grievance help

Make the GEO Contract Work For You
A Guide to Your Contractual Rights and How to Protect Them
2003-2006 TA/GA Contract

Contents:

1. Contract Guarantees


2. How the Grievance Procedure Works


3. Not Sure You Have A Grievance?


4. Who Has Access to the Grievance Procedure


5. How Can You Help Enforce the Contract


6. Grievance Committee Contact Information

1. Contract Guarantees 2003-2006

   The GEO contract guarantees a set of rights to graduate employees, but it also establishes a procedure for protecting those rights. Becoming familiar with the contract is the first step to making it work for you.

   Short summary:
   

   • Wages and Benefits
     
     
     
     • 3% annual pay increase
     
     
     • McKinley fee waiver and health insurance contribution during the semester you are employed
   
   
   • Hours
     
     
     
     • Limits on hours worked over the course of an appointment
   
   
   • Working Conditions
     
     
     
     • Access to the training, equipment, and space you need to do your job
     
     
     • Consistent, non-discriminatory procedures for making appointments and evaluations
     
     
     • GEO representation at any disciplinary meetings
     
     
     • and most important, enforcement with a legally binding grievance procedure...


2. How the Grievance Procedure Works

   Grievance Committee members have been trained to interpret the contract, and they evaluate when to file grievances on behalf of graduate employees. Filing a grievance simply involves contracting administrators to discuss and resolve workplace issues. The committee works with administrators according to the following steps:
   

   1. Immediate supervisor: "Unit Executive Officer" (UEO) (often department head)
   
   
   2. UEO's supervisor (often a dean)
   
   
   3. Associate Provost
   
   
   4. Third-party arbitrator
   
   At each step, administrators have 14 days to resolve an issue or to schedule a meeting to investigate it further. Most grievances are resolved at the first few steps.

   *Note: There are time limits on using the grievance procedure. We have 30 days to initiate each step of the procedure.



3. Not Sure You Have A Grievance?

   You can contact the Grievance Committee to discuss ANY potential problem. A Committee member will meet with you to find out about your situation and recommend how to proceed. You can request a particular member to meet with - for instance a member from a specific college - and all information about your situation remains confidential.



4. Who Has Access to the Grievance Procedure

   The grievance procedure is available to ALL members of the "bargaining unit," which includes most TAs and GAs.



5. How Can You Help Enforce the Contract
   
   
   
   1. Make a Habit of Keeping Records: Save notices about department policies, letters of appointment, and all paper and email correspondence about job responsibilities and performance. Use your appointment book to keep track of hours worked. Know how to access your pay records online.
   
   
   2. Apprise the Committee of Any Possible Problems: Even when the Committee doesn't file grievances, it can document problems to help prepare for future contract negotiations.
      
   3. Contact the Committee Early: The contract grants 30 days to initiate each step of the grievance procedure, so contracting the Committee early ensures ample time to handle your situation.
   
   


6. Grievance Committee Contact Information
   GEO Office:
   1001 S. Wright St.
   Champaign IL, 61820
   Mail Code: MC-390
   Phone: 217.344.3283
   Fax: 217.344.8281
   Email: geo@shout.net
   GEO Website: http://www.uigeo.org

   Grievance Officer: Mike Lehman (acting)

   Posted June 27, 2005