*Dear CGE Members and Community,* *Quick Little Reminders* - *Complete the **Survey of Graduate Workers' Issues* Please respond to this *fully anonymous* survey <https://forms.gle/yAVbrLA42Gi9QBBJ7> to communicate what is important to you! Responses will not be distributed outside of the CGE bargaining team members and other CGE leadership. Help us get better understanding of grad workers' priorities and needs over time, to direct bargaining efforts and provide evidence of particular issues, which can help us build power at the bargaining table. - *We are in the Cigna enrollment period **(10/1-10/31) *This is the time for enrolling dependents, applying for the Transition of Care program (more info here <https://www.cigna.com/static/www-cigna-com/docs/transition-of-care-individual-and-family-plans.pdf>), and for out-of-network providers transitioning to in-network. - *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@cge6069.org> healthcare@cge6069.org. - *Bargaining Committee:* *Like everything else CGE does, the impact bargaining team is made up of members - that’s you! *If you are interested in learning more about or even joining the Bargaining Committee please email vp_bargaining@cge6069.org with a non-OSU email indicating your interest. Anyone can attend bargaining committee meetings, even if you are not a member of the team. *We are especially interested in making sure that we have representation from masters students, international students, humanities students, queer students, students of color, and any other group of students who face challenges that can be addressed through contract negotiations.* No prior experience in research/negotiations is expected or required! *Announcements* - *Cigna registration issues persist* Many people are continuing to run into issues with registering for Cigna. Crucially, this registration is only to receive your digital insurance card— *regardless of registration grads are covered by Cigna as of October 1st*. However, if you run into this issue please bring this to the attention of Grad Health at 541-737-7568 or gradhealth@oregonstate.edu, they should be able to help. - *We've reached a settlement with OSU for $17k owed to grads!* As you may or may not know, OSU admin refused to pay some graduate employees the retroactive pay (“backpay”) they were owed after the ratification of the 2024-2027 contract. CGE filed a grievance to address this, which OSU denied, leading us to formally move the case to a third party and the legal process of arbitration. A week before the scheduled hearing, OSU proposed a settlement offer to avoid arbitration. We countered their initial offer with the full amount we believed grads were owed, and OSU agreed. These grads will now get the money they are owed, thanks to the hours of hard work of our fellow grads and legal counsel, as well as the support of CGE members. - *CGE Hardship Fund opens next Tuesday! (10/14)* The Hardship Fund application opens on Tuesday and closes at the end of Week 5! The Hardship Fund is open to all CGE members and associate members. There are no strings attached to the hardship fund and you will never be asked to pay back any funds you receive. Information about the Hardship Fund and the link to apply can be found here <https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cge6069.org%2Fconnect%2Fhardship%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cweisskae%40oregonstate.edu%7Ce0207329ea584b53f59308dd3cc59fb6%7Cce6d05e13c5e4d6287a84c4a2713c113%7C0%7C0%7C638733541680344836%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0n1AjJC%2FdnQZ5W7IewipWU2A6OrNm0WN7GxgKap20So%3D&reserved=0>. Keep in mind that the hardship fund is powered entirely by associate member and legacy member dues. OSU’s Hardship fund has more resources but is much less transparent. If you want assistance applying to OSU’s fund, email solidarity@cge6069.org. *Upcoming Events* - *No Kings 10/18, 12pm, **Benton County Courthouse* Come together to send the message that America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people. More info here <https://www.nokings.org/>. They are also looking for volunteers to help with safety and chant leading, contact vp_politics@cge6069.org if you're interested. - *Fellow Town Hall, 10/21, 4-6pm, Westminster House* Fellows, we need to hear from you about your issues and vision for a better workplace! Please come share your voice, and discuss your experiences with peers over a free dinner. [image: Fellow Town Hall.jpg] - *General Membership Meeting (GMM), Monday 10/27, 5-7pm at WestM* At the GMM we will have updates about AFT-CIO (our parent union), the healthcare transition, and other plans for the year. *Come connect with your coworkers about what's going on in your workplace and your union over free dinner! *GMMs are an opportunity for all members stay informed, take action on things that matter to us, and organize with leaders and members from across the university. *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. *Grievance Committee: *A great opportunity for people to learn more about the contract and how we defend it. Meets Thursdays 2-3 pm at WestM. Email vp_grievances@cge6069.org for more information. *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 in local and state politics. Meets Fridays 10-11 am at WestM. Email vp_politics@cge6069.org for more information. In solidarity, Serena Frazee (she/her) VP for Communications, Coalition of Graduate Employees, AFT Local 6069 PhD Student in Integrative Biology, Oregon State University