Bargaining Team Update

TAU Bargains with WMU’s Administration:

The TAU bargaining team completed one of its goals last month by presenting all of our proposed articles of the contract to the administration. We received several counter-proposals from the administration’s representatives at our last meeting, and now the serious business of negotiation begins. This is both a very encouraging and challenging period in the process of bargaining a contract for all teaching assistants. It is the job of the administration’s team to ensure that it receives the most favorable rights and benefits from this contract, and it is the duty of the union’s bargaining team to ensure that we receive just and fair compensations for our work. We will certainly do our part, but you can help.

It would be nice if the contract could be created established on rational principles of fair exchange between employees and the employer, but the reality is that the degree of success in bargaining is dependent in part on the active solidarity of the membership: the more support the union of employees show, the better the contract we can bargain. The bargaining team will be meeting throughout the spring semester on Thursdays in the Bernhard Center. Please wear your TAU buttons on Thursdays. If it is possible, please consider attending the meeting as non-participatory observers, or simply showing up to show support for the bargaining team. For more information, contact your steward or our organizer at office@tauaft.org.