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Amidst bargaining, UGSDW calls for strike
during the period of the new contract.
At this session, the College bargaining team countered the UGSDW bargaining team’s $20 base wage proposal. From last semester’s base wage of $10.75, the College proposed a 40% base wage increase to $11.50 for all campus jobs. The UGSDW bargaining team said they would have a response to this wage proposal at next week’s bargaining session.
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The UGSDW bargaining team also introduced a non-discrimination policy which was mostly similar to the current dining contract, but had some additions, such as stating that workers should not be discriminated against on the basis of arrest, conviction or parole status. However, the College’s bargaining team took issue with this because the current policy requires performing background checks on students applying to workplaces that have direct contact with minors, such as the Grinnell College Preschool Laboratory or other Service Learning Work Study (SLWS) jobs.
policy which would include a healthcare rebate was introduced by UGSDW’s bargaining team. Currently, non-student workers employed by the College must work a minimum of 20 hours a week to qualify for healthcare benefits. The UGSDW bargaining team proposed a discount on the College’s student health insurance plan for student employees who worked at least a total of 140 hours, or an average of 10 hours weekly, in the previous semester and semesters when the rebate was sought.
The College bargaining team expressed concerns that students with no-to-low financial need would be favored over those with higher financial need through this rebate; no benefit would be afforded to students who receive a grant for the College’s health insurance. The College bargaining team also emphasized the discrepancy between the average 10hour work week proposed for these benefits and the current 20 hours required for non-student workers to receive them.
The College and UGSDW bargaining teams will meet at their next bargaining session to continue negotiation on Thursday, March 2.
