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Chicago Tribune
April 28, 2004
Wisconsin teaching aides stage a walkout
By Robert Becker
Tribune higher education reporter
Teaching assistants at the University of Wisconsin at Madison on Tuesday began a two-day walkout, resulting in the cancellation of some classes and sparking fears that student grades would be delayed.
Members of the Teaching Assistants' Association, which has a campus
membership of 1,900, walked picket lines at university buildings protesting pay and benefits issues following unsuccessful negotiations with the State Employment Relations Office, which handles labor contract talks for the State of Wisconsin.
The primary point of contention is the state's insistence that teaching
assistants begin to pay some of their health-insurance costs. Union
officials say the assistants' pay averages about $10,000 for nine months' work. Under the proposed state plan, an unmarried graduate student would contribute about $9 a month toward health-care costs, university officials say.
Union officials say they would make the contribution if their salaries were raised to levels matching that of graduate students at comparable
universities.
"We feel this is the only way to preserve the quality of education at
UW-Madison," said Boian Popunkiov, co-president of TAA and a graduate
student.
Popunkiov said the increased cost of health benefits and the comparatively low wages for graduate students hinder the university's ability to attract top students.
Popunkiov said if the dispute is not resolved in coming weeks, union members may withhold grades when the semester ends in early May.
"We hope the issue will be settled before the grade strike," Popunkiov said.
Peter Spear, UW-Madison provost, said that his office has assured students that their grades would not be held up, "and if they need grades for jobs, transfers or any other reason, we will at least get them temporary grades."
Spear said while the university supported teaching assistants' efforts to
secure a better benefits and pay package, the school remained obligated to educate its undergraduates.
Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
April 28, 2004
Wisconsin teaching aides stage a walkout
By Robert Becker
Tribune higher education reporter
Teaching assistants at the University of Wisconsin at Madison on Tuesday began a two-day walkout, resulting in the cancellation of some classes and sparking fears that student grades would be delayed.
Members of the Teaching Assistants' Association, which has a campus
membership of 1,900, walked picket lines at university buildings protesting pay and benefits issues following unsuccessful negotiations with the State Employment Relations Office, which handles labor contract talks for the State of Wisconsin.
The primary point of contention is the state's insistence that teaching
assistants begin to pay some of their health-insurance costs. Union
officials say the assistants' pay averages about $10,000 for nine months' work. Under the proposed state plan, an unmarried graduate student would contribute about $9 a month toward health-care costs, university officials say.
Union officials say they would make the contribution if their salaries were raised to levels matching that of graduate students at comparable
universities.
"We feel this is the only way to preserve the quality of education at
UW-Madison," said Boian Popunkiov, co-president of TAA and a graduate
student.
Popunkiov said the increased cost of health benefits and the comparatively low wages for graduate students hinder the university's ability to attract top students.
Popunkiov said if the dispute is not resolved in coming weeks, union members may withhold grades when the semester ends in early May.
"We hope the issue will be settled before the grade strike," Popunkiov said.
Peter Spear, UW-Madison provost, said that his office has assured students that their grades would not be held up, "and if they need grades for jobs, transfers or any other reason, we will at least get them temporary grades."
Spear said while the university supported teaching assistants' efforts to
secure a better benefits and pay package, the school remained obligated to educate its undergraduates.
Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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