What is Graduate Assistants United?
Graduate Assistants United (GAU) is the labor union for graduate assistants at Florida State University. GAU advocates for the interests of graduate workers and seeks to protect and advance our working conditions. GAU is the only legally recognized collective bargaining agent for graduate assistants and researchers at Florida State University. The FSU chapter of GAU became unionized in 2008 and ratified its first contract in 2010. The current goals of FSU-GAU are to increase it's membership and to defend the working rights of graduate assistants at FSU. By coming together, we can make improvements in our lives and do much more together than we can alone. GAU is a chapter of United Faculty of Florida (UFF), a statewide organization that represents and bargains for FSU faculty as well as faculty and graduate employees at universities and community colleges all over Florida.
Why should you join GAU?
There are many reasons to join GAU, some of which may benefit you personally while others benefit all graduate employees on campus. One of the main personal benefits of joining GAU is that members receive $1 million in professional liability insurance. That means that if you have an employment issue regarding your work as an instructor or researcher, up to $1 million of your legal fees will be covered by GAU. Also, if you are having a labor dispute and your rights afforded by the GAU contract are being violated, GAU's grievance committee will process your case and can represent you in meetings with your employer. In addition to the legal benefits, another personal benefits of GAU membership are the exclusive member discounts.The collective benefits of joining GAU is that increasing our membership strengthens GAU's bargaining power. The greater our membership, the more power we have to negotiate better salaries, health benefits, workload policies and other GA rights. By joining a labor union you will be supporting worker rights and more generally, civil rights.
What are the costs of membership?
The only financial cost of GAU membership is 1% dues which are automatically deducted from your paycheck. This amount varies depending on your pay (it could be anywhere from $2-12). As for the other "costs" of GAU, some members decide to contribute more than just their dues and dedicate time to serving as stewards, committee members or even on the executive board.
Do I benefit by NOT joining?
Many graduate employees prefer to "free ride" and not join GAU because, regardless of membership status, all GA's benefit from the bargaining and organizing efforts of GAU. This is a common occurrence in labor unions and especially in "right-to-work" states like Florida. However, you should know that Florida is unique in that it is the only state that allows unions to deny legal representation to non-members (Florida statute XXXI, chapter 447). Thus, if you have an employment issue GAU is not responsible for handling your dispute and, you must represent yourself.
Are international students eligible to join the Union?
Yes. If you are a graduate student paid through assistantship of any kind, you are eligible. Joining a union does not affect green card or student visa status. If you are an international student and are told that you cannot unionize, you should report the incident to union leadership because it is a violation of state and federal law.