Teaching Assistants Hold Undergraduates Hostage - Policy Note - Washington Policy Center/title> <link href="../../../css/main.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/images/wpc_icon.png"> <style type="text/css" media="screen"></style> <script type="text/javascript"> </script>  <style type="text/css">  </style> <meta name="description" content="In 1998, teaching assistants (TAs), at the University of Washington formed the Graduate Student Employee Action Commission. In 2000 the Commission joined with the United Auto Workers and demanded to be recognized by the University as the exclusive bargaining agent for teaching assistants. GSEAC/UAW threatened a strike in December 2000, but it was averted through a temporary recognition of the union. That contract expired in May 2001 and the teaching assistants at the University of Washington went on strike during finals week of spring quarter, abandoning professors and undergraduates. Nationwide, there are 26 recognized TA unions and the trend has been increasing among public universities.">  <link href="http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/css/print.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print"> </head> <body style="text-align:center;" background="ddd">  <div id="page-container" style="width:970px; margin:0 auto; text-align:left; position:relative;">  <h1><img src="../../../images/websiteheader.jpg" alt="" width="970" height="160" border="0" usemap="#Map"> <map name="Map" id="Map"><area shape="rect" coords="5,5,278,107" href="../../../index.html" alt="Home"> </map></h1>   <div id="menu"> <dl> <dt onMouseOver="javascript:show('smenu1');">About Us</dt> <dd id="smenu1" onMouseOver="javascript:show('smenu1');" onMouseOut="javascript:show('');"> <ul> <li><a href="../../../aboutus/missionstatement.html">Mission/Background</a></li> <li><a href="../../../aboutus/board.html">Board</a></li> <li><a href="../../../aboutus/staff.html">Staff/Contact Us</a></li> <li><a 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Smosna</span><br/> <span class="date">2002-01 </span> </p> <hr align="left"/> <p align="left" class="author"><a id="1" name="1"></a>Introduction</p> <p align="left">In 1998, teaching assistants (TAs), at the University of Washington formed the Graduate Student Employee Action Commission. In 2000 the Commission joined with the United Auto Workers and demanded to be recognized by the University as the exclusive bargaining agent for teaching assistants. GSEAC/UAW threatened a strike in December 2000, but it was averted through a temporary recognition of the union. That contract expired in May 2001 and the teaching assistants at the University of Washington went on strike during finals week of spring quarter, abandoning professors and undergraduates. Nationwide, there are 26 recognized TA unions and the trend has been increasing among public universities.</p> <p align="left" class="author"><a id="2" name="2"></a>Union demands from GSEAC/UAW</p> <p align="left">The representatives from GSEAC claim that their primary demand is to be recognized as the exclusive bargaining unit, but the university is unable to recognize the union without the approval of the legislature. The union wants more than just recognition. They are demanding a number of benefits that will result in severe consequences to taxpayers.</p> <blockquote> <p align="left">A 12% increase in compensation and benefits every year for 3 years, totaling approximately $10 million, plus $1.5 million each year for additional health benefits.</p> <p align="left">A union representative hired by the UW to work full time in each of the 89 academic departments to promote the union.</p> <p align="left">Increased arbitration on academic issues like evaluations and course assignments.</p> </blockquote> <p align="left">These demands come regardless of the fact that compared to other universities; the teaching assistants at the University of Washington are equally or better compensated. The following list is a comparison of how the UW compares to peer schools, all but one have TA unions.</p> <p align="left"><b>UW:</b> $10,908-$17,784 salary per year, full health coverage, discounted dependent coverage (including domestic partners) and full tuition waivers.</p> <p align="left"><b>University of Wisconsin at Madison:</b> $10,100-$13,000, health care and tuition waivers.</p> <p align="left"><b>University of Michigan:</b> $12,560, health benefits, and tuition waivers.</p> <p align="left"><b>University of Florida and University of South Florida:</b> $7,175, no health coverage, tuition waiver.</p> <p align="left"><b>University of Iowa:</b> $14,130 per year, monthly fee for health coverage, and no tuition waiver.</p> <p align="left"><b>University of Minnesota:</b> $13,500 per year, Full health coverage, full tuition waiver (no union).</p> <p align="left" class="author"><a id="3" name="3"></a>Effects and consequences of meeting union demands</p> <p align="left">Legally, GSEAC/UAW and the UW Administration still have to go to Olympia and get legislative approval before they can be recognized. But recognition should not even be an option at this point because of the effects of the union on undergraduates, faculty, and even graduate students themselves. Unionizing the TAs would:</p> <blockquote> <p align="left">Cause tuition to increase again at the UW. The 36% pay increase demanded by the TAs will put upward pressure on tuition costs.</p> <p align="left">Force academic departments to cut back on the number of TAs that are hired due to increased costs, and aid to graduate students will decline. The University of Massachusetts at Amherst eliminated 150 TA positions four years after the union was recognized. The University of Kansas, since recognition, has dropped its number of TAs by 167.</p> <p align="left">Cause strain in the relationship between faculty advisors and graduate students. By recognizing GSEAC and meeting increased demands, faculty salaries cannot increase to deserved amounts. The faculty does not have a union, and granting subordinates a mandatory bargaining unit will undermine the authority of many professors at the UW.</p> </blockquote> <p align="left" class="author"><a id="4" name="4"></a>The effects of the TA union strike</p> <p align="left">Last June, teaching assistants at the University of Washington walked out of classes during finals week, refusing to administer tests, hold office hours for undergraduates, or grade papers. Undergraduate students were left on their own to deal with the consequences of the strike.</p> <blockquote> <p align="left">By July (six weeks after school) 10% of all grades were still not reported.</p> <p align="left">By October, thousands of students still had not received letter grades.</p> <p align="left">Departments with large introductory classes, like English, Language and History, were hit the hardest and are still playing catch up.</p> <p align="left">540 students lost their financial aid because their records did not reflect all their class credits, even though they had completed the coursework. The problem was fixed quickly, but could have been avoided had the TAs not gone on strike.</p> </blockquote> <p align="left">The Graduate Student Employee Action Commission claims that they won't need to strike if they are recognized, but many schools, such as the Universities of Michigan, Wisconsin-Madison, and Massachusetts-Amherst, and nearly all the University of California schools, suffered strikes within a year of recognizing a TA union. In each case, when it came time to negotiate a contract, the TAs decided to walk out on undergraduate students.</p> <p align="left" class="author"><a id="5" name="5"></a>Conclusion</p> <p align="left">Over the past few years, graduate student TAs at the University of Washington have demanded to be recognized as an exclusive bargaining unit. Joining forces with the United Auto Workers, they are demanding increased compensation that would cost a significant amount of money. The increased costs will likely drive up tuition and force academic departments to be cut back. The TAs demanded immediate recognition despite an opposing legal opinion from the state Attorney General, and even if they were recognized, it may severely undermine undergraduate education at the University of Washington.</p> <p align="left">As the legislature meets in January, GSEAC/UAW plans to lobby state lawmakers in support of unionization. If they succeed, students at the University of Washington could face the same harmful consequences that have occurred at other universities around the country.</p> <div class="clear"></div> </div>   <div class="clear"></div> </div>   <div id="footer"> <a href="../../../aboutus/careers.html">Careers/Internships</a> - <a href="../../../aboutus/staff.html">Contact Us</a> <div id="copyright"> Copyright © Washington Policy Center </div>  </div>  </body> </html>