The Teaching Assistants Association held its first meeting of the year Tuesday night to discuss several issues including its battle with the state Legislature over a contract negotiation that has been locked in a stalemate for three years.
According to TAA Co-President Eric Freedman, the two sides are at odds over the \sticky issues"" of wages and health care.
To accelerate the bargaining process, the TAA has proposed a ""conciliation,"" which brings in a neutral third party to open up discussion between the TAA and the Legislature.
TAA Political Education Committee Chair Mike Quieto explained how third-party conciliation ideally works.
""The Wisconsin Employment Relations Committee will work between both sides and ask us what our priorities are, what are our values, what are the issues involved and help us see where we're actually close,"" Quieto said. He added the conciliation process is non-binding, meaning a decision may or may not be made, but at least dialogue will continue and keep moving forward.
The last time the TAA and the state utilized a third party in contract negotiation was 1999 and the TAA received a tuition waiver in exchange for lowered wages, Quieto said.
While members of the TAA anticipate this conciliation to occur, not all state members want it to happen.
According to Susan Crawford, executive assistant in the Office of State Employment Relations, the state has not yet agreed to use a mediator.
""We would prefer to bargain with them directly. That's our approach in collective bargaining,"" Crawford said. ""We need to get back to the table and talk to them and resolve our issues with them without bringing a third party into it.""
Crawford said a third party mediator would draw out matters even more.
Despite some state objections, the TAA argues a third party is the last resort in achieving an agreement.
""We're really hoping the state finally comes around and signs a contract that is going to be good for TAs and PAs and that's going to be good for the university,"" Freedman said.
""Hopefully changing the dynamics of the process, we'll be able to make some new progress on these issues,"" Quieto said. ""Having a mediator isn't having a magic wand, but it's a new method of trying to come to a mutually acceptable contract.""
