UO, GTFF reach tentative contract agreement

A tentative contract agreement has been reached between the University of Oregon and the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation. 

The union does not plan to strike Jan. 17.  Its bargaining team will be taking the new proposed agreement to members for a vote with a recommendation to ratify. 

“Graduate employees are valued members of the campus community who play key roles in teaching and research,” said Krista Chronister, vice provost of graduate studies. “We are very pleased to have reached a tentative agreement that demonstrates commitment to GEs and the critical work they do supporting academic and research excellence and invests financially in graduate programs to be successful and competitive now and in the future.”

“The tentative agreement invests significantly in salaries for all graduate employees while also continuing to invest in GE health care,” said Chris Meade, director of employee and labor relations. 

The agreement also includes important noneconomic terms on interests shared by both parties related to diversity, summer support, and supporting international graduate employees and GEs with families. More details about the terms of the tentative agreement are available on the HR website.

“I am incredibly grateful to the members of the university’s and GTFF’s bargaining teams for their many hours of work to reach a tentative agreement,” Meade said. “We have achieved an agreement that best meets the needs of the university and our graduate employees while remaining good stewards of student tuition and taxpayer dollars.”