The University of Oregon and the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation have fully executed a recently ratified contract that will run a full year longer than other agreements between the two entities.

UO President Michael H. Schill, GTFF President Kadie Manion and other members of the bargaining team came together Jan. 19 to formally sign the agreement, which was ratified in October. Since that time, the parties have been working on implementation of changes and now have a completed document.

Several changes have taken place under the new contract, including a new title of “Graduate Employee” from “Graduate Teaching Fellow.”

“I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish with our bargaining units in recent history,” Schill said, “and this three-year agreement is yet another sign of progress. I am thrilled that we were able to reach this agreement and focus on our common goal of making this school second to none.”

"We are happy to officially wrap up a successful round of bargaining,” Manion said. “With a significant wage increase, language on accessible and equitable workspaces and steps towards child care, this agreement helps to recognize the important role that graduate employees have on this campus."

Other elements of the contract include:

• The addition of a four-hour, employment-related training for all new graduate employees.
• Salary increases of 3.5 percent in in FY17, 3.5 percent in FY18 and 3.7 percent in FY19 for graduate employees who are not paid above the minimum salary already.
• New graduate employee classifications of instruction, research or administrative.
• A new process for hiring graduate employees for summer term.
• Gender-inclusive language across the agreement.
• Access to gender-inclusive restrooms and lactation spaces for graduate employees comparable to other employee groups.

—By Tobin J. Klinger, University Communications