2014 CGE Bargaining Platform

Fair Compensation
Graduate employees deserve fair compensation for their service to Oregon State University, including a living wage, step pay raises that account for increases in experience, cost of living raises, and access to flexible and affordable childcare.

Affordable Comprehensive Health Care
Health insurance premiums represent a substantial financial burden for graduate employees, particularly for those with low FTE appointments and families.  We seek to increase the employer contribution to employee and family health care and to improve the administration and overall quality of our coverage.

Comprehensive Tuition & Fee Waivers
Oregon State University currently requires graduate employees to pay fees as a condition of employment and many programs require Ecampus or summer term coursework not covered by our tuition waiver.  These practices undermine our already low wages and create an undue financial burden as tuition and fee increases become standard.  A full fee waiver, permanent Ecampus tuition waiver, and a summer term tuition waiver for academic year graduate employees will maintain the integrity of our tuition and fee waivers and substantially alleviate the high costs we face in choosing to advance our education.

Family Tuition Benefits
Graduate education should be accessible to those with families.  No employee should be made to choose between debt, continuation of their own graduate degree, and the education of their partners or children.  Tuition and fee waivers for the partners and dependents of graduate employees will allow these families to pursue higher education without stretching family funds even further.

Stable Employment
Graduate employees depend on their assistantships to pay for rent and food and to cover the expense of graduate school.  Unstable employment jeopardizes degree completion and undermines our ability to provide quality teaching and research.   Advanced notice of appointments will offer much needed stability.