The Graduate Teaching Fellows at the University of Oregon called off their strike Wednesday after reaching a tentative agreement with administration. Bargaining teams worked through the night. The GTFs were on strike for 8 days.
The GTF Federation went on strike over paid leave. The union wanted 2 weeks each of medical and family leave. The bargaining team agreed to a student fund in lieu of paid leave. The fund will help grad students to pay bills when they're unable to work because of illness or injury. President of the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, Joe Henry, says the settlement came after a year of negotiations.
Henry: "This is not what we wanted but this is, we feel, an important first step in the right direction. You know, it's part of a national movement for paid leave."
The agreement also includes a pay raise. Members of the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation vote early next week to ratify the 2-year contract.
Henry, a Doctoral Student in Anthropology, says he's eager to get back to his students. It's halfway through finals week so GTFs will be scrambling.
