University of Michigan settles with striking grad assistants

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/um_settles_with_striking_grad.html

by Geoff Larcom, Dave Gershman | The Ann Arbor News
Wednesday March 26, 2008, 7:06 PM

The Ann Arbor News

Graduate student instructors at the University of Michigan reached a tentative agreement on a 3-year contract with the university late Tuesday night.

The new deal means the instructors were to return to classes today rather than continue with the second day of a planned two-day strike.

"We're really glad we got it finished ... " Union President Helen Ho said this morning. "We really do want to get back to work."


ELIYAHU GURFINKEL, THE ANN ARBOR NEWSA sea of picket signs surrounds supporters of a strike by the graduate student instructors during a rally on the University of Michigan Diag on Tuesday afternoon. A settlement was reached overnight, halting the strike after one day.


University spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham said terms of the new pact, reached shortly before midnight, include a 3 percent raise for each of the next three years, plus a "competitive adjustment" of $480 for the first year and $75 for the next two years, Cunningham said.

The first year increase is equal is equivalent to a 6.2 percent raise to the typical instructor's base salary, Cunningham said.

In addition, the maximum childcare subsidy was raised by $100, mental health benefits were improved, and the teaching load threshold for a full waiver of tuition was reduced, Cunningham said.

FULL story at link.

Past coverage:
• U-M grad instructors strike
• U-M grad instructors to walk out over contract dispute
• Classes disrupted by U-M grad instructor walkout