Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation representatives lead chants at the demonstration. Around 100 graduate researcher employees participated in a walkout demonstration on Nov. 29, 2023 in Willamette Hall. (Alex Hernandez/Emerald)

GTFF announced the afternoon of Jan. 26 it has ratified its new contract with the University of Oregon — closing out 10 months of negotiations with the university. 95% of GTFF members voted “yes” to the new contract, with 81% of members participating in the vote.
On Jan. 15, GTFF reached a tentative agreement with UO over the new contract. Since then, GTFF held a general membership meeting on Jan. 22 to review the contract and then were given until Jan. 26 to vote on whether to ratify the contract or not.
The new contract gives the same minimum salary rate to all three levels of GE appointments. Specifically, in year one GE 1 would now see an increase of 31.81%, GE 2 would now see an increase of 16.68% and GE 3 would now see an increase of 10.5%. These changes bring the minimum salary of GE 1 and GE 2 to the same rate as GE 3.
For reference, the GE appointments, as defined by the Division of Graduate Studies, are as followed:

• GE 1: “Regularly enrolled graduate students admitted to a graduate degree program or doctoral students who are not eligible for a GE II or GE III appointment.”

• GE 2: Regularly enrolled graduate students who have met specific criteria listed here.

• GE 3: “Regularly enrolled doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy.”

In the new contract, the minimum full-time equivalent for GEs was raised to 0.25 hours, previously from 0.20 hours. The full-time equivalent is the percentage for which graduate employees are paid and the percentage applies to a 40 hour work week. The minimum FTE will be increased by 0.25 hours by Fall 2024, according to GTFF.
The new contract also allows for GEs to file grievances if their pay is late, and gives GEs access to ethernet equipment if wifi is unavailable in workspaces at the time.
This story is developing and will be updated with more information about the new contract.