza at 2:30. Bargaining will run from 3-5 PM. Hope to see you there!

We’ve got a General Membership Meeting this Thursday at 5 pm at Clodfelter’s. We’ll be discussing our contract proposal (i.e., what cool things are going to start happening next year!), introducing the bargaining team (the best graduate bargaining team in the country!), and electing delegates to go to AFT’s convention in Sunriver (a great chance to relax one weekend between spring break and memorial day!) We’ll be buying the first round or two (soda or adult sodas) for every member who comes and some appetizers, too. Also, we’ll have a prize for the member who brings the most non-members to the GMM and gets them to sign up! As I’ve had a looooong four weeks already, I’ll be enjoying myself once the business is concluded. You should too.

Join us!

Executive Council meetings for Summer 2008 will be every other Wednesday @ 3 PM in our office, beginning June 25th.

Everyone is welcome, so come see the inner workings of your union.