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Editorial board wrong on teaching assistants
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The Badger Herald Editorial Board’s comments yesterday demonstrate that it has not been paying attention to the facts regarding the Teaching Assistants’ Association’s efforts to settle a fair contract.
The TAA has secured negotiation dates with the State of Wisconsin after months of unreturned phone calls.
As the union proudly returns to the good faith bargaining it has always engaged in, the editors opine: “the union should accept the state’s current offer in the most thankful of fashions.”
This is particularly ironic advice. In the nearly 20 months of contract negotiations, the TAA has made concession after concession in an attempt to secure a fair contract. As of the TAA’s latest offer, the union has dropped its demands for raises, its call for catastrophic health care coverage and 14 other proposals voted onto the platform by union members. The TAA is now merely asking to maintain the status quo.
In the meantime, the state’s negotiators have made practically no movement at all. They have rejected TAA proposals that would save Wisconsin’s taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars over the state’s own proposals. Yes, the TAA’s proposal actually costs less than the state’s last offer to the union and preserves affordable heath insurance for TAs and PAs. If the editorial board is truly concerned about sound economic policies, they should instead direct their advice to “accept the current offer in the most thankful of fashions” to the State of Wisconsin. The state’s determination to take away the option of a no-premium health plan for TAs and PAs, no matter what the cost to taxpayers, is the only thing standing in the way of progress at the table.
On the topic of the economics of state employee healthcare premiums, the editors are woefully uninformed. To begin with, less than one-third of unionized state employees have conceded to the Governor’s plan. It is a little-known fact that the original proposal to reform the state’s health insurance system from the Department of Employee Trust Funds recommended zero-dollar premiums at tier-one. The TAA has asked for nothing more than this.
If the editorial board of the Badger Herald actually care about Wisconsin students and taxpayers, they should tout the TAA’s less expensive and more economically sound proposal, for the good of all.
Mike Quieto (mtquieto@wisc.edu)is Vice President for Graduate Employees of AFT-Wisconsin, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, as well as a delegate to the South Central Federation of Labor.
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Those 9 dollar premiums really rape the wallet don't they?
Dude, they are just trying to get the SAME contract they have now. No raises or additional anything. Is that too much to ask?
The TAA didn't object to the $9; they objected that the state wouldn't put any limits on that $9. They objected to that $9 going up into the hundreds, without a proportional salary raise.
Almost every single job in the state, whether a state job or private corporation, doesn't have a limit on healthcare premiums. The fact of the matter is...healthcare costs are rising! Shocking, I know. For the state to put a limit on healthcare premiums in the future would be utterly ridiculous. Before the TAA criticizes the state for their offer, maybe they should look at the healthcare package that they will be recieving for $9 a month. With the bargaining power of the state, I guarantee its not only one of the most inclusive packages, but also one of the cheapest to enroll in. Good luck trying to find support among Wisconsin tax payers when they are paying hundreds of dollars for insurance, and getting less than the TAA would be getting in return. Open your eyes TAA.
Except, of course, that most of the other state employees actually make more than $10000/year. If you only earn $800/month, $200/month for insurance would be an impossibility.
It seems your argument is basically this: other people have it really bad in terms of health insurance. Other people have to pay a lot. The TAA should follow suit; if they don't it's because they're elitist and looking for special treatment.
May I suggest that the problem is with the rising health care costs themselves and not the people who are trying to resist it? Why not support the right of all Wisconsinites to have affordable access to health care?
Why would the state agree to limits on the $9 premium when medical cost inflation is skyrocketing? That makes no financial sense. If they did, they'd be back at the end of the contract demaning a higher premium and the TAAs would be crying foul because their premiums rose.
TAA rules! Badger Herald drools!
TA's make up the universities fabric as much as the profs do. Give them whatever they want to ensure we keep getting the best and brightest in the country. I pay my out of state tuition so I want the best damn people out there god dammit.
Decertify the union!
"May I suggest that the problem is with the rising health care costs themselves and not the people who are trying to resist it? Why not support the right of all Wisconsinites to have affordable access to health care?"
-I couldn't agree with you more! The problem is the rising cost of healthcare. However, that's not what we're debating here. Since this is a problem, the TAA should recognize it and deal with it at the level of paying their premiums. To suggest that you can fight rising healthcare by not paying premiums is ridiculous. You need to start at the root of the problem, and the TAA isn't the root of the problem...but it is a problem, just on a different level.
"I pay my out of state tuition so I want the best damn people out there god dammit."
Tuition doesn't pay TA salaries, Wisconsinites do.
"Tuition doesn't pay TA salaries, Wisconsinites do."
Out-of-state tuition more than pays for everything, with plenty left over to subsidize the natives.
Let the freakin TAs have there no-health-cost fantasy for the short while they have. They'll learn it's much different when they get out in the cold, cruel, real world. But of course maybe they'll go on to be college professors and never have to deal with that.
How is college not the real world? Sorry you're a dumb Midwesterner living in a non-research based economy but the last time I checked, MOST of the ideas that propel the world came from a University, not the McDonald's corporation.
"They'll learn it's much different when they get out in the cold, cruel, real world. But of course maybe they'll go on to be college professors and never have to deal with that."
So working 60hr weeks for 800 dollars a month isn't the real world? Because as a TA that's how many hours a week I work. 20-30 on teaching and TAing and then another 30-40 on my own school work that provides me with the base to understand the material that I teach. Oh, and I work as a bartender 2 nights a week so I can afford food for my cat and myself.
So where was the real world again? In the corporate office where you waste time in a dead end job posting on a college message board regarding articles that have nothing to do with you?
Sorry you're so bitter my friend. I wish that TA hadn't given you a bad grade, but maybe you should have worked a little harder. ;)
"I work. 20-30 on teaching and TAing and then another 30-40 on my own school work"
-well then, as a professional student (classification...pharmacy, law, vet, etc), I definitely work at least 40 hours then! I have 25 hours of class time per week, and at least 15 hours of homework and out of class time reading and studying. However, I DON'T get paid! Guess what....I don't get free healthcare either! What a great injustice! Here I am working a full time job, and having to PAY to do it!
I find it hard to believe that ALL of your coursework is devoted strictly to being a TA. Apparently none of this coursework is directed at getting your master's or PhD. Great argument...bravo!
A little bitter there?
I can see you turning green from here.
Lmao.
For the record, I, the TA above, voted against the strike and I am not bothered by paying for healthcare, because I won't be here anymore by the time it gets to an unreasonable level per month. Furthermore,while I would love to go out and save the world I simply don't have time for that right now.
However, don't tell me that I don't live in the "real world". That pisses me off. I am working as hard as anyone could to get out of here as quick as I can. Trust me, those of us Ta's who are at all normal or sane do not want to be here any longer than absolutely necessary.
I guarantee you make way more for your work per hour than I do. Do you make more than 800 dollars per month for 40 hr work weeks?
If so, it about evens out in the long run that you get paid more and therefore pay more for health insurance while I get paid less and get free health insurance. As a matter of fact I bet you still come out ahead. If TAing weren't required for my future employment as an academic, I would happily take a job like yours and make more money for less headache.
"I find it hard to believe that ALL of your coursework is devoted strictly to being a TA. Apparently none of this coursework is directed at getting your master's or PhD."
Uhh..see dude the thing is that they teach the same things they study. errrmm. Are you really a law student? You seem a bit slow for that to me.
Why are all of you so jealous of TAA's? did you not get into grad school?
I am in grad school and I think you are spoiled brats. Pay the $9 and STFU.
3L
if you read that comment that was posted by the professional student, they are saying that they work 40 hours a week just on class. I'm pretty sure they're not getting paid for that. Good one!
no one is jealous of the taa...they just think they're babies and should grow up and face real world situations.