Are you a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Kansas? Congratulations, you have a union!
As a GTA at the University of Kansas, you are a unit member of the Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition, a worker’s union formed in 1995 to advocate for our rights in the workplace. We are part of a larger of a larger union, the American Federation of Teachers, and the AFL-CIO. Our union pursues strategies and goals which service our interests, as decided by our members. Recent wins include three years of raises, paid parental leave, paid sick leave, paid leave and coverage for conferences and professionalization, support for research, child care grants, and increased worker’s rights, including protections for trans*, LGBTQ*, and workers of color.
Our work includes representing GTAs in grievances, protecting GTAs from unfair discipline, improving our working conditions, increasing our salary, and working in the Kansas legislature to create positive change in areas that affect us, including higher education funding and student debt issues. To achieve these goals, we must all stand together in union. Become a dues-paying member today!
In Solidarity,
Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition, AFT Local 6403
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a worker’s union?
Unions are groups of workers who stand together to ensure fairness and equitable treatment in our workplace, and to reach our goals as workers. Our union goals include achieving fair pay, creating a safer workplace, protecting ourselves from unfair discipline, and increasing respect and dignity in our workplace. Our union is made up of all GTAs at the University of Kansas.
What does our union do?
Our union pursues strategies and goals which service our interests, as decided by our members. Together, we organize and take collective action to improve our working conditions, including negotiating our employment contract, which outlines our rights and responsibilities as workers. Recent victories include three years of raises, paid parental leave, paid sick leave, paid leave & coverage for conferences & professionalization, stronger discipline protection, support for research, child care grants, and increased worker’s rights, including protections for workers of color, trans* workers, LGBTQ* workers, the right to representation, and a system of progressive discipline.
How do we negotiate our contract?
Our members choose representatives to comprise our Negotiations Team, who negotiate directly with the administration of the University of Kansas over things like our salaries, health insurance, campus safety, hours of work, and other working conditions.
Why is our union important?
Workers form unions to protect our right to have a say our pay and working conditions, and to defend ourselves from the many other problems which can arise at work. Our union is important because together, we set an increasing standard for our rights and quality of life while we work as GTAs at the University of Kansas. In addition, our union-negotiated contract provides far more protection than an individual worker receives. Our union also works to establish laws improving working conditions and defending worker’s rights through legislation at the national, state and local level.
Why join our union?
We have very little power when we act individually. By acting together as a group, we can effect real change and ensure that our rights are protected. This helps balance the power that an employer has over individual employees. As a public worker, you have a guaranteed right to join your union.
How do I join our union?
Click here to join our union!