The wins include: $250 per semester in fee relief for GAs on a 0.5 full time equivalent (FTE) or above appointment; $125 per semester in fee relief for GAs on a 0.25-0.49 FTE appointment; an increase to the minimum stipend from $16,250 to $18,000 effective fall 2023; a 5% across-the-board raise effective fall 2023; an increase to the minimum stipend from $18,000 to $18,700 effective fall 2024; and a 4% across-the-board raise effective Fall 2024.

This agreement contains historic gains for GAs, headlined by the implementation of student fee relief. Despite being workers at the university, GAs are required to pay student fees their entire tenure at the university. These fees can reach over $1000 a semester which is a large percentage of most GAs' stipends.

Furthermore, international GAs are especially burdened by student fees because they cannot establish Florida residency, meaning they have to pay out-of-state fees which are arbitrarily higher than in-state fees. What this amount to is widespread discrimination on the part of FSU (among other Florida public universities) against its international workforce. For these reasons, achieving fee relief and elimination has been one of GAU’s main bargaining objectives since its inception in 2008. The foot is in the door now with fee relief being a permanent fixture of the contract.

The percent raises are the highest GAU has ever been able to bargain for and the minimum stipend will increase more over the course of the contract than it has in the last five years. This was a direct result of a constant back-and-forth with FSU on whether to agree to a two-year contract versus a one-year, culminating in a last minute push by GAU’s bargaining team. The current contract was set to expire in 2024; thus, another bargaining season was scheduled this spring. FSU offered instead to extend the current contract by one more year and essentially forgo the spring full-book bargaining.

It is important to understand the hostile environment in Florida that has been brought upon by one of the most reactionary state legislative sessions in recent memory. Bills such as SB 256 are direct attacks on labor organizing. Florida has been a right-to-work state since 1943, and the Florida state government criminalized public sector unions organizing strikes or work-slowdowns in the 1960s. On top of that, the state has now banned union deductions from being taken directly out of paychecks and requires public sector unions to have at least 60% membership in order to recertify each year. This law went into effect on July 1, and GAU needs to reach the 60% threshold by March 21, 2024, which would be in the middle of the bargaining season. GAU currently sits around 20% membership density, so decertification is a likely possibility.

This deal was badly needed as GAs are facing high inflation, increasing housing costs and stagnant wages. While these wins will give relief to many GAs, the simple fact is that the fundamental issues GAs face have not been sufficiently addressed. While great gains have been made with the minimum stipend, it is still about half of a living wage. Furthermore, FSU did not give any concessions in other articles such as health insurance despite the fact that most GAs are under-insured and still have to pay a significant percent of premiums that do not include dental, vision, or dependent coverage.

GAU’s job is far from over and its presence is needed now more than ever. At a time where Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party are carrying out constant racist, sexist and anti-LGBTQ attacks, organized labor is key to fighting back. GAU’s full resources and attention will be put towards recruiting dedicated organizers and getting to that 60% membership threshold. While the situation is difficult, there is confidence that GAU can ride the momentum of this historic agreement into a large-scale organizing effort that has yet to be seen at FSU.

#TallahasseeFL #GraduateAssistantsUnionGAU

“Florida State University wants GAs basically to come to work, be overworked, underpaid and just die on their own dime and do nothing about it. There are a lot of things on this campus that are impacting GA safety in particular,” said Jordan Lenchitz, grievance officer for GAU. Lenchitz went on to explain how COVID-19 threatened both teachers’ livelihoods and ability to financially support themselves. “We’re here today to let the university know that we’re not going to go quietly, and we’re not going to die and pay for our own funerals, because they don’t pay us enough for that anyway.”

Organizing chair for GAU, Jordan Scott, elaborated on the conditions FSU students and faculty have been facing. “With the majority of graduate workers making between $16,000 and $25,000 annually, we cannot afford to subsidize Florida State University’s response, or lack thereof to the crisis.” He said they wanted to unite other organizations on FSU’s campus to fight for better conditions within the pandemic.

“We are currently building relationships with different student organizations including but not limited to Students for a Democratic Society and an array of international students’ organizations on campus, and the staff and faculty unions. The best thing that anyone can do is show up to the impact bargaining. Our first impact bargaining meeting. There will be a hybrid option. The best way to hear about any updates is by following us on social media Twitter @fsu_gau, Facebook facebook.com/fsugau/ or on Instagram at fsugau.”

Some of GAU’s demands include workplace modifications for disabled workers, compensation for in-patient medical costs, and paid sick leave when a graduate worker is exposed to COVID-19.

GAU members say they will keep fighting for a successful bargaining and to hold FSU accountable for its role in allowing the COVID-19 pandemic to spread.

Jordan Lenchitz also criticized FSU for attempting to hold in-person meetings for their negotiations when several members from GAU had contracted COVID-19. He urged people to come support them at their bargaining meeting. “People are welcome to come and get involved. FSU’s entire team is six people, and so, if we can bring out 50 people, we can outnumber them nine to one.”

#TallahasseeFL #PeoplesStruggles #PublicSectorUnions #GraduateAssistantsUnionGAU #FloridaStateUniversityFSU #TeachersUnions #COVID19

“Florida State University wants GAs basically to come to work, be overworked, underpaid and just die on their own dime and do nothing about it. There are a lot of things on this campus that are impacting GA safety in particular,” said Jordan Lenchitz, grievance officer for GAU. Lenchitz went on to explain how COVID-19 threatened both teachers’ livelihoods and ability to financially support themselves. “We’re here today to let the university know that we’re not going to go quietly, and we’re not going to die and pay for our own funerals, because they don’t pay us enough for that anyway.”

Organizing chair for GAU, Jordan Scott, elaborated on the conditions FSU students and faculty have been facing. “With the majority of graduate workers making between $16,000 and $25,000 annually, we cannot afford to subsidize Florida State University’s response, or lack thereof to the crisis.” He said they wanted to unite other organizations on FSU’s campus to fight for better conditions within the pandemic.

“We are currently building relationships with different student organizations including but not

limited to Students for a Democratic Society and an array of international students’ organizations on campus, and the staff and faculty unions. The best thing that anyone can do is show up to the impact bargaining. Our first impact bargaining meeting. There will be a hybrid option. The best way to hear about any updates is by following us on social media Twitter @fsu_gau, Facebook facebook.com/fsugau/ or on Instagram at fsugau.”

Some of GAU’s demands include workplace modifications for disabled workers, compensation for in-patient medical costs, and paid sick leave when a graduate worker is exposed to COVID-19.

GAU members say they will keep fighting for a successful bargaining and to hold FSU accountable for its role in allowing the COVID-19 pandemic to spread.

Jordan Lenchitz also criticized FSU for attempting to hold in-person meetings for their negotiations when several members from GAU had contracted COVID-19. He urged people to come support them at their bargaining meeting. “People are welcome to come and get involved. FSU’s entire team is six people, and so, if we can bring out 50 people, we can outnumber them nine to one.”

#TallahasseeFL #PeoplesStruggles #PublicSectorUnions #GraduateAssistantsUnionGAU #FloridaStateUniversityFSU #TeachersUnions #FSUGAU

Gainesville, FL – The Graduate Assistants Union (GAU) and allies from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied against student fees leveled upon graduate students at the University of Florida, Aug. 16. Volunteers began by leafleting and talking to teaching assistant employees about the importance of banding together and fighting for the union that provides them with healthcare and pay stipends. Many graduate students are surprised to learn that without the union, fees would go up every year like other campuses. Now the GAU union hopes to eliminate the fees, making graduate school more affordable for everyone. Most graduate student employees understand how poorly the administration treats them, despite teaching almost 50% of all undergraduate courses.

Halfway through the University's orientation for new teaching assistant employees, GAU Chief Steward Jose Soto and volunteers from SDS delivered an in-depth presentation about the importance of the GAU's current campaign – eliminating all student fees for graduate students and providing more accessible education. Hundreds of students and teaching assistant employees began chanting “No more fees!” in spite of university administrators sitting uncomfortably in the front row of the assembly room. “Workers at Wal-Mart and McDonald's don’t pay to work there, so why do employees at UF pay to work here?” Soto asked. During the next break period, many students signed up to be union members at the GAU table.

Then at a GAU lunch outside the assembly hall a spontaneous rally came together. The GAU’s Jose Soto delivered an empowering speech urging teaching assistant employees to fight for the elimination of student fees. Richard Blake, a member of Gainesville SDS, said, “It's great to rally with the graduate employees who teach our classes and educate people about the benefits that a union brings to their workplace.” SDS will continue to lead the fight for education rights, for accessible education and support the struggles of working people for better pay, benefits, and a good quality of life.

#GainesvilleFL #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #GainesvilleAreaStudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #studentFees #UniversityOfFlorida #GraduateAssistantsUnionGAU #GAU