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Brown University’s graduate employee union, which is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, reached a tentative contract agreement with the institution, it announced Thursday. The three-year deal includes a 3.7 percent stipend increase in the first year; a one-year appointment extension due to COVID-19 for third, fourth, fifth and many sixth-year students; and full reimbursement for out-of-pocket COVID-19 testing and medical treatment.
It also includes the establishment of a health reimbursement account and a channel for dealing with sexual harassment claims that is separate from the university’s process under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits gender-based discrimination. Students who are parents secured some additional family benefits.
“This contract brings much-needed security to graduate workers at Brown,” Kaity Hajdarovic, a fourth-year research assistant in neuroscience, said in a statement. “Importantly, in addition to securing COVID-19 work extensions for the majority of our members, we’ve won increased pay, protections against unfair workloads, a real grievance procedure and increased financial support for health care.”
Brown said in a statement that “discussions with the union have been mutually collegial, respectful and productive, despite different perspectives on some topics and the complexity of issues negotiated, especially given the unexpected impact of culminating the process during a global health crisis.”
