Teaching Assistants Association members overwhelmingly approved the negotiated terms for their 2003-05 and 2005-06 contracts last Friday.

The terms — a result of three years of disagreements over paid-premium health-care policies — must now pass through the Wisconsin state Legislature and be endorsed by Gov. Jim Doyle before taking effect.

In a meeting Nov. 15 that ran into the early hours of the next morning, the TAA and the Office of State Employment Relations struck a deal to continue a zero-premium health-care plan through 2005 and institute a paid plan for the 2005-07 biennial contract.

In an inter-organizational e-mail obtained by The Badger Herald dated Dec. 5, TAA officials informed members the new terms had been ratified by 95 percent of those who voted on the terms.

"This number illustrates that, although the contract may not be exactly what we all hoped for, members recognize and understand that the contract that we were offered was the best that could be negotiated in the present political climate," the e-mail stated. "What's important to remember is that we were able to make notable gains in some areas and no member is losing ground with this offer."

Under the new terms, TAs and Project Assistants will pay health-care premiums of $11 for a single plan and $27.50 for a family plan from January 2006 to December 2007. However, all TAs would receive pay raises and a one-time $163 bonus from the state — which would amount to one dollar more than health-care costs for a single TAA member in 2007 — at the time Doyle signs the contract. Starting in January 2007, TAA members will pay $13.50 per month for a single-employee plan and $34 for employees with families.

TAA executive board member Mike Quieto said he had not heard yet if the new terms were ratified, adding they "probably" were.

"I'm thrilled, we worked really long and hard," Quieto said. "If members have ratified this contract, it means we're ready to move on."

While the new terms indicate some concessions on the issue of paying for health-care premiums, they also include pay raises for Teaching Assistants and Projects Assistants who belong to the TAA.

"I'm glad we finally have a deal that no one loses pay over," Quieto said. "That was really important to me."

Quieto said he would not comment on how he felt legislators would receive the terms.

Also under the new terms, wages would increase an average of 1.7 percent under the 2003-05 contract and 8.24 percent under the 2005-07 contract, with rate increases varying among the various job positions held by TAs. A typical TA would see his or her 2003 salary of $11,262.50 rise to $12,736 in 2007.