GTAs are not disposable. Join us as we fight for our lives.
Dear comrades,
It’s been a wild ride at the University of Kansas since we got new provost and a worldwide pandemic in the same week – both with disastrous results. As Covid-19 rolls across the world, with disproportionate fatalities among Black and Indigenous people, it is clear that the biggest risk to GTAs at the University of Kansas is not the direct risk of infection, but the autocratic actions of newcomer Barbara Bichelmeyer.
If you haven’t yet seen the news, new Provost Barb Bichelmeyer, along with Chancellor Doug Girod and CFO Diane Goddard are demanding that 1,000+ graduate teachers to return in-person this fall to teach undergraduate courses, despite the fact that an in-person return means that some of us will die.
Barb, Doug, and Diane believe that KU deserves this money more than we deserve our lives, despite the fact that staff, faculty, adjuncts and GTAs do the real work and produce the real wealth at KU. Barb (who got along just fine on her $167k salary as UMKC Chancellor in 2018) demanded 3x that amount as KU Provost in 2019, while earlier this month Chancellor Doug Girod started receiving his new $50,000 raise for an annual salary of $700k, and CFO Diane Goddard has been banking just under a sweet $300k per year for quite awhile. Does it seem fair to demand that we spend our lives to purchase personal wealth for KU administrators?
No. It is not fair and we will not stand by as KU administrators sacrifice workers. We deserve better and we will get it.
KU admins do not have the power to force us to teach in-person. As unionized workers, we have the power to directly negotiate our own working conditions with the State of Kansas. We do not have to die for Doug’s pocketbook or Barb’s bank account. Join us this week as we plan to stand up for our right to choose, and as we support our International comrades who continue to be face unprecedented financial exploitation by KU administrators.
In solidarity,
Neill Kennedy
GTAC President
Our Risk, Our Choice: Direct Action Prep with Neill Kennedy
Monday, June 22nd at 2pm – Facebook Event – Register here!
Join us tomorrow at our Direct Action Prep zoom to plan the fight for our lives. Our risk is our choice. Period.
GTAC Contract 101 with Andrew Avery
Monday, June 22nd at 4pm – Facebook Event – Register here!
Join us tomorrow at GTAC Contract 101, where we learn about our rights and protections as state workers under our employment contract and both state and federal labor law!
GTAC Contract Negotiations Q&A with Patrick Gauding
Tuesday, June 23rd at 4pm – Facebook Event – Register here!
Join us for a brief overview of how contract negotiations work and our 2020 negotiations to date, followed by a Q&A.
GTAC Intl Worker Support Prep with Hipatia Medina
Wednesday, June 24th at 4pm – Facebook Event – Register here!
Join us to learn how you can support our International comrades and end their continued exploitation by KU administrators.GTAC Contract 101 with Andrew AveryWednesday, June 24th at 4pm – Facebook Event – Register here!
Join us at GTAC Contract 101, where we learn about our rights and protections as state workers under our employment contract and both state and federal labor law!
(This event has been cancelled! Please join us on Friday instead.)
Our Risk, Our Choice: Direct Action Prep with Neill Kennedy
Thursday, June 25th at 6pm – Facebook Event – Register here!
Join us at our Direct Action Prep zoom as we plan the fight for our lives. Our risk is our choice. Period.
GTAC Contract 101 with Andrew Avery
Friday, June 26th at 1pm – Facebook Event – Register here!
Join us at GTAC Contract 101, where we learn about our rights and protections as state workers under our employment contract and both state and federal labor law!
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