Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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State: no mediator in TAA negotiations

After last Wednesday’s request by the Teaching Assistants’ Association to hire a mediator to help resolve the long-running dispute of their 2003-05 contract, state of Wisconsin negotiators rejected the labor union’s request Friday.

The TAA and state negotiators currently remain conflicted about zero-premium health care benefits. In addition, the TAA believes they are not receiving wages that are competitive to their peers at other institutions.

Both sides have deliberated for more than a year and have been unable to agree. TAA members are currently working under an extended contract containing last biennium’s measures until both sides reach an agreement.

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The mediator’s position would serve as a third party to discuss the pending contract with the state’s Office of Employee Relations (OSER) and TAA negotiators. The mediator would have conversed with both sides about issues they may not discuss at the bargaining table and gone back and forth to determine a proposal that both sides could agree on.

According to TAA Political Action Committee Chair Mike Quieto, a mediator would have helped both sides come to an agreement. He added that in the late ’90s both sides had agreed to the use of a mediator, which he said was helpful. But now Quieto said he does not know what the next step will be to resolve the dispute.

“It really is disappointing,” Quieto said. “We would really like to resolve the contract.”

Quieto added many of the teaching assistants and projects assistants that the TAA represents are already gone or will be leaving for the summer as soon as the school year comes to an end. He said it will be hard to continue negotiations over the summer, despite the fact that negotiations are supposed to be starting for the 2005-07 contract.

“We have made all these proposals,” Quieto said. “We’ve sort of done everything and they’ve done nothing.”

Though the university does not play a part in negotiations — but are represented in part by the state, UW Provost Peter Spear said he hopes the TAA and OSER will be able to come to an agreement to provide the TAs and PAs with a competitive contract. He added the main issue of negotiations revolves around offering the TAA contracts that will attract graduate students and provide equity so they receive compensation packages on which they can live.

“The TAs are an important part of the instruction that goes on at the university,” Spear said. “We very much want them to have a competitive contract.”

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