With recent developments, our 2007-2009 contract appears to be moving forward through the state government processes, one step away from official ratification and implementation. In the last update for our rank-and-file members, we reported on background information and progress in moving our 2007-2009 contract forward. The state legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JoCER, or…
In our last membership email and update, we spoke of the Alliance of Graduate Employee Local (AGEL) conference and the attendance by a group of TAA activists. AGEL is a grouping of AFT-affiliated graduate workers unions. But beyond AFT locals in the grad labor movement, there are other grad unions affiliated with other unions such…
Organizing is at the heart of unionism, and it is a vital part of our local. As our union is our vehicle for collective action and power, organizing is what drives that forward. The activism of our members makes our union work, and we need everyone to be involved. This summer, our organizing program continues…
We are not alone. While the TAA was the first graduate workers union to form, many other grad workers at many other schools have unionized. We are part of a larger grad worker and academic labor movement. Every fall and spring, a group of grad unions get together as part of the Alliance of Graduate…
Currently, our 2007-2009 contract has not yet been ratified and we continue to work under an extension of our 2005-2007 contract. Some developments with the 2007-2009 contract have occurred, and our 2009-2011 negotiations are beginning. To begin, it is important to know how we negotiate our contracts. We bargain with both the University of Wisconsin-Madison…
Last Wednesday (4/15) we brought a small crew to Van Vleck for organizing. Yet again, we (myself included) were held back by colds and flus. 3 organizers put in 9 hours of organizing time, speaking to 19 members, and signing up 2 new members. For the semester, then, we have 36 different organizers, 170 organizing…
Your final General Membership Meeting of the semester will be held from 5-7 pm at the Pres House on Tuesday, April 28th. Mark your calendars and plan to come. It is the most important membership meeting of the semester. We will be building a Bargaining Platform at the meeting, which will be used to negotiate…
After a nasty virus went through the TAA office last week, TAA organizers went out, some hacking and sniffing, to Humanities last Monday. With 7 organizers, we put in 13 organizer hours, had 18 conversations, signed up one new member, and found two more organizers. For the semester, that makes 35 different organizers, 161 organizing…
Spring elections are just around the corner, and because of lowered turnout in Spring Elections, TAA members have the capacity to make a big voice! Where do I vote in Madison? TAA members are encouraged to email TAA Political Education Committee Chair Peter Rickman for a full list of TAA endorsed candidates in their polling…
On Wednesday, April 1st, 10 TAA organizers went to Van Hise, where in 28 hours organizing, we made 34 contacts, signed up 10 new members, found 2 new organizers, and 1 other potential activist. Further, we collected 13 pledges to attend the April GMM, and collected countless bargaining surveys. For the semester, that makes 30…
