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August 2025

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Cigna call line updates, fall appointment letters, paid organizing position, and more!
by Serena Frazee 25 Aug '25

25 Aug '25

*Dear CGE Members and Community,* *Quick Little Reminders* *Bargaining Team:* *Like everything else CGE does, the impact bargaining team is made up of members - that’s you!* If you are concerned about the change in our health care from PacificSource to Cigna and want to get involved, *please reach out to Piper at vp_bargaining(a)cge6069.org <vp_bargaining(a)cge6069.org>.* There are many ways you can contribute - doing research, helping draft contract language, and/or being a negotiator. Meetings are Mondays 10-11 am in the Student Lounge of WestM. * Do you want a say in how CGE communicates, both to membership and the public?* If so please reach out to me at *vp_communications(a)cge6069.org <vp_communications(a)cge6069.org>*. - *Please share affects of the health care change as well as your ideas on specific outcomes and contract language* you would like to see come out of impact bargaining with <healthcare(a)cge6069.org>healthcare(a)cge6069.org. - *Speak to you out-of-network providers* about transitioning to be in-network for Cigna (the transition period starts 10/1). *Announcements* *Cigna call line* The Cigna call line (1-888-806-5042) is open for calls about our insurance change. Unfortunately, it seems to be less reliable than we hoped, as there have been cases of people getting conflicting information. OSU should provide us with actual plan details on September 1st, but until then this call line is our best resource. This inconsistency is disappointing, but it is still helpful to collect all the information we can. Thank you to everyone who has called and shared what they have learned with healthcare(a)cge6069.org. To reiterate, according to OSU we will still have dental and vision insurance, we just don't yet know the details of the coverage. *Fall Appointment Letter Deadline* If you got your appointment letter after 8/16 or still haven’t gotten it, OSU owes you 50$! Please email Christopher at *vp_grievances(a)cge6069.org* <vp_grievances(a)cge6069.org> or use the confidential grievance form <https://www.cge6069.org/grievance/>. *Paid Position: Fall MOI* Applications for AFT-Oregons Member Organizing Institute (MOI) are open! MOI is a 3 month paid training program that teaches organizing skills through real-world experience in concert with staff and local leaders. It pays 25$/hour for a maximum of 10 hours a week. Because it is not through OSU it doesn't impact FTE or other aspects of research or teaching work. Program highlights include: ● Attend a paid two-day organizing training with other member organizing institute/academy participants ● Get real-world field experience under guidance from professional organizing staff ● Regular team meetings with other MOI participants to compare and learn ● Establish and build organizing practices for our local including helping with a membership drive and having organizing conversations *Applications are due September 8th* but reach out to organizer(a)cge6069.org asap to indicate your interest and get the application materials. *Bargaining updates* The bargaining team is working hard to prepare for impact bargaining over potential consequences of the health care change. What we propose in impact bargaining is dependent on what consequences there are and what members want. Please continue to share your information and thoughts with healthcare(a)cge6069.org. For detailed information on impact bargaining VP for Bargaining Piper sent out an excellent email this morning. *Upcoming Events* - *Special Health Care **GMM, September 11th, 5-7pm* (location TBD) - This meeting will be an opportunity to discuss how the health care change will impact us and work together to plan for it. Please come and bring your questions, thoughts, and friends. *Committees and Caucuses that need your help* Grad workers are capable and passionate people who can together exercise great power. One of the ways we do that is through caucuses and committees. *Meeting this week:* *Contract Action Team (CATs): * We need more CATs! Our CATs do all of our on-the-ground work, including turnout to events, talking to members, planning actions, and so much more. You can commit as much or as little time as you have. If you want to be more involved in organizing efforts, but don’t know where to start, CAT meetings are the place to start! Come to a CAT meeting in Cordley 4329! Wednesdays 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Cordley 4329. *Committee on Political Engagement (COPE)*: Plans and implements actions around wider political issues. COPE members channel collective power into concrete efforts to make a difference at local and national scales of government and policy. Wednesdays 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm in WestM. *Disability Justice Caucus:* The DJ Caucus is committed to providing space for disabled, Mad, crip, mentally ill, neuroqueer, neurodivergent, crazy, blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing graduate students to be in community with each other, as well as to center their needs, interests, and concerns. Moreover, the DJ Caucus works to end ableist/sanist structures and dynamics within CGE and Oregon State University. Open to all graduate students, regardless of current CGE membership status. Every other Thursday (this week!) 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm in WestM. *Mutual Aid Caucus:* Organizes mutual aid for grads and other members of our community! The Mutual Aid Caucus organizes resource sharing events and builds a supportive empowering community. Wednesdays 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm in WestM. If you are interested in helping to lead/organize any of the following caucuses (or start a new one!), email solidarity(a)cge6069.org to connect with the Executive Council, who will help you get started! - Anti-Harassment Caucus - Caucus on Graduate Employee Safety - Environmental Justice Caucus - Housing Caucus - International Caucus - Women of Color Caucus - Working Parents Caucus In solidarity, Serena Frazee (she/her) VP for Communications, Coalition of Graduate Employees, AFT Local 6069 PhD Student in Integrative Biology, Oregon State University

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Changes to Health Insurance and Impact Bargaining
by Serena Frazee 11 Aug '25

11 Aug '25

Dear CGE Members and Community, *Quick Little Reminders* *Fall Appointment Letter Deadline* Appointment letters for fall are due *8/16*. If you do not receive your appointment letter by that date OSU has violated your contract and owes you 50$! Keep an eye out for your letter and remind your coworkers to do the same. *Critical Trainings Reminder* OSU has indicated that they will be more diligent about the enforcement of critical training timelines, so make sure you are up to date on your Bridge trainings! *Announcements* *Impact Bargaining Over Changes to Grad Health Insurance* OSU has decided to change graduate workers' health insurance from PacificSource to Cigna, starting Oct. 1st 2025. This decision was made without warning or input from grads. OSU has claimed that this change will not be detrimental to us; with equivalent coverage and no increase to co-pays or deductibles (although they admitted there may be some increase to payroll deductions for insurance due to across the board market rate increases). However, specific plan information and a summary of benefits will not be available until September 1st. There are serious concerns about the quality of coverage we will get under Cigna. Cigna has faced lawsuits related to the use of AI to deny coverage, and many providers grad workers see for continued care may soon be out of network. The executive council of CGE has sent a demand to OSU to start impact bargaining over this issue. In impact bargaining, we can bargain with OSU about how the change is rolled out. *This is one of the best ways that we can use our collective power right now to try and minimize the negative effects of this change.* Unfortunately, we cannot prevent OSU from switching providers, but we can find other ways to hold OSU accountable in their assurances that this change will not hurt workers. Given the choice, *OSU prioritized their bottom line over concerns about our health and safety. It is up to us to apply pressure to make sure we and our fellow workers get the care we need.* *What Can We Do* - *Please share your ideas on specific outcomes and contract language* you would like to see come out of impact bargaining with <healthcare(a)cge6069.org>healthcare(a)cge6069.org. - Share how this change is affecting you at the same email - *Starting 8/15: Call Cigna (1-888-806-5042)* for more information about how this change will affect you - *Speak to out-of-network providers* about transitioning to in-network (the transition period starts 10/1) - *9/11: Come to the **General Membership Meeting, 5-7pm* (location TBD) to discuss this issue - *Join the **impact bargaining team*, by reaching out to *vp_bargaining(a)cge6069.org <vp_bargaining(a)cge6069.org>*. There are many ways you can contribute - doing research, helping draft contract language, and/or being a negotiator. You’ll be working with members of the current b-team who just finished bargaining over our entire contract so you’ll have tons of support and training along the way. For more information about this see the previous all worker email and reach out to healthcare(a)cge6069.org. *Meet Our New Executive Council* CGE's 2025/2026 Executive Council has officially started in their roles! Please welcome: President: Sarah Sellke VP Bargaining: Piper Aislinn VP Communications: Serena Frazee VP Solidarity: Kaelan Weiss VPs Organizing: Emily Branam and Mireia Roig-Paul VPs Membership: Brett Pentecost and Steph Chase VP Social Activities: Andrea Retano VP Grievances: Christopher Cericola VP Political Engagement: John Santos Secretary Treasurer: Andrew Scherer *Upcoming Events* *Organizing 201: Navigating Fears of Retaliation* 8/12, 2-4pm, Westminster House 101 NW 23rd St, Corvallis, OR 97330 Come help us develop strategies to facilitate productive organizing conversations with our fellow workers! *Committees and Caucuses That Need Your Help* *Communications Committee: *The Comms Committee is looking for folks to help improve CGE's communications. There will be lots of support and flexible levels of commitment. Are you a creative type? Interested in graphic design, web design, or writing? Are you passionate about accessibility in communication? Do you want a say in how CGE communicates, both to membership and the public? If so please reach out to me at *vp_communications(a)cge6069.org <vp_communications(a)cge6069.org>**.* In solidarity, Serena Frazee (she/her) VP for Communications, Coalition of Graduate Employees, AFT Local 6069 PhD Student in Integrative Biology, Oregon State University

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