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Contact Elric Kline,
Chair, TA/GA Steering Committee at Workload protection is a significant new TA/GA right under the current contract (in force 2007-2011). The union recommends that all Teaching Assistants and Graduate Assistants track hours worked and kept brief notes of the duties; e.g. office hours, meetings, preparation,email, class time, and grading as needed. Here are a couple of handy charts for keeping track of your hours: Track Hours Chart (pdf) or Excel version Track Hours Chart (xls)
TA-GA Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does the AAUP-AFT do at Rutgers and how are TA/GAs involved? The AAUP has represented full-time faculty in negotiations at Rutgers since 1970; TA/GAs were added to the bargaining unit in 1972; Rutgers is the only place in the country where full-time faculty and TA/GAs are in the same bargaining unit, making Rutgers the largest AAUP chapter in the nation. Since 1988, the AAUP has also represented part-time faculty at Rutgers in a separate bargaining unit; The Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters has over 6,000 members and maintains a dual identity as a professional association and a collective bargaining agent, enhancing the quality of education at Rutgers by representing member interests and protecting their rights as employees. In 2005, we added affiliation with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). TA/GAs have the right to porportional representation on the Executive Council of the union based on the number of full dues-paying TA/GA members and to select TA./GA representatives to serve on the negotiating team when a contract is up for renewal.
2. What has the AAUP-AFT done for TA/GAs recently? During the recently completed negotiations for a new contract, the AAUP-AFT made the issue of TA/GA compensation one of the top priorities. In recognition of the major contributions that teaching/graduate assistants make to undergraduate education at Rutgers, the AAUP fought to improve TA/GA salaries. As a result, all TA/GAs received a 10% in 2004-2005 and 8% increases in each of the final two years of that contract. Then, in the 2007-2011 contract, graduate employees will receive 8% in each year reaching $24,962 (academic year) as the minimum salary in 2011. We defended that salary increase in 2009, so the 8% increase went into effect for 2009-2010. When some graduate employees did not receive the raise in 2009, we intervenes on behalf of the whole class of affected TA/GAs and made sure that they were properly paid. This illustrates the importance of the union as a problem-solving organization that can defend the terms and conditions under the contract. In addition, all TA/GAs are no longer required to pay student fees and received a refund of student fees paid in the 2003-2004 academic year during the implementation phase after the provision was ratified. In the 2007-2011 contract, graduate employees won the right to workload protection and it was defended through the grievance procedure. Grievance procedures are essential for defending our rights on the job. Click here to view Article XI, which is the grievance procedure for teaching and graduate assistants. Graduate employees serve on the grievance panels, further improving the fairness of decisions made in individual cases related to TA.GA employment. Working to ensure due process is an important part of what your union does!
3. Do TA/GAs really need a union? As graduate student employees, we are both students and workers. As employees, it makes sense for us to have a say in our working conditions. As full-time employees, we receive a tuition waiver and we are members of the state benefits plan (just like the full-time faculty). In addition, we have a fifteen-hour per week workload limit and we have formal policies regarding appointment and reappointment. These need to be protected and a strong AAUP-AFT is the only way to do so. There are equally compelling reasons to join the AAUP-AFT from our interests as graduate students, the non-employment side of our status at RU. Better working conditions will allow us to have the time and energy to attend our own classes and conduct our own research. Most importantly, better working conditions and more time to devote to our own work will make us better teachers. As both students and employees, we have an interest in the academic excellence of Rutgers University. The Rutgers AAUP-AFT strives to unite all faculty-full-time, part-time, non-tenure track instructors, non-tenure track grant-funded research faculty, EOF Counselors, winter/summer instructors, post-docs, and TA/GAs--into a strong and effective association that works to improve the overall quality of education at Rutgers through collective bargaining and professional development.
4. Are there other TA/GA unions? Yes. While Rutgers is the only place where TA/GAs are in the same bargaining unit with full-time faculty, graduate student employees on over twenty-five campuses are legally recognized. These include the universities of Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Massachusetts, SUNY, and Iowa. In 1999, teaching/graduate assistants on all 8 University of California campuses won elections for recognition. After many years of fighting, this was a major victory for graduate student employee organizing everywhere. In addition, there are several recognition drives underway. The Coalition of Graduate Employee Unions (CGEU) was formed in 1992 and has functioned to promote issues relevant to graduate student employees. Its national meeting has grown in recent years and has been a place for graduate student employees to share resources and develop contacts. It's also important to note that we are part of a national movement that aims to improve the teaching and learning conditions at the institutions where we study and work.
5. What do TA/GAs do as part of the Rutgers AAUP-AFT? The TA/GA Steering Committee is the primary TA organization within the AAUP. Any TA/GA who is interested is invited to join. The committee works to promote TA/GA issues within the organization and throughout the university as a whole. In the past, we have sponsored several different kinds of events. We have held a "grade-in" to demonstrate the kinds of work that TA/GAs do. We participated in the CGEU National Days of Action hosting a forum on the future of academic labor that include guest speakers and local faculty, as well as TAs and PTLs from Rutgers. The TA/GA Steering Committee works with the Part-Time Lecturer Faculty Chapter (PTLFC). Given that both groups have many mutual concerns, we think it makes sense to work together. Often TAs who are no longer able to receive funding from their department in that capacity take positions as Part-Time Lecturers or may also teach during winter or summer sessions.
6. Does the AAUP-AFT represent me even if I am not a member? Yes it does. A fee is deducted from your paycheck to help pay for union representation, but this does not mean you are automatically a member. To become a full dues-paying member, you must complete a membership form. The dues for TA/GAs are quite low, only 0.6% of your salary. The representation fee is 85% of dues, so as you can see the difference between fees is very small.
7. If the AAUP-AFT represents me no matter what I do, why should I bother to join? There are many reasons why you should become a member of the AAUP-AFT as a TA/GA. You will receive regular communications that will keep you informed of faculty and TA/GA issues at Rutgers. In addition, you will receive a subscription to Academe, AAUP's national bi-monthly publication that will keep you informed on the most important issues in higher education today. AFT's national publication is also yours at no extra cost. Most importantly, membership gives you a voice in AAUP-AFT activities at Rutgers. Being a member will allow you to vote for officers, vote to ratify the contract, and it also adds to the overall strength of the organization. If you are not a member, then you risk having your future as a graduate student employee at Rutgers decided for you. Therefore, even though the AAUP-AFT represents you no matter what you do, that representation is much more effective if you join.View the dues chart to see that upgrading from representation fee payer to full members is only a few cents more.
8. Can I join a union in the United States if I am here on a foreign student visa? Yes.Your right to join the union is protected by New Jersey state and US federal law. Visa requirements are not violated by membership in a Union that represents all people who work in your position in the work place. Federal labor law guarantees that union membership is confidential. Many international graduate students are and have been members and leaders of the union over the years from 1972 to the present.
9. How much are dues? Dues are .60% of your salary. Non-members pay a representation fee which amounts to 85% of dues (0.51%). It costs only pennies a day to be a member. View the membership dues chart.
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| Home | Contact Us/Directions | Useful Links | Privacy Policy | National AAUP | AFT | Email: aaup@rutgersaaup.org Phone: (732) 964-1000 Fax: (732) 964-1032 11 Stone Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1113 |