Care not in present contract
GTFs negotiate for health insurance plan
By MARIAN GREEN
Of the Emerald
Health insurance coverage
has emerged as one of the main
issues in current contract
negotiations between the
Graduate Teaching Fellows
Federation and the University.
The GTFF, whose member
ship includes about half the
University’s 800 graduate
teaching fellows, has negotiat
ed weekly with the University
since February on a new
1981-83 contract. The current
contract expires June 30.
GTFF Treasurer Dick Vander
Schaaf says the contract covers
issues such as workloads,
salary levels and departmental
hiring procedures, but "our
primary aim is to try to get health
insurance.”
Currently, GTFs aren’t
covered under the University’s
state health insurance plan,
because Oregon law requires
that employees work at least
half-time for state-plan cover
age, according to Vander
Schaaf.
The GTFF is working for
changes in the law that would
allow the unit to bargain for the
state health insurance.
Vander Schaaf says GTF
health insurance won’t cost the
state additional money because
the insurance "would be tied to
the GTFF salary package."
Nevertheless, “it’s a big hurdle
to have to get a law passed
through the Legislature.”
Vander Schaaf says GTFs are
serious about wanting health
insurance coverage.
—.. i I
"They would rather have
health insurance than a cost
of-living increase in some
ways’’
But right now it’s up to the
individual to obtain health in
surance, Vander Schaaf says.
"Most of us don’t have health
insurance.”
Another contract issue being
considered is the proposed tui
tion surcharge, Vander Schaaf
says.
If approved, the GTFF wants
the surcharge to come out of
the GTF's salary package and
not tuition charges, Vander
Schaaf says
Because of a GTFF-University
policy, some issues, such as
proposed salary increases,
cannot be made public, Vander
Schaaf says.
GTFs received a cost-of-living
increase of about seven percent
when the GTFF bargained for
the present contract two years
ago, Vander Schaaf says. At
that time, the Consumer Price
Index to inflation was hovering
at about 14 percent, he adds
The GTFF will hold a general
meeting Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in
Room 101, EMU At the meet
ing, contract negotiations,
health care legislation and the
Oregon Federation of Teachers'
convention will be discussed In
addition, a slide show on El Sal
vador will be shown.
Novelist to speak on publishing
Novelist John Keeble will visit
the University on Thursday to
lecture and meet with students
and faculty.
Keeble, who also coordinates
a creative writing program at
Eastern Washington University
at Cheney, will talk about
developing and publishing con
temporary fiction at 2:30 p.m. in
Room 243 of Gilbert Hall. He will
make a second presentation at
8 p.m. in Room 224 Gilbert Hall.
The lectures are free to the
public.
Keeble's novels include
"Crab Canon," "Mine," which
he co-authored with Ransom
Jeffrey, and "Yellowfish." His
lastest book, set in Eastern
Oregon, is scheduled for
release in 1982.
The University Creative Writ
ing Program is sponsoring Kee
ble’s visit in cooperation with
the Lane Community College
language arts department.
The Creative Writing Program
lecture series is funded by the
Time/Life Foundation and
University alumnus Kenny
Moore, a senior writer for Sports
Illustrated magazine.
Prof selected to teach in Paris
University comparative litera
ture department head Irving
Wohlfarth has been selected to
serve as a visiting professor at
the Ecole des Hautes en
Sciences Sociales in Paris for
several months next year.
Also a 1979 recipient of a
John Simon Guggenheim
Memorial Foundation Fellow
ship to write a biography of
Walter Benjamin, Wohlfarth will
continue his research on the
German literary figure during
his year in Europe.
His research will be conduct
ed under the auspices of the
French government.
Wohlfarth received his ba
chelor’s degree from Cam
bridge in 1961 and his doctoral
degree from Yale University in
1970. He teaches 19th century
French literature and contem
porary European literary cri
ticism at the University.
Wohlfarth will be working on
an unpublished work of Ben
jamin with French and German
scholars at the Biblioteque Na
tionale in Paris.
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• •