FYI – Union lunch next Monday, details below!
Last week, our union bargaining team met with SLU on July 8, July 9, and July 10. Here is our update:
We continued to press the university admin team about fulfilling SLU’s promise to extend grad worker appointment contracts and increase stipends to $2500/month or more. As a follow-up to the many testimonials shared at bargaining last week, we proposed that they follow through on the third year of their plan in an interim agreement on assistantship terms while we continue negotiating. Disappointingly, they have refused to respond.
We have also proposed contract language on nearly all non-economic topics! These proposals include what we want in our new contract besides the issues most directly related to money (e.g., stipends, health insurance, etc.). For example, we proposed provisions for personal time off, emergency meal plans and better support and protections for all international graduate workers.
In total, there are now more than 30 proposals being negotiated, and on nearly all of them we are waiting for SLU to respond. We did not reach any additional tentative agreements, and much of what SLU proposed this week was identical, or nearly so, to their previous proposals . See a complete list of all proposals via our tracker here. Once we reach tentative agreements on these, we will begin to bargain for the economic improvements, like wages and other benefits that we all deserve.
Ultimately, our power at the bargaining table comes from all of us. SLU works because we do—without our teaching and research, SLU doesn’t run. To show our power, we need to organize a movement for a great first union contract. Here’s how to help.
1. Sign the initial bargaining demands. Share these demands with your coworkers and colleagues.
2. Come to the next Union Brown Bag Lunch. Bring your own lunch Monday, July 21, 12:30-2pm outside of the Panera at Busch Student Center (north campus). This is a relaxed and relatively informal way to get involved with the union campaign.
3. Send in your stories! Your stories help us make stronger arguments at the bargaining table.
1. For example, have you struggled with food insecurity as a graduate worker?
2. Also, are you an international worker, and if so, what has your experience been like with navigating US healthcare, the rental housing market, or US financial institutions? How can SLU better support you?
4. And as always, join our organizing committee (OC). The OC is where all graduate workers are welcome to help plan, strategize, and get plugged into building our campaign for a great first union contract. We meet every Tuesday from 5:30-6:30. Reply to this email for the Zoom link.
There’s a lot of work to do before our next bargaining session with SLU, which is scheduled for August 12, but together we can win the SLU we all deserve!
In Solidarity,
Ryan Powers, on behalf of the GWSLUU Bargaining Committee
Ángel Flores
Carly Koppe
Celia McGhiey
Eileen Schaub
Ryan Powers