Share

GOLD-UE Bargaining Update

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Daniel Veres

Dear Guarini community,

I write to provide an update on our April 11 bargaining session with GOLD-UE. 

At the April 11 session, we discussed many of the topics still on the table, including compensation (stipend), retirement, dependent care, leaves of absence and time off, employee assistance, guaranteed funding, tuition and fees, and the remaining non-economic provisions.

Compensation - Stipend

At the April 11 session, Dartmouth increased its offer to provide a first-year stipend of $47,000; the stipend would then increase each year over four years by 3%, or by the 12-month percentage change in the CPI-W in the prior calendar year, whichever is larger. Dartmouth had previously proposed a $46,000 and 3% annual stipend increase for each of the next three contract years. However, in the interest of reaching a mutually beneficial contract as soon as possible, Dartmouth both increased its offered stipend amount and modified the annual adjustments to include a cost of living adjustment to protect against future increases in inflation. 

Dartmouth's Compensation Proposal:
Section 1. Compensation

Effective July 1, 2024, all bargaining unit employees paid via stipend shall receive a minimum stipend of $55,000 $53,000 $47,000.

For the annual stipend increases, effective July 1, 2025, July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2027, the stipend shall increase by 3% or by the 12-month percentage change in the CPI-W in the prior calendar year, whichever is larger.  "CPI-W" is the Revised CPI-W published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and will include revisions made to that index in the future.

Dartmouth's offer is consistent with compensation offered at other private graduate institutions with collective bargaining agreements. In response, the only change GOLD-UE made to its compensation proposal was agreeing to a guaranteed 3% increase in subsequent contract years in lieu of an additional $1,000 and again held to a stipend of $53,000, which is higher than year-one stipends offered at other private graduate institutions with collective bargaining agreements. It otherwise held to annual adjustments with multiple metrics of measurement that would vary year to year.

Applying a 3% annual increase to GOLD-UE's proposed stipend of $53,000 would be $1,590 – that is, more than the $1,000 GOLD had last proposed. Unfortunately, this change is not in the direction of compromise nor towards agreement on compensation.

Retirement

Dartmouth also moved in GOLD-UE's direction and proposed allowing GOLD-UE workers to make voluntary contributions to Dartmouth's Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA), without employer matching. This approach is in line with other graduate-student union contracts.

GOLD-UE countered with a proposal for Dartmouth to match 100% of an employee's voluntary contributions to the SRA, up to $3,000 in total matching funds, as Dartmouth does for staff. In addition, GOLD-UE further proposed that Dartmouth deposit $1,000 annually in the SRA of each stipend-supported employee, which is beyond what other staff receive in the SRA. 

Additional Discussions

  • Guaranteed Funding and Tuition and Fees. The parties reached a tentative agreement on guaranteed funding. Dartmouth also presented a proposal for tuition and fees and awaits GOLD-UE's response. These proposals maintain Dartmouth's current policy and practice.
  • Economic Assistance. GOLD-UE countered Dartmouth's proposal for a Member Relief Fund in favor of an International Employees Support Fund. The fund would apply to specific costs for international employees, including reimbursement from the fund for required visa fees and/or for airfare when required to travel overseas for visa processing and renewal. GOLD-UE proposed that Dartmouth administer this fund, but asserted their right to grieve Dartmouth's fund administration.
  • Dependent Care. The parties continue to discuss how Dartmouth can best support GOLD-UE members with children. Dartmouth had proposed the Member Relief Fund as one option. Dartmouth also proposed increasing the current child care stipend by $1,000 to $4,000.
  • Leaves of Absence/Time Off. The parties are closer to a tentative agreement on the types of leave and amount of time off GOLD-UE members receive under the collective bargaining agreement.
  • Management rights, Union Security, and No Strike/No Lockout. Dartmouth and GOLD-UE continue to discuss these non-economic provisions, but have not yet reached tentative agreements on these.

Moving Forward

Dartmouth remains committed to working with GOLD-UE in the spirit of compromise and with the goal of helping GOLD-UE reach a mutually beneficial agreement by its proposed deadline. Dartmouth appreciates the efforts of the GOLD-UE bargaining committee.

Dartmouth and GOLD-UE have added a bargaining session on April 18. This is in addition to our previously scheduled session on April 25. I will provide additional updates following those meetings. An overview and FAQs about the graduate union organization at Dartmouth are available on the provost's website.

Sincerely,
David Kotz
Provost