RA & ga info

Due to laws restricting how we could unionize at Illinois State University at the time, Graduate Assistants (GA’s) and Research Assistants (RA’s) were not included in SEIU Local 73 GWU first contract. The GWU would like to accrete GA’s and RA’s into our contract. GA’s and RA’s can talk to a union representative to express their interest in joining the GWU.

What are GA’s and RA’s currently missing out on?

While many GA’s and RA’s received some of the same benefits regarding pay increase and fee decrease charges during our first contract GA’s and RA’s are not guaranteed these benefits in the future. Additionally, joining SEIU Local 73 GWU would guarantee GA’s and RA’s these protections: 

• A guaranteed tuition waiver

• A union representative’s support through a contractual grievance process against the university or in claims against discipline and dismissal; a contractual grievance process allows workers’ a neutral, third party arbitrator during the last stage to make a final determination which the grievance process through ISU does not require. Without the contractual grievance process RA’s and GA’s go through this process alone. 

• An anti discrimination clause that protects graduate workers from being discriminated against for race (i.e. EEO ethnicity and Race Categories), religion, color, national origin, sex (including sexual harrassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking), sexual orientation, order of protection, gender identity and expression, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, unfavorable military discharge, status as a veteran, arrest record status, or citizenship status.

• Faculty/staff surface parking permits for grad workers in the master’s program

What additional benefits might GA’s and RA’s get from joining SEIU Local 73’s GWU after SEIU Local 73’s GWU finished negotiating its next contract?

Additionally, while ISU opted into extending a fee decrease and pay increase to all graduate workers, they may not choose to do so for our next contract. For our next contract we are negotiating on matters regarding:

• including all graduate workers

• a removal of student fees

• a full time status for the work we do academically without an increase in the labor that we do with an increase in pay to a livable wage. For folks such as international students who can’t have a full time status for legal reasons, a part time equivalency that pays the same

• parental and sick/injury leave protections for employees

• many other things.

What counts as a GA/RA?

Graduate employees at ISU can have various forms of funding: assistantships, fellowships, or practicum funding. You should have received a letter offering you a position at ISU that specifies your actual classification: Graduate Teaching Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant, etc. General duties of these classifications are outlined in the Graduate Assistant Handbook, but in general if your job duties focus on research, clerical work, or other non-teaching duties, you may be a GA/RA.