1. Who is in the RA Union?
2. What are some of my benefits?
3. How can the union help me?
4. How can I get involved in the union?
5. Where do my Membership Fees Go?
6. What if I switch between being an RA and TA/GA?
7. Who is CWA Local 1104?
1. Who is in the RA Union?
The Research Assistants (RA) Union is the union for graduate student Research Assistants (RAs) who are paid for the research they do. RA Union members are paid by the SUNY Research Foundation. RAs are automatically enrolled in the union when they begin working for the Research Foundation. Every RA is required to sign a yellow membership authorization card when they become an RA. As an RA, you are a part of the Bargaining Unit when we enter into contract negotiations with the Research Foundation.
2. What are some of my benefits?
- You can read a copy of the RA Union contract on the “Contract” page of our website to get the complete list of benefits that are associated with an RA Union membership.
- Fair Salary: By having a union to negotiate salary increases for all RAs, TAs and GAs, we have been able to raise salaries across-the-board and continue to fight for contractual raises despite the proposals to maintain current salaries by the Research Foundation.
- Insurance: RA Union members have excellent health insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance packages, as provided by the Research Foundation as part of the union contract.
- Grievance Procedure: Union members are entitled to a fair grievance procedure through the RA union for any issues that you experience in the workplace. In order to report a grievance, you can contact any one of your union representatives. Your representative will work with you to determine how your grievance can be resolved to your best benefit. As a union member, you have access to our union’s attorney, who can provide assistance to you regarding your grievance, and can act as a liaison between you and the university during a grievance.
- Other Benefits: Union members are entitled to discounts on a number of businesses, such as phone service providers, movie tickets and additional forms of insurance. Ask your union representative for details on the discounts.
3. How can the union help me?
The union can help members of the RA Union in many important ways. In addition to negotiating the RA Union contract every 3 years, where we set out to ensure raises, improvements in health insurance, and improvements in other aspects of your working conditions, we are constantly available (via email, phone or in person on campus!) to support RAs everyday in the workplace. We are available to respond to and resolve issues that you experience in your working life in the form of grievances such as overwork, exploitation, lack of payment, and much more.
4. How can I get involved in the union?
During negotiations, we welcome all members into the Bargaining Committee. This is the team of RAs who come together at Negotiation Meetings to speak on behalf of all RAs in the Bargaining Unit and negotiate for the increases in compensation that we need.
At all times, we encourage each department that employs RAs to elect a Division Coordinator. The Division Coordinator is responsible for keeping the RAs in their department aware of union news, important updates, and upcoming events. They also help with important planning and decision making for the union’s activities and campus plans. Division Coordinators attend 2 meetings per month: a Division Coordinator meeting, and the general membership Open Meeting. Division Coordinators are indispensible in the structure of the RA Union, and we encourage anyone who is interested to contact us and get involved!
We hold monthly Open Meetings where we encourage all members of the RA Union to attend and hear the latest union news ad updates, and give their opinions toward important decisions and upcoming plans. We offer free dinner to members at Open Meetings!
5. Where do my Membership Fees Go?
All RA Union members are required to pay a membership fee in accordance with the RA Union contract. Most of the membership fee accounts for the benefits that each member directly receives, such as health, dental and vision insurance, contract negotiation, a fair grievance procedure and arbitration process, and overall union representation. A small portion of the membership fees are used for political activity that furthers the success of the RA Union during negotiations.
All members are entitled to an accounting record of where the RA Union’s membership fees are spent. They can receive it by contacting the CWA Local 1104 office, at (516) 420-1104
6. What if I switch between being an RA and TA/GA?
Many graduate students switch between RA lines and TA/GA lines while they are employed at Stony Brook. Many students also start their employment at Stony Brook as TAs, and switch to an RA later in their graduate career. The difference between these positions is that RAs are part of the Research Assistants Union, while TAs and GAs are part of the GSEU. You will automatically be enrolled in whichever union is applicable to your employment each semester, which means that you will automatically be switched from one union to another. Even though membership is automatic, every union member still needs to sign the appropriate membership card for the union that they are in. Membership cards for each union don’t expire, so if you return to your previous position as an RA or TA/GA, your signed membership status will reactivate.
7. Who is CWA Local 1104?
Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1104 is the larger union that represents both the RA Union and GSEU at Stony Brook University. CWA Local 1104 employs the staff organizer for the RA Union, and has an office in Farmingdale, Long Island that serves the needs of our RA Union membership. CWA Local 1104 is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, which is an important federation of unions and labor organizations throughout the nation.