COGS News
November/December 2002
Bargaining Update
The first bargaining session was held on October 31st. At that meeting we got our first Tentative Agreement! Both sides agree that job postings will now include language indicating that these jobs are covered by the COGS contract (the same language as in our appointment letters).
On 10/31, and again at our second meeting on November 12th, COGS presented our rationale for requesting employee e-mail addresses from the University, having access to departmental orientation meetings, receiving copies of Regents materials (dockets, minutes), having access to equipment needed for work (e.g., copiers, computers), and adding a non-discrimination clause. At this point, the University has shown no indication of agreeing to any of these, but they remain on the table.
On November 12th COGS also presented the remainder of our non-economic proposals (we can’t effectively talk about money till the state budget figures come out in January):
The University wants to strike the “retention of benefits” language in the contract, which is exactly the language we’re currently using to fight the mental care and chemical dependency network provider changes they’re attempting to make. They also want to strike the letter of understanding that allows departments to continue past practice regarding employee absences during semester breaks. We object to both of these changes.
Now that we have presented all of our non-economic proposals, we expect the University to make counterproposals at our next meeting on December 3rd. Both sides have also agreed that we will begin discussion tuition remission concepts in December.
To coincide with the next bargaining session, THERE WILL BE A RALLY ON DECEMBER 3rd AT 12:45pm on the T. ANNE CLEARY WALKWAY (between Pappajohn and Trowbridge). Or meet at the COGS office at 12:30pm. Show the UI we’re serious about our contract!! Be there!! There will also be a GRADE-IN on December 16 at noon in the IMU Lobby. Stay tuned for e-mail notices.
COGS Members Building Solidarity One Conversation at a Time!
Office Visits: One (Surprisingly Pleasant) Way to Have a Thousand Conversations
As bargaining begins to gather steam, office visits continue to go well. Office/house visitors and stewards have signed up 26 new members from 19 different departments in October, including Biomedical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics & Astronomy, Urban & Regional Planning, Learning Resource Center, Counseling Psychology, Health & Sport Studies, and Computer Science. And there is much. Much more to accomplish!
After the winter break, workplace organizing will continue to spread across campus, and a “Spring Cleaning” will begin, reaching out to those we missed in the fall office visits by talking to them at home. If evenings and weekends are better for you, call the COGS office soon and volunteer for a round of house-visits to build the union!
— Mike Evces (Curriculum and Instruction), vice president for organizing & Debby Herman (EPLS), office coordinator
Question: What are “office visits,” and why should I care?
Answer: Office Visits are when COGS members talk with non-members in their offices about the union and their working conditions and invite them to join COGS. It only takes an hour. You meet at the COGS office, where you get a kit that has everything you need and a partner who has done this several times before. You go together to the offices of graduate employees, asking them if they know about COGS, the contract, etc. You ask if their working conditions are ok, if there are any problems. You see if they have any questions about COGS, and if you don’t know the answers you simply make a note and pass the question along to an officer or steward, who will get back to them later. And of course you invite them to join the union! Many organizing volunteers are pleased to discover that they are cordially welcomed into offices and laboratories, where their colleagues are very interested in learning about the union, and pleased to discuss issues like tuition waivers or insurance. It’s actually quite a nice time, you get to meet people, and you help strengthen our position at the bargaining table by building connections and bringing in new members – but perhaps most importantly, you show our unorganized colleagues that we care enough to actually come visit them and have a conversation! Join the growing list of members who have been the friendly face of the union – call the COGS office soon and volunteer for an hour of office visits!
Why come to General Membership Meetings?
COGS is a rank-and-file union. That means the members run the union, not paid union bosses. COGS officers are members who have been elected to volunteer their time as leaders of COGS, but most decisions are still made by general membership vote. Democratic decision-making is a fundamental principle of rank-and-file unionism, and it requires an active membership. That’s why COGS WANTS YOU at the membership meetings!
“But I have work/class/my kids at that time!” At the first meeting of every semester we discuss timing of the meetings. By keeping the time constant but varying the day of the week, members have tried to accommodate busy schedules. If you have a suggestion about good meeting times, make it at a meeting (or e-mail it to COGS if you can’t be at the meeting!).
“But meetings take too long!” Officers try to keep their reports short, sometimes more successfully than others—they want to make sure to let everyone know what they’ve been doing as well as what is coming up, plus invite discussion! A lot of COGS business accumulates every month, and because we believe in making decisions through democratic membership vote, there are often many things to discuss and vote on. Without the members there to vote, however, no decisions get made! If you can’t come for the whole meeting, come for as much as you can and add your voice!
“But it doesn’t matter if I go to meetings or not.” COGS is only as strong as its level of rank-and-file member activism. Every member matters and every voice is needed!! If you have suggestions on how to make meetings more meaningful for you, please propose them at a meeting (or e-mail COGS).
- Lise VanderVoort (Comm Studies), President
It’s Unanimous: Organizing is Essential
This year’s annual organizing plan was approved unanimously at the November membership meeting. The presentation of the proposal was read by Vice President Mike Evces on behalf of the Organizing Committee (Angie Hetler, Patrick Oray, Kristin Solli, and Jake Wedemeyer.)
The full text of the plan can be found on the COGS webpage at www.cogs.org/organize.htm.GOT ANNOUNCEMENTS?
Membership meetings are the place to make them! We’ll be officially putting “Announcements” back on the end of the meeting agenda (they fell off with disuse). Announce anything you think other member grad students would like to know!
GOT PROPOSALS?
Membership meeting are the place for members to make proposals to be voted on. Is there a event or group you think COGS should support? Propose it at a meeting. Such decisions are made democratically, and membership meetings are the place to make them!
Unity Committee Maintains Community Involvement
The Unity Committee has had a full summer an fall, building community among members, other local unions, and local citizens.
In August, the Unity Committee, along with the United Way, helped to paint the Mental Health Community Center. As a local union, we are as committed to our city as we are to our members. We are also aware that this connection may help raise awareness among our members of the types of services that this agency provides. Additionally, we hosted a Student Family Picnic that was well attended by students across disciplines and schools. Because we received such strong support from those who attended, our efforts to address the needs of graduate student families have redoubled.
Since August, we have attended the Latino and Native American Cultural Center picnic to show our continued support in their attempt to keep the current cultural centers and to re-articulate our belief that the international student fee is unfair and unwarranted. Most recently, we hosted an event for graduate students with families at The Monkey House. Fun was had by all.
If you feel your needs are not being met, if you have any ideas on how to help bring together the various graduate student employee communities, or if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please contact us at 337-5074 or e-mail us at Kimberly-cohen@uiowa.edu or Anne-m-peterson@uiowa.edu
Delegates Report from District 11 Council
Recently, UE members converged in Minneapolis/St. Paul for the District 11 Council.
There was a special presentation and discussion of potential models for a new per capita structure. The reasons for a new structure were outlined in the October Cognition (see “News” at www.cogs.org.). Very briefly, UE is contemplating a move from a flat-fee system (each local pays the same per capita regardless of the average wages of the local) to an hourly dues system. Under an hourly dues system, each local is charged a per capita equal to a specified portion of that local’s wages (i.e. one hour’s wages). A discussion in our local on the switch to an hourly per capita system will be held at the December General Membership Meeting, with discussions continuing through the next National Convention.
One of the definite highlights of the meeting was a spirited report from Local 1159, the workers on strike at the Azteca plant in Chicago. The District Council voted to donate $300 to their strike fund, also the hat was passed around so individual delegates could make additional contributions. Go to the COGS website (www.cogs.org) and support these workers by sending an e-mail to the Azteca management demanding that they negotiate a fair contract with UE and respect workers rights.
The next meeting of UE District 11 will be held February 14-16 in Milwaukee, WI and is open to all COGS members.
COGS in the Hawkeyes
In an ongoing attempt to organize RAs and TAs, Helen Cheng, Jen Sherer, Rob Russell, and Jake Wedemeyer have campaigned door-to-door the past couple weekends, talking with the residents of Hawkeye Court about the benefits of COGS. Despite the Iowa weather, this group has managed to recruit some new members among the students who live in Hawkeye Court and Hawkeye Drive, the two university-owned apartment complexes. “Organizing in the Hawkeyes is a pleasure and a challenge because you get to talk with such a diverse group of people,” says Jake Wedemeyer, Linguistics TA and ‘lifetime’ resident of Hawkeye Court. If you are interested in helping out in the Hawkeyes, email Jake at jacob-wedemeyer@uiowa.edu.
