COVID-19 Impact Bargaining Session, SolComm Open House GMM, and More
Table of Contents:
Events:
General Membership Meeting: Thurs., March 4th, 5:30-6:30PM CST
Summer Healthcare Email Campaign: Thurs., March 4th & Fri., March 5th
Quantum Teleportation with Kai: Available Online Now!
A Slow Intro to R Coding with Liran: Wed., March 10th, 4:00PM CST
Hand-lettering with Ellie: Fri., March 19th, 5:30PM CST
Announcements
Covid-19 Impact Bargaining Session #11 Summary
On Friday, February 26, the COVID-19 Impact Bargaining Team (IBT) met with university administration. While the administration refused to bargain several issues, they agreed to communicate some of our concerns and requests with the appropriate offices, committees, etc. around campus.
1. Testing Policies & Discipline for Grad Workers
IBT proposed that graduate workers should be subject to the same testing requirements as faculty and staff, arguing that graduate workers not going to campus for coursework, research, or teaching purposes should not be required to test twice per week, while all grad workers spending time on campus should continue to test twice per week.
IBT pointed out that grad workers have lower positivity rates than faculty and staff on campus. While we agree that testing is an invaluable public health resource, graduate workers should not face discipline for missing a few days of testing, nor should they be subject to dismissal for sheltering in place (like Ivor Chen).
The administration refused to bargain discipline related to COVID-19 testing compliance, and refused to let the Union represent graduate employees who are disciplined ‘as students.’ However, they said they would pass along our position and our questions about disciplinary processes to student disciplinary committee stakeholders, and follow up with us.
2. Vaccine Distribution & Info Gathering on Campus
Based on emails that some graduate workers received asking that personal medical information be sent to supervisors in order to gain access to COVID-19 vaccines, IBT demanded that a secure line of communication be set up where graduate workers could privately submit health and/or disability information impacting their eligibility for vaccination; we asked that this take the form of either a secure webform or an individual staff member through the ADA Office or McKinley who has the training to handle this sensitive information.
The administration continued to argue that they have no role in distributing the vaccine, although they did confirm that they have a role in collecting some information about graduate workers (as well as other university students and employees) and sharing it with the CU Public Health Department, which influences access to vaccination.
3. Summer 2021 Health Insurance Premium Coverage
IBT reiterated the argument that UIUC must cover the health insurance premium for all grad workers who had positions in Spring 2021 but who do not have Summer 2021 appointments. We also argued that dependents’ premiums should be covered as well.
IBT made this argument based on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the slow vaccine roll-out, the current high unemployment rate in Illinois, and our members’ low living stipends. In May 2021, our newly unemployed members will not be able to bear the burden of a charge close to $1,000 as their spring semester paychecks run out. This hefty premium puts our members in the position of facing COVID-19 without health insurance, or not having enough money to afford basic food and shelter during the summer months.
The administration outright refused to take responsibility for the safety of its grad workers, despite the fact that we teach 50% of the classes on this campus while many of us are paid a sub-living wage. They gave no rationale for this decision.
IBT told university administration that we plan to make this issue a matter of public concern if they do not provide a solution by March 22nd.
Solidarity Committee: GMM Open House
Our Open House is this week during the GMM! Hope to see you there!
Here are some things on our radar that we wanted to share with you:
Illinois State University Grad Union: Here’s the letter you can share and send to ISU bosses who are fighting hard against ISU graduate workers who have been negotiating for a first contract for well over a year now. ISU has been very slow to offer anything. More information can be found on their Facebook page. Please show our fellow grad workers some support and share widely with our heartfelt thanks!
Call for Solidarity with Trans Students and Protestors in Singapore: On January 26th, several people were arrested for protesting the Ministry of Education's oppressive treatment of a trans student in Singapore. Education workers in Singapore have been rallying in support of trans students and these protesters. They are urgently looking for international support from individuals and in particular education and union organizations to sign on in support as well. The GEO Solidarity Committee has endorsed this International Solidarity Message, and we encourage you to sign on as an individual.
Support Adrian’s petition to run as student representative for the UI Board of Trustees
GEO co-president Adrian Wong needs 150 student signatures in order to run as student representative for the Board of Trustees (BoT). Have you been hoping for better communication from the BoT before important decisions are made? Have you been wanting your voice to reach the BoT when they are debating key issues that affect your life? If so, sign this form, share it with friends, and remember to vote for Adrian on election day on Tues., March 23rd.
Black Caucus: Black Graduate Student Experience Survey
The Black Caucus has developed a survey to collect information on the experiences of Black graduate students across campus.The information will be used to help the Black Caucus identify common and pressing issues and concerns that Black graduate students face so that we can address them more effectively. If you are a Black graduate student, click here to take the survey - and share with other Black graduate students you know on campus!
What is the Black Caucus?
The GEO Black Caucus is a space for Black graduate employees to build community and organize around their living and working conditions on UIUC campus. Through this collective, the Black Caucus seeks to connect Black graduate employees with each other across disciplines and collaboratively build a campus environment that supports their needs and well being as they move through their programs and plan for their future.
If you have any questions for the Black Caucus, please email us at geoblackcaucus@gmail.com.
Disability Caucus: Recently Completed Email Campaign!
The Disability Caucus recently completed our first project: An email campaign to faculty members regarding accommodation ideas to make courses and employment more accessible for graduate student-workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. To see this letter with access ideas, click on the link here. While we were only able to circulate the letter among tenured faculty due to the limited contact information the university provided, we hope this letter will be useful for all faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants.
The Disability Caucus’ next project is a survey open to all UIUC graduate student-workers about disability. Be on the lookout for this survey in the near future!
If you have questions about the Disability Caucus, or if you would like to join, you can reach us at: GEODisabilityUIUC@gmail.com.
Mutual Aid Working Group: Updates
Image Description: An infographic that reads “GEO Mutual Aid: UC Books 2 Prisoners Book Drive” in pink and green type. The bulk of the image features a collage of four images, each centering around piles of books; superimposed on these images is a pink and green action bubble that reads “148 books!” On the right side of the image is clip art of an open book with two hearts that reads “Thank you!” and a red, clip art thermometer that is full to the top.
Book Drive: Through our collaboration with the Urbana-Champaign chapter of Books 2 Prisons, we collected almost 150 books. Thanks so much for your support!
Cross-Campus Mutual Aid Solidarity Fund: Our solidarity fund is now in its 24th week, and we’ve distributed almost $5,000 to campus workers. Feel free to apply or donate to the fund here.
GEO Virtual Backgrounds
Image Description: GEO staff member Becca Maree, wearing a black Nirvana shirt, modeling a GEO virtual background: a blue background screen with GEO logos of varying sizes (yellow circles with GEO text in blue letters) running alongside the right side of the screen.
The GEO now has virtual backgrounds for you to use in all of your online meetings! Show union solidarity while you’re teaching, while you’re attending general meetings, or even when you’re socializing in an evening Zoom call. See an example & download below!
Image Description: A blue background screen with GEO logos of varying sizes (yellow circles with GEO text in blue letters) running alongside the right side of the screen.
Image Description: A yellow background screen with GEO logos of varying sizes (blue circles that read “We Are GEO, Graduate Employees’ Organization IFT-AFT 6300 AFL / CIO”) running alongside both the left and right margins of the screen.
Image Description: A navy blue background screen with medium-sized GEO logos of varying sizes (yellow circles with GEO text in blue letters) running alongside the middle and right sides of the screen.
Grievance Committee Advice Column: Vaccines and Testing Reminder
Dear Grievance Committee,
I was lucky enough to get an appointment for my first round of the COVID-19 vaccine recently! Hooray! However, I had a question: when I get fully vaccinated, can I be exempt from twice-weekly testing?
Signed,
Pfizer-Bound in CU
Hello Pfizer-Bound in CU,
Congratulations on securing your appointment! You raise a very good question. As far as our committee knows, NO, you are not exempt from twice-weekly testing even when you are fully vaccinated. We want you and everyone who is getting vaccinated to keep this in mind in order to avoid being penalized and disciplined by the University. Make sure to remind all your friends and colleagues of this, whether or not they have scheduled their vaccine appointment yet.
Signed,
Grievance Committee
Do you have a question for the Grievance Committee Advice Column? Let us know at grievance@uigeo.org!
University Resources Survey
Image Description: Infographic with “What does UIUC pay their workers?” heading. Three figures featured with what they make at the university. The graduate student worker makes $18.5k, the frontline food-service worker makes $25k, and the rookie police officer makes $60k. Each person is accompanied by money symbols which identify their salaries. Subheading 1 states, “You are funding UIUC via your tuition, fees, housing costs, labor, and or tax dollars. Fill out the survey, make your voice heard!” Subheading 2 states, “all salaries based on UIUC starting/minimum salaries for each job.”
Did you know, a rookie officer makes 3x times more than a graduate-student worker and more than 2x more than a frontline food-service worker? The university uses your tuition, fees, housing, tax dollars, and labor to fund this drastic wage gap! We have more than 200 responses recorded in our survey about how you, the students, workers, and community members feel about this budgeting. If you haven’t, fill out the survey to make your voice heard, and share it with your friends, classmates, and community members so they too know how the university allocates the community’s money!
Events
General Membership Meeting: Thurs., March 4, 5:30-6:30PM CST
Image Description: A green background is headed by a pink box that reads, “GEO General Membership Meeting.” Light blue bubbles around the edges read, “Solidarity Committee Open House,” “Learn about the incredible work our SolComm has been doing lately and how you can help,” “Make sure to stay afterwards for an Among Us Social Hour,” and “Thursday, March 4 | 5:30-6:30 PM CT” with the last one also pointing to a QR code that would take you to the registration sheet. In the middle, there are two MS Paint-drawn Among Us figures because real ones cost money. On the left, a yellow one holds a sign that reads, “Support workers on strike!” On the right, a dark blue one says, “our bosses kinda sus.”
The bulk of this month’s GMM will be the Solidarity Committee Open House! Come learn about what we have been involved in this past year from showing solidarity with other unions, to supporting local social-justice causes, to bringing back The Organizer Newsletter! Are there issues you’d like to see solcomm organize around? Come share your thoughts and ideas with us. If you have any questions or comments, please email solcomm@uigeo.org.
Check out the Facebook event and register for the meeting!
Summer Healthcare Email Campaign Thurs., March 4 & Fri., March 5
Image Description: A red background with red, black, and white circles and triangles strewn about with the text “Fight for Summer Healthcare” heading the flyer. In the middle of the flyer, white text reads: “This summer, UIUC will charge thousands of newly unemployed grad workers $1049 for health insurance coverage and McKinley access, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Join GEO in demanding responsibility from UIUC!” At the bottom of the flyer centered in a black bar reads the text: “First action: March 4-5 Email Campaign. Email Script & Recipients: https://tinyurl.com/SummerHealthEmail.
This summer, UIUC will charge thousands of newly unemployed grad workers $1049 for health insurance coverage and McKinley access, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Join GEO in demanding responsibility from UIUC! Follow along online with GEO’s socials for announcements about further actions in the month of March. We will fight for what we deserve until we win!
Check out the Facebook event and the email template!
GEO S.H.O.W
Get excited for GEO community skill-sharing! We want to organize a digital space to allow graduate students (GEO members and non-members) to connect. The idea is to bring people together by sharing our skills and interests, recruit new members to join the union, and engage existing members by experimenting with pandemic-appropriate spaces to engage with each other.
Do you have a skill or interest you’d like to share? Let us know and we can help you organize a fun event for everyone!
Quantum Teleportation with Kai
Tune in to a skill share on quantum teleportation with Kai. This recorded session should be accessible to anyone, regardless of your knowledge of physics. Learn the basics of one of Quantum Physics' most buzzwordy applications. Does quantum teleportation live up to the hype? Check your email and come find out!
A Slow Intro to R Coding with Liran: Wed., March 10th, 4:00PM CST
Wanting to get into your data and tired of black box analysis? Try R! We'll do a slow and question-friendly tutorial from correct installation, how to create a script, running commands, importing data, to basic visualizations and analyses. Join R user 2013-Present Liran for a casual tutorial on Hangouts in another episode of the GEO S.H.O.W! Register for the event!
Hand-lettering Happy Hour with Ellie: Fri., March 19th, 5:30PM CST
Join Ellie for a casual workshop to learn the basics of faux calligraphy, a form of hand-lettering that combines thin and thick lines to draw letters that look like they were made with a calligraphy pen. Once you learn the basics, you can use it in your planner, envelopes, or the notes for your 4th zoom meeting of the day. All you need to bring is paper, a writing utensil, and a beverage or snack! No prior experience required.
Image Description: Space/science-themed flyer with glowing pink and blue text that reads “GEO S.H.O.W Presents: Quantum Teleportation with Kai!” There is a graphic of a pink and blue swirling black hole with blue text over it that reads “What is it?”, “How do you do it?” and “Is it cool?” Kai’s headshot is sticking out of the black hole. Kai’s headshot is also all over the flyer since he is teleporting. Text toward the bottom reads “Check your GEO-L to learn more”, with a box to the bottom right that reads “Coming soon! Mar 10: R with Liran, Mar 19: Hand-lettering with Ellie, Your event!”
Image Description: black text on light blue background reads “A Slow Intro to R Coding, March 10th 4PM”. Below text is the same text in event description above. GEO logo is in the upper left and Liran’s face and the R logo are in the upper right.
In Solidarity,
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org