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TAs upset with low pay, benefits

A group of UA teaching assistants frustrated by inequities in labor and pay are finalizing a petition and manifesto that outline their concerns this week, which they plan to pass on to university administration in hopes of gaining better benefits.

Graduate teaching assistants employed by the UA hold the dual role of students and staff, leading to an imbalance in work load and pay, said Wendy Buck, one of five students organizing the manifesto and petition drive.

"Graduate students who are hired as research assistants or TAs are kept in a kind of strange place, which benefits them (UA) more than it benefits us," said Buck, a fifth-year graduate student in comparative cultural and literary studies.

Lori DiCola, a second-year art history graduate student, said that aside from the unclear role graduate teaching assistants have, unfair wages is also an issue.

"I've seen the inconsistency in pay (between departments)," DiCola said. "We're looking to see if there's any way to solve the discrepancies in pay and job security."

Buck, who worked as a research and teaching assistant for the past four years, and DiCola brainstormed the movement with three other students from their 500-level Women's Studies seminar this fall.

The team was originally working on the project for a class assignment, but they quickly noticed how relevant the issue was.

"It's something that is going to be more than a semester project," DiCola said.

Aside from differences in pay, Buck and DiCola said benefits offered to other university faculty and staff are also of concern to graduate students.

Despite being a staple of regular faculty and staff benefit packages, health insurance only became available to graduate students about a year and a half ago, and does not extend to the students' families. Child care for graduate students is also an ongoing issue.

"For child care, for instance, faculty can be awarded vouchers, and those are awarded by income," Buck said. "But graduate TAs don't get any of that. We're considered students when it comes to getting benefits, but we're considered staff when it comes to responsibility."

"None of us begrudge that (responsibility)," Buck added. "If you're a graduate student, you want to teach. But sometimes it gets really difficult. Often, something gets sacrificed."

A final draft of the manifesto will be completed in about a week, and petition booths will be out on the Administration building's lawn on Nov. 22, 23, 30 and Dec. 1. The petition, which outlines the same principles as the manifesto, covers topics such as health care, job security and clearly defined student-staff roles.

The petition's authors welcome support from fellow graduate students as well as undergraduates and staff.

"I do know there are other grad students out there who feel the same way, and maybe we can reach them," DiCola said.

Buck hopes the group will be able to personally present the signed petitions to UA President Peter Likins by Dec. 7, and said she hopes he will give sensible and fair attention to the group's requests

"We'd like the administration to organize a task force that looks into the issues we are raising," Buck said. "Graduate TAs do a lot of the university's work - a really significant amount."

DiCola said it hasn't been decided yet if she and the other students will further protest or go on strike. But Buck insisted their cause is peaceful and a reasonable request.

"We're not looking for recognition, we're looking for help," Buck said.