Highlights of the GEU-UAW tentative Agreement with UConn

The Bargaining Committee enthusiastically recommends voting yes to ratify this Tentative Agreement as our second contract. After months of bargaining, we made substantial progress on the bargaining goals ratified by a majority of GAs earlier this academic year. Our Tentative Agreement builds on gains we made in our first contract and, we believe, will contribute to a more accessible, inclusive, and competitive UConn. Below are highlights of the changes we have made to our previous contract. You can review the complete language of changed contract articles on our website.

Expanded Access to Affordable Parking (Article 18)
We improved affordability and access.

  • Established access to Area 2 permits at 50% of full rate (approximately $60/year)
  • Permit price increases will not exceed the annual percentage increase to faculty salaries
  • Right to pay for permits via biweekly payroll deductions
  • The University will make a good faith effort to provide overnight parking when necessary to fulfill assigned duties

Continued Improvements to Total Compensation – Stipend and Fee Waiver Increases (Article 20 and Article 21)
We won 2% annual stipend increases and an increase in the value of our fee waivers from $868 to $1468 per year over the life of the agreement. The total value of fee waivers for international GAs will grow to $2168 per year. In the current budget climate, we believe these improvements represent an important acknowledgement of the value of our work.

  • Annual 2% stipend increase
  • Increase in General University Fee waiver from $400 to $600 per year
  • $400 per year “fee relief payment” to offset cost of Recreation Center Fee projected to start in 2019-20 year
  • Waiver of $700 per year Visa Compliance Fee for international GAs now protected in the contract

Guaranteed Right to Time Off (New Article)
In the past, many GAs – especially research assistants – experienced difficulty getting time off to visit family or for other purposes.

  • We have now established right of all GAs with an academic-year appointment to take 20 days of time off without loss of pay or benefits.
  • GAs cannot be required to make up hours in advance or upon return from time off

Maintaining Affordable, Quality Health Insurance for GAs and our Families (Article 22)
While most employees see increases to their portion of the cost of health insurance premiums each year, we achieved great stability in our premiums – especially for GAs with families – while maintaining top-notch coverage.

  • Individual GA premiums shall remain at $200 per year for three years and change to $240 per year in the fourth year of the contract
  • No increase in dependent premiums for four years – $1440 per year for GA plus one dependent; $1822 for GA plus family.
  • UConn will create a fund to reimburse GAs for repatriation insurance benefits

Enhanced Sexual Harassment Protections (Article 4 and Article 25)
We made important progress in this area, which we believe will contribute to gender equity and a more inclusive academic workplace at UConn.

  • Enhanced access to Union representation and advocacy: When a GA pursues an Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) complaint, OIE will provide written information from the Union describing the various options for recourse and advocacy by the Union
  • Enhanced recourse options.
  • Extended deadline to file grievances on sexual harassment from 30 to 180 days
  • Stronger and clearer protections against retaliation
  • Interim measures to protect GAs from harassment during investigation of a complaint
  • Clear remedies for grievances that aim to preserve academic professional development for survivors
  • Elimination of any obligation of a grievant to attempt informal resolution with a supervisor who has harassed them
  • Strong statement of the mutual Union and University commitment to a workplace free of sexual harassment
  • Added “gender, pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth, breastfeeding, medical conditions related to breastfeeding” as protected categories

Expanded Rights for International GAs (Article 4, Article 15, Article 22, and New Article)

  • Added language prohibiting discrimination based on “citizenship”
  • Incorporated waiver of the $700 per year Visa Compliance Fee into the contract
  • Time Off and bereavement leave benefits international GAs
  • UConn will create a fund to reimburse GAs for repatriation insurance benefits

Improvements to Family-Friendly Benefits (Article 15, Article 22, and Article 23)
We continued making improvements to benefits for GAs with families.

  • Childcare. The annual fund to reimburse GA child care expenses will double from $80,000 to $160,000 per year
  • Family health insurance. No increase in dependent insurance premiums for 4 years.
  • Bereavement. GAs will now have access a minimum of five days of bereavement leave per occurrence, which does not reduce existing leave provisions for other purposes.

Stronger GA Appointment Notification Rights (Article 5)

  • Stronger commitment by UConn to make timely notification of GA appointments.
  • We clarified and strengthened the commitment to provide description of duties prior to each appointment.
  • Stronger contract language encouraging departments to offer one-year GA appointments and to offer opportunities for GAs to express preferences for assignments.

Stronger GA Enforcement Rights Under our Contract (Article 25)
We made several improvements that enhance GAs’ ability to enforce our rights under our contract.

  • Established an agreed-upon panel of arbitrators to expedite getting to a hearing when it is necessary
  • Added stronger language protecting against retaliation for filing complaints our grievances
  • Added “political activity and/or union activity” as classes protected from discrimination

Protection from Retaliation for Reporting Academic Misconduct (Article 11)
Stronger language clarifying protection from retaliation for GAs who report research and academic misconduct
Clearer Workload Protections (Article 10)
We clarified remedies in cases of excess workload, added language regarding reasonable notice for completion of assigned tasks (such as grading exams), and established a new Article on Time Off. We also have preserved the right to take a workload grievance to a neutral arbitrator.