CGE Members and Community, Important Update: OSU owes graduate employees over $17,000! We are mobilizing for justice. Last month, we submitted a grievance on behalf of every graduate employee who was employed during Fall term (at the time of ratification) and did not receive back pay from the University. The university is arguing that GEs who were not in the bargaining unit on January 10, 2025 are not eligible, thereby excluding fall term graduates or people who switched to fellowship for winter term. There are between 65-124 GEs who are owed back pay and did not receive it, totalling a collective amount of at least $17,000 (very likely more). Our grievance, which argued that the university had no authority to exclude these employees, was denied on April 25. On Friday, May 9, the Executive Council voted to move this grievance to arbitration. This means that we will have a neutral third-party judge rule on the case after a formal hearing and presentation of evidence. It may take time before we reach a resolution. In the meantime, we need you to mobilize to stand up for your fellow workers! An injury to one grad worker is an injury to all—we need to defend our contract to the fullest extent to preserve our hard-won rights. OSU continues to show us they won’t do the right thing until we stand up together. We will be rallying and picketing on June 5th from 12-2 PM in front of the Kerr Administration Building. This could easily have happened to any single one of us, and things like this will continue to happen if we don’t fight back. Important context to keep in mind: During this last bargaining cycle, OSU introduced changes to our grievance article that would prevent us from taking grievances like this to arbitration. They did not win these changes, but they pursued them well into bargaining, sending a clear signal that OSU wants to strip our ability to move these grievances to a neutral arbitrator. They will continue to come for our rights, in and outside of the bargaining cycle. What’s the source of the disagreement? According to the LOA we ratified in December, “The parties agree to apply the compensation terms retroactively to September 16, 2024 so that those graduate employees whose Fall term 2024 employment started on or after September 16, 2024 and remain employed by OSU on ratification of the agreement, shall receive the applicable salary increase(s).” We concluded our ratification vote on December 10, 2024. On December 11, 2024, striking GEs returned to work, honoring the portion of the LOA which states “Upon ratification of this agreement, graduate employees will return to their previously assigned work and will not be obligated to work over their normal contractual hours.” The University claims that “ratification” did not occur until January 10, 2025. This was the date that the last member of the OSU bargaining team signed an electronic version of the CBA. We’ve consulted our attorney, scoured our notes, and dug deep into bargaining history: there is no merit to this argument. We ratified the contract, we returned to work, and after the strike was over, OSU decided that the “ratification” meant two different things in the same article of the contract based on what suited their interests, not on what is true, logical, or fair. We need to apply pressure to remind OSU that they can’t just take away our rights. We can’t rely on OSU to do the right thing, and the arbitration timeline is out of our hands. These workers needed their pay yesterday. See you on the picket line on June 5th. ~CGE Executive Council Accessibility Feedback Wanted! The joint Disability Justice and Mental Health Super Caucus will be meeting with the Executive Council (EC) on Friday May 30 from 9:10 AM to 9:50 AM to discuss ways of making CGE spaces and events, such as the upcoming rally, more accessible for everyone. If you have any ideas to share, you are welcome to come in person and join us for the conversation at Westminster House (EC meetings are open to all members!). Either way, please submit anonymous feedback ahead of time here <https://forms.gle/GBLiNTPWsVRqDRY2A> to help us organize and make the best use of our time at the meeting. Only members of the caucus will have access to the answers. Note, if you haven’t filled out the CGE Disability Justice Caucus Survey yet, it is still open! Take it here <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QxKDlHXml3XLU9P8AWLx0VBS7UwYtDDQ_DlbNha8QMc/edit>! This survey is about more general accessibility throughout OSU, not just in CGE spaces, and potential action items for the caucus. Thank you for your thoughts! ~Joint Disability Justice and Mental Health Super Caucus CGE’s Annual Brew-Off is June 7th at the Odd Fellows Hall! Theme is: CASINO NIGHT! Play blackjack, poker & roulette at our One Eyed Jacks 'casino', watch live music and sing karaoke at The Roadhouse Stage, and try out the home made brews at the Bang Bang Bar. Come dressed up in your best casino night attire (or as your favorite Twin Peaks character) - there will be an Instax photo-op! Your ticket includes a Brew Off pint glass, open bar, hot food, 1 Instax photo, and a $5 chip for use at the 'casino' All ticket proceeds will be donated to the Legal Support Fund for OSU Students Whose Visas Have Been Revoked (GoFundMe Link <https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-osu-students-visa-revoked-legal-funds-needed?attribution_id=sl:59d338f6-67dd-43e4-90cf-186efc367084&lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp13_t1-amp15_t3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link>) & Oregon’s independent nonprofit immigration law firm - Immigration Counseling Services <https://www.ics-law.org/about> Casino Night game play: We will be 'gambling' for a good cause. Each Brew Off ticket is good for one game play at the 'casino.' However, you can buy in for more chips. Every $1 gets you $5 worth of chips. All proceeds from chip sales will go to the legal support fund and immigration counseling services. Submit your chip winnings to the cashier to receive a voucher that shows your donation 'winnings'. The link to buy tickets is live! Tickets are only $10! Buy your tickets here. <https://buytickets.at/coalitionofgraduateemployees/1673739> For Brewers: Brew Off competition: Any member can submit a brew (beer, cider, kombucha) for a chance at winning 1st, 2nd or 3rd place cash prizes ($150, $100, $50)! To submit a brew, please fill out this interest form! <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfv4RpfDwjZJSIITAezJPlXECU0zsmmybmPFenmOfk1CJeyyw/viewform?usp=header> COMMITTEES AND CAUCUSES THAT NEED YOUR HELP: Join CGE’s Finance Committee! Help set CGE’s budget for the next fiscal year by joining the Finance Committee! This is a great opportunity to have a say in how our union allocates funds and to gain experience with budgeting and financial planning. Meetings will start in April based on the group's availability —no prior experience needed, just an interest in keeping CGE financially strong. Email treasurer@cge6069.org to sign up! Contract Action Team (CAT) Meetings every Friday, 12-1pm, in Cordley 4329! 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, since the strike, you have wanted to continue to be involved in organizing efforts, but don’t know where to start, come to a CAT meeting in Cordley 4329! Solidarity forever, Erika, VP for Communications