The bargaining teams for the University and the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) made further progress in bargaining March 29, signing current contract language regarding tuition waivers. Tentative agreements now have been reached on 19 contract articles. The two teams also exchanged a number of revised proposals. Another bargaining session has been scheduled for March 31.

The University offered either to raise the salaries of low-fraction graduate student instructors (those appointed below .25) by 10% or pay for half their contribution toward GradCare premiums. Currently GSIs can purchase the health insurance plan at their own expense. Either of these proposals would replace the lump sum payment currently made to low-fraction GSIs, but would represent a net increase in compensation over the lump sum. Also, since GEO expressed more concern about health insurance co-pays than premiums, the University offered to guarantee that individual co-pays in GradCare would not increase more than $5 during the life of the contract, rather than guaranteeing no employee premium contribution.

The University still is looking to sign a four-year agreement and to include a strong no-strike clause in the contract.

GEO revised its salary increase request to the LSA faculty average or 5 percent, 3 percent and 3 percent over three years, whichever is greater. GEO did not accept the University’s low-fraction proposal but responded with a counterproposal that provides greater salary increases for GSIs below a .5 appointment along with a University contribution toward their health care premiums. GEO also indicated it would accept current contract language prohibiting strikes.

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