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December 8th, 2015 THE AGITATOR Newsletter of the University of Oregon GRADUATE TEACHING FELLOWS FEDERATION 870 E 13th, Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 344-0832 http://gt .net gt [email protected] IN THIS ISSUE 1-2; 4 e GTFF is Political 3 Back From e OR AFL-CIO Convention 4 Solidarity Peanut Sauce 5 Give GTFs a Chance To Review Supervisors 6 About the GTFF! Upcoming Events! Wednesday, December 9th GTFF End of Term Party. Come share e GTFF is Political: A Retrospective your favorite board games and des- serts at the Northwest Youth Corps to on Our Union’s History, and a Call To celebrate a great term with your fellow Action GTFs. Beer, wine, cider and burrito bar are provided. All are welcome! is December marks an historic moment for the GTFF: it marks the Now- December 12th one-year anniversary of the rst strike in our union’s history. It also Bags of Love Toy Drive in the GTFF marks our union’s 40th anniversary year; we won our rst contract, in o ce! e GTFF Parent’s Caucus and 1978, following two strike votes and several years of collective orga- Women’s Caucus are co-sponsoring nizing. is anniversary o ers an opportunity for deep re ection on the state of our union: we have a lot to celebrate and be proud of, but a toy and clothing drive this winter we also have signi cant and ongoing work to undertake as unionized for the many local children in need of graduate employees and members of the broader campus and local toys, clothing, and school supplies As communities. Particularly following our strike, graduate employees you’re wrapping up the term, please across the US look to us as leaders in the movement to unionize and consider wrapping up a few items too, ght for social and economic justice. is is both a privilege and a and dropping them by the GTFF o ce responsibility, as we cannot a ord to disengage from a struggle and a to ll the barrel for Bags of Love by movement that are far from over. December 12! Cont’d pg 2... Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, Local 3544, AFT Oregon, AFL-CIO president@gt .net • www.gt .net • gt [email protected] December 8th , 2015 THE AGITATOR e GTF is Political... Last year’s strike, and the very for- leave for the rst time in our union’s We must do more, now, to enact and mation of our union forty years ago, history. e connection between our uphold these values, both within and were powerful political acts. Our contract and political engagement is beyond our union. Time is of the members, past and present, stood up self-evident; graduate employees at essence, as labor unions across the for their rights as workers, and for the University of Oregon would not United States brace themselves for their values as citizens. We must not have access to paid sick leave were it the Friedrichs v. California Teachers forget that organized labor is, by na- not for coordinated political action Association Supreme Court case and ture, inherently political. Last year’s and solidarity with other unions dangerous anti-worker legislation, ght for paid parental and medical and political allies at the local and known as Right to Work. Right to leave--along with every other ght state levels. We are indebted to our Work legislation e ectively legaliz- in our union’s history--underscore community and labor allies who es the dismantling of union rights the political nature of collective participated in the campaign to turn and organizing and ensures a lower bargaining. We would not have the paid sick leave into state law. quality of life for workers and their strong contract we have today were families. When workers are not it not for the political power inher- At this signi cant moment in our supported and represented by strong ent to labor organizing. We would union’s history, we must not forget, and active unions, they are much not have our contract were it not for repress, or deny the critical impor- less likely to earn a living wage, solidarity within our own member- tance of outside solidarity and the they experience decreased access to ship and, more signi cantly, from inherent role of political action in employer-provided health care, and other unions and political allies our organizing e orts. We must not they face higher rates of workplace across the campus, the state, and at a forget who we have been historically injuries and fatalities. national level. as a union: a community of workers committed to ghting for social and In states where Right to Work Beginning in January, graduate em- economic justice and equity. legislation has already passed, such ployees will have access to paid sick as Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Idaho, Texas, and Florida, the agen- cy and power of labor unions have been stripped away. Many states have already implemented extreme right-wing measures, including: (1) anti-abortion legislation, (2) limit- ed or denied access to free and/or a ordable women’s health clinics, (3) discriminatory practices, such as the right to deny a trial by jury to people (of color) accused of a crime, and (4) decreased spending on public education. ese measures not only disenfranchise and disempower workers and their families, but also are explicitly misogynist and racist. Cont’d pg 4... 2 Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, Local 3544, AFT Oregon, AFL-CIO president@gt .net • www.gt .net • gt [email protected] December 8th , 2015 THE AGITATOR Back From e Oregon AFL-CIO Convention Devlin, House Representative Val Hoyle, and Labor Commissioner Resolution no. 13, “Expanding Brad Avakian) debate each other on SNAP Eligibility to Include Grad- the convention stage, and uate Employees” - this is especially a rousing speech from Oregon Gov- relevant to GTFF members, as it ernor Kate Brown, which was met stipulates that the AFL-CIO will with multiple standing ovations and support and promote legislation a motion from the oor to endorse that expands SNAP bene ts to her in the upcoming gubernatorial include graduate employees. elections. e motion passed unan- Resolution no. 15, “Endorsement of imously. $15 Minimum Wage Initiative and Campaign” - this resolution states Aside from o ering a space to that the AFL-CIO shall support and promote the $15 minimum e weekend of October 23, I had bring politicians and unionists wage initiative and encourages its the privilege to attend and partici- from all walks of life together in members to help in the campaign, pate as a GTFF delegate in the 2015 the same room to discuss ways to while also educating its members Oregon AFL-CIO Convention that move forward together in terms of and their communities on danger- took place in lovely Seaside, Ore- political campaigns, the economy, ous anti-worker ballot measures in gon. For new members who may and social justice, another primary Oregon. not be familiar with the Oregon order of business at the AFL-CIO Resolution no. 19, “In Support of AFL-CIO, it is the state chapter of convention is to hear resolutions Black Lives Matter” - this resolution one of the oldest labor unions in proposed by members of the many holds that the AFL-CIO is com- the United States: the American locals represented within the larger mitted to the principle that Black Federation of Labor and Congress body. is portion of the conven- Lives Matter, and that “Black Jobs of Industrial Organizations. It is tion was exciting and inspiring as Matter,” and that these principles our “grandparent union” -- while several progressive resolutions were should be enacted in all AFL-CIO AFT is our parent union, AFL-CIO passed, including: a liates. is AFT’s parent. Because of this Resolution no. 3, “On Race and the a liation, the GTFF has the oppor- Labor Movement” - this resolution I highly encourage interested GTFF tunity to send (a) delegate(s) to the states that the Oregon AFL-CIO members to consider attending the annual convention. It was inter- will hold at least one racial justice 2016 convention! You will learn a esting and exciting to participate workshop in 2016 and work to lot, meet interesting people from in the democratic process of this advance issues faced by workers of all over the state, and hopefully be statewide organization and to meet color in Oregon, however possible. inspired by the momentum and unionist cousins from diverse back- Resolution no. 8, “Two Free years power of the labor union in Ore- grounds and professions, ranging of Post-Secondary Education in gon. from letter carriers to stagehands, Oregon” - this one is pretty self-ex- from carpenters to food-service planatory; it states that the Oregon Natalie Brenner workers. Highlights from this year’s AFL-CIO will support legislative VP of External Relations convention included watching e orts to promote free access to Romance Languages three candidates for Oregon’s next two years of higher education to Secretary of State (Senator Richard students in Oregon. Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, Local 3544, AFT Oregon, AFL-CIO 3 president@gt .net • www.gt .net • gt [email protected] December 8th , 2015 THE AGITATOR Solidarity Peanut Sauce e GTF is Political... Ingredients: Labor unions must work in solidar- ity against these laws that weaken 3 tbs of peanut butter (creamy) the agency and well-being of all 2 tbs of Hoisin sauce (brown-ish sauce you see at Pho places) workers. We know that Right to 1 tbs of Sriracha sauce Work legislation and the upcoming 1 tsp of sesame oil Supreme Court case are backed by ½ lime conservative politicians and fund- ¼ to ½ tbs of toasted sesame seed ed by right-wing billionaires and 2-3 mint leaves, chopped corporate entities, such as the Koch 1 tbs of crushed peanuts Brothers and the Walton Corpora- A pinch of salt (or ½ tsp of sh sauce) tion.

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