GETDN Graduates Entitled to Decide Now What are your basic rights? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

GETDN Graduates Entitled to Decide Now What are your basic rights? ● You have the right to be completely informed ● You have the right to VOTE We ask that you utilize all of your rights www.getdnupenn.com

Many important issues have been raised However, we must be informed, then determine the absolute best course of action We should identify the resources that exist and already meet the raised issues well Then we can identify where infrastructure could use improvement We believe that system can be improved , but we believe that a graduate union that encapsulates all schools and departments will be a blunt, ineffective and ultimately harmful tool. And we have the right to choose if we want this representation up front. Why is a Union not the best way to affect change? We will provide a citation based argument Graduate Union could cause more Economic Infeasibility issues than it could fix

Let’s start with the Economics It was stated on the getup website: If there were a union, would some number of grad students be priced out of existence? If a union demanded that TAs earn more money, would the University have to cut back on the number of graduate students? That would be up to Penn. GET-UP hopes that an institution with an endowment of $10.7 billion (as of June 2016) would not try to pin declining enrollment numbers on members of its own community who are asking for better working conditions. Questions we should ask ourselves: 1. Understanding the economic structure (administration vs. schools) , what is the sustainable source for increasing graduate funds across all schools? Other than simply averaging current student stipends over all schools ? 2. If financial or other union demands are not met, what is the mechanism (other than strikes) the union could use to enforce their point ? And are we willing/capable of being a part of that ? (We need to work toward graduation, we would be hurt more by a strike than the university) 3. Given that the lowest stipend is above minimum wage , and this is a private institution , what are the systemic issues and how could they be solved ?

A union can only touch the stipends, and in the Understanding the Penn Economic ecosystem this will be off-loaded on schools, Ecosystem wounding (financially) smaller schools Administration Endowments Administration ‘Consistent’ Income Tuition ($) $10.7B Endowment Breakdown: 1. Undergraduate/Masters Tuition Profits # of 10.6% usable: 5.9% univ, 4.7% facilities Education is a product , there is an Students Tuition optimal price point based on a range of Flexibility factors. There is limited flexibility while Investments maintaining profits. Income invested in stocks and bonds 2. Faculty Grants [Grant: $X.XX ] Stipends $$ Support Faculty payment Private Donations [Grant: $x.xx ] Research External donations that have been ] Overhead earmarked for particular uses, and School 1 violation of that use will result in Administration removal of funds, eg: } } ● ‘Singh’ Center School 2 School 12 School 1 ● ‘Levine’ Hall Administration ● (Even conference rooms with 3. Student Fellowships (Tuition) donor names) Stipend [Fellowship Award: $x.xx ] School More info on the endowments Administration http://www.evp.upenn.edu/investments/annual-report.html

Economic Burden on Schools So how can we be certain the economic burden will be on schools and not the administration? ● Graduate students can be considered ‘assets’ of a school ○ Asset being defined as acquired for the purpose of increasing the profitability and quality of the school ● General examples of assets ○ Research Equipment ○ Rented lab space ○ Faculty In each of these examples of assets, it’s clear the burden of ○ Graduate Students maintenance and care is placed squarely on the school Hence, if the graduate student asset needs were to become untenable the burden would certainly be on the school as well. Because all schools do not have equal resources, certain schools would be financially burdened and perhaps destroyed, requiring getup-AFT to change strategy and average stipends.

History of AFT (American Federation of Teachers), chosen to represent us With outside influence, money is leaving the collective graduate students. We should be informed about who has been chosen to represent us. Cornell Union CGSU (Cornell Graduate Students United) worked with AFT. Check out their thoughts: cgsurankandfile.org They state: “We are highly critical of the “one size fits all” organizing model and strategies that were presented to us as the only option by AFT/NYSUT. Throughout our campaign, concerns about these methods were sidelined and overruled , not least through the stifling of spaces for independent CGSU deliberation. Our campaign, as a result, alienated many members and non-members, who came to see the union as a body that is only interested in collecting cards, petition signatures, photographs. AFT and NYSUT’s “expert opinions” and “experience” displaced the more essential functions of a union: to engage and empower, to inform and listen to, its members. Our union, in the process, grew disconnected from our everyday lives. ” Check out: www.aftfacts.com ● Increasing number of teachers across America looking for a chance to leave AFT ○ http://watchdog.org/218482/unions-socialist-agenda/ ● Some of these teachers then started non-union organizations i.e. American Association of Teachers ○ www.aaeteachers.org

What do Unions do when they are not acknowledged or given what they believe they deserve? Strike ! Even if the union wants to include in the contract a “No-Strike” clause, the union still may strike. For example, after votes or in between contract agreements. Strike at NYU: Strike from November 9, 2005 to May 2006. Cause was because NYU administration would not recognize the Graduate Student Organizing Committee. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/10/nyregion/graduate-teaching-assistants-go-on-strike-against-nyu.html?_r=0 Threatened strike at NYU: In March 2015 NYU grad students planned a strike because of lack of union contract agreements with administrators. Just before the strike a deal was met and the strike was cancelled. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/11/nyu-graduate-student-union-says-new-contract-includes-historic-gains Strike at Penn: GET-UP held a 2 day strike in February 2004 after the original election because Penn administration had appealed the election to the NLRB. The strike affected over 200 classes/recitations. http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0504/0504gaz03.html

So we’ve discussed some of the challenges the Union presents economically Now let’s take a look at some of the issues that make up the union platform

Issues GET-UP has prominently raised 1. Dental and Vision Care 2. Health Care 3. Mental WellBeing 4. Funding and Job Security 5. Family and Dependent Care 6. Issues affecting International Students 7. Worker’s compensation 8. The right to our work 9. Grievance Redressal **These are issues suggested by graduate students at Penn. These are not the guaranteed issues or priorities in the bargaining process. http://getupgrads.org/

The Issues - Health Care 1. Dental and Vision Care 2. Health Care 3. Mental Health 4. Funding and Job Security Health Plan Cost 5. Family and Dependent Care 6. Issues affecting International Students Penn: Free to eligible employees. Same plan masters 7. Worker’s compensation 8. The right to our work and PhD students 9. Grievance Redressal NYU: Eligible employees - free comprehensive plan Health Plan Primary Care (SHS) Other bargaining unit members: may purchase a Penn: No charge basic plan at 10% of premium NYU: $30 co-pay per visit, then 100% Health Plan Deductible Penn: In network ($300); Out of Network ($1,500) Health Plan Leave of Absence NYU: N/A Penn: May purchase a PSIP continuation plan NYU: May purchase continuation plan for 90 Health Plan Out of Pocket days Penn: In network ($900); Out of Network ($4,000) NYU: In network ($5,000); Out of Network ($10,000) Health Plan Mental Health Penn: CAPS free to students. Outpatient - $10 co-pay (in network), 70% of charge (out of Health Plan Emergency Care network) Penn: $100 co-pay plus 100% of negotiated (in NYU: Short term psychotherapy at student network) or recognized (out of network) charge health. Outpatient - 90% of charge (in NYU: $100 co-pay plus 90% if allowable (in network) network), 60% of charge (out of network) or customary (out of network) charge (comp. plan) http://www.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu/studentHealthServices/documents/PDFs/student-health-insurance/2016-2017/Washington-Square/Summary-of-Benefits.pdf http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/shs/psipinsurance.php