At this time the teams are still discussing proposed additions and changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). A third party has facilitated the past two sessions. For the most recent bargaining session (Monday, June 10th), both teams had agreed to bring contract language that could be tentatively agreed upon to close the CBA. OSU brought a packet of the language that they had already proposed and CGE brought new language to the table regarding a Letter of Agreement on the grievance procedure for research work related to one’s thesis, leave and vacation time (Article 29), and length of appointments (Article 9). In Monday’s session, only the language for the Letter of Agreement and Article 9 were discussed. The proposed language for the Letter of Agreement was written to provide an interim grievance process for employees working solely on their thesis. However, the CGE team was informed that the Graduate School is currently speaking with the Graduate Council about creating a grievance process; this is one of the best things to come out of the bargaining process thus far. OSU’s team still suggests that graduate employees who work solely on their thesis cannot grieve workload issues with the Human Resource Department, but can with the Graduate School. Since CGE’s team brought forward their interest in workload protection for GRAs, the Graduate School has begun to create an excessive research effort grievance process for graduate employees who are solely working on their thesis. We’re waiting to see what this process will look like, but CGE has remained insistent that the policy involve a representative decision making body and that the policy be outlined in the contract. If OSU can come up with such a policy and guarantee it in the contract, we might be close to resolution on this issue.
In regards to Article 9, improving the lengths of appointments is a top priority to CGE’s team since it was ranked as highly important by the spring membership survey. The team’s proposed language for Article 9 would require an academic-yearlong employment guarantee. This guarantee would invoke lay-off language providing a tuition waver to anyone who could not find funding within that year. OSU remained resistant to this addition to the article suggesting that it is impossible to provide yearlong employment guarantees. CGE’s team recognized the difficulty in doing so but encouraged OSU’s team to creatively think of some alternative ways to provide funding security to graduate employees. There was constructive and respective discussion on this article as both teams recognized the challenges as well as the necessity.
OSU hasn’t yet responded to our language on protected leave time, but intends to bring a response to our Thursday, June 13th session. Hope to see you there as we discuss the new grievance procedure, longer appointments, and protected time!
[Post by Joey Hulbert]
Doughnut Report
NutCakes’ doughnuts > >OSU Catering’s doughnuts. This sentiment has received endorsement from the CGE Executive Council.
[Edited to add that Ashley also believes her coffee is superior]