COVID-19 Impact Bargaining Session 2 Summary
Table of Contents:
Announcements
Impact Bargaining Session 2 Summary
List of Resources for those affected by COVID-19
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COVID-19 Impact Bargaining Session #2 Summary
On Thursday, April 16th, the GEO met with the UIUC administration to continue to bargain the impact of the administration’s response to COVID-19.
Healthcare & COVID-19: United Healthcare will cover COVID-19 testing and treatment. For more details visit https://si.illinois.edu/. However, the administration said they still have no intention to waive summer healthcare fees for graduate students without an appointment.
We argued that the university is obligated to cover all graduate students, regardless of employment status, through the summer semester in the interest of public health. We also brought up the particularly vulnerable position of international grad students, who are prohibited from seeking employment outside the University and may also not be able to return to their home countries due to travel restrictions. In total, the University and the Union are both aware that around 2000 graduate students each year are forced to pay out of pocket for summer healthcare, and with the severely limited opportunities for summer work, for many students this may become impossible. The University reiterated that they have no intention to waive summer healthcare fees for these students.
The impact bargaining team also pointed out that, due to the University’s inaction on the matter of summer healthcare, certain departments and individual faculty members are planning to use departmental level resources to help ensure graduate students will be covered. We argued that it should not fall on Faculty to address this issue where the University has failed to do so, and that this will damage the University in the long run by forcing already financially stressed departments to use resources that would otherwise go to graduate student professionalization and research.
The administration, while stating that they were “looking into other options,” referred to expected difficulty with terminating the current contract with United Healthcare and instituting a new 30-day open enrollment period as impediments to waiving summer healthcare fees. Please see the list of resources compiled below if you anticipate you will need financial assistance in paying for summer healthcare, rent, or any other basic necessities.
Paid Leave: In accordance with the federal Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), the university will extend up to two weeks of extra paid leave to graduate employees. See here for how to request time off. You will not have to be tested for COVID-19 to receive time off, but you will have to fill out this leave form.
On a related issue, we asked the administration if they would be willing to sign a memorandum of understanding stating that it is the University’s responsibility to find a replacement/substitute if a TA or GA becomes ill. They responded by saying they understood our request and would discuss it before the next session.
Overwork due to transition to online teaching/research: Although we maintained that nearly everyone in our bargaining unit has experienced significant overwork due to the transition to online teaching in the wake of COVID-19, the administration refused to provide any financial compensation, lessen work hours, or push back grading deadlines. Contact grievance@uigeo.org if you have an issue you’d like to discuss regarding overwork.
Online Privacy: Despite agreeing to provide the GEO with UIUC’s contract with Zoom in the first impact bargaining session, the administration did not deliver it. Instead they offered us an excerpt from the contract which states: “(b) Customer retains ownership of any content or data (“Customer Data”) originated from Customer and stored or transmitted using the Services.” We insisted that the administration obtain the entirety of the contract, and offered to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request if that would help expedite the process. The administration said they would continue to look into the matter.
Progress was made on this issue overall however, as the University has stated that they “do not intend to replace TAs with pre-recorded lectures produced during the pandemic.” In regards to the recording of online lectures, the administration is drafting recommendations to be posted on the Provost’s website.
Graduate Handbook Policies: While the administration claimed that most of our concerns regarding the suspension of the 91 day rule for tuition and fee waivers were outside the scope of impact bargaining, some exceptions have been made. Waivers will remain in effect (1) if students withdraw from the University on or before the last day of the assistantship appointment or (2) resigns from an assistantship and completes all degree requirements for graduation within seven calendar days of the resignation.
Most significantly, the Graduate College has granted a one-semester extension for students with a May 2020 or August 2020 Estimated Graduation Date (EGD). The administration added that conversations are still underway about the overall time limit for graduate students. For a complete list of modified dates and extensions, see https://grad.illinois.edu/covid-19-updates
Fee Reimbursements: After initially stating in our first impact bargaining session that the university did not intend to eliminate any on-campus related fees in response to COVID-19, a Massmail was sent out from the Chancellor on April 10th stating that some adjustments would be made in regards to Student Service and Campus Transportation Fees. All grad students should see a $33 credit in their student account for the transportation fee, and some will see a $157 credit for the service fee. Administration also informed us that all fees other than the general fee and healthcare fee would be waived for the upcoming Summer 2020 semester. See here for more information.
Providing Equipment/Compensation for transition to remote work: We brought up concerns raised at our recent GMM regarding personal equipment usage (phones, computers, Wifi/Internet bandwidth) to complete our work as graduate employees. The administration responded that they understood our position and are exploring options on this matter.
List of Resources for those affected by COVID-19
While the COVID-19 crisis is ongoing, our number one priority will always be the health and safety of our members. To that end, we will continue compiling resource documents for those who have been affected by the virus.
The Illinois Cares: COVID-19 Support Program allows graduate employees to apply for grants up to $1,000, plus additional aid if determined necessary. While this is a resource all members in need should take advantage of, it is not a comprehensive nor adequate solution and isolates us by considering COVID-19 a problem on an individual basis.
GEO Members have made this quick guide to resources in the Champaign-Urbana area for health, food, and other needs. This document is linked in the banner on our website.
Graduate workers in the Psychology Department wrote this document with advice regarding health, forced changes to work and lifestyle, and resources for those feeling unwell or unsafe.
Our parent union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), recently wrote this FAQ-style document focused on international students and scholars working in the United States on visas, discussing how their work status has and has not been affected by the virus. AFT has also launched a new service offering trauma counseling programs, which is available to all GEO members.
We will continue adding to this list as more information and aid resources become available.
JOIN A GEO COMMITTEE!
We are a member-run union; we depend on the commitment of our members to stay as strong as possible. You can find details about what each committee does and how to contact them on our website. No special knowledge is required. You can also follow the calendar of events on our website for the date and time of upcoming meetings: http://uiucgeo.org/calendar. Meetings are open to membership, and coming to a meeting does not commit you to joining a committee.
Upcoming meetings:
Healthcare Working Group (health@uigeo.org) - Contact email for more
Stewards’ Council (sc@uigeo.org) - Tuesday April 21, 5:30-6:30pm
Finance Committee (treasurer@uigeo.org) - Contact email for more
Solidarity Committee (solcomm@uigeo.org) - Friday April 24, 4:30-6pm
Grievance Committee (grievance@uigeo.org) - Thursday April 23, 9-10am
Communications Committee (commcomm@uigeo.org) - Thursday April 23, 5-6pm
Coordinating Committee (cc@uigeo.org) - Monday April 27, 4-5:30pm
RA/PGA Working Group (geo@uigeo.org) - Thursday April 30, 6-7pm
Bargaining Team (barg@uigeo.org) - Contact email for more
International Students Working Group (geo@uigeo.org ) - Wednesday April 22, 2-3pm
Work Action Group (uiucgeowat@gmail.com) - Contact email for more
Note: Due to COVID-19, all meetings are now held online. Contact by email or check the calendar for more information on how to join remotely.
CONNECT WITH GEO!
Have comments about the GMM? Other kinds of feedback for us? We want to hear it! Reply to this email or use our anonymous google form. You can also get in touch through our website and social media:
Website: www.uiucgeo.org
Twitter: @geo_uiuc
Facebook: @uigeo @geosolcomm
Instagram: @geo_uiuc
In Solidarity,
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org