GTFF strike is over

The UO and the GTFF reached a tentative agreement early this morning. UO administration agreed to create a seven person committee to over see an emergency fund that a graduate student could use for parental or sick leave. This from the UO website:

In a mediation session that began Tuesday and went through the night, our bargaining teams came to terms on a tentative agreement. The GTFF members will hold a ratification vote to decide on the final agreement. The president, on behalf of the Board of Trustees by designation of authority, will ratify the agreement before it will take effect.

GTFs will be returning to work, as soon as today, as the university completes finals week.

We were able to find compromise in regard to a graduate assistance fund and absences provision that address concerns about financial losses from medical and parental needs, and agreed on substantial salary increases. Details of the agreement will be forthcoming.

And this from the GTFF:

The new agreement includes 5% raises to minimum wages retroactive to the current school year and another 5% for next year, and creates a new Graduate Student Assistance Fund. The fund is accessible to all graduate students when facing financial challenges due to illness, injury or adding children to their families.

The two teams had been deadlocked on guarantees related to access to the fund. The solution came in allowing the fund to be overseen by a 7-member committee, the majority of which are graduate students.

Half of the graduate student seats are appointed by the union, the other half elected by the UO graduate student body.

The GTFF will hold an end-of-strike rally at noon today at Matthew Knight Arena.

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