This page details our rights as ASEs as laid out by labor law, our union contract, and our EECS/DS undergraduate local agreement.
Workload rights
If you are an N-hour TA, your maximum workload is 17N hours for a regular semester or 8N hours for an 8-week summer session. If you are a tutor or reader, you have the right to be paid for the actual amount of time you work (rather than just the number of hours you were appointed for). Work time “counts” even if it is optional, explicitly prohibited, or in excess of your appointed hours.
Appointment notification & security
Upon hiring, the university must offer a written notification of your appointment detailing your start and end dates, your hours per week, and what pay and fee remission you will receive. If you are offered and accept an ASE appointment, you have the right to receive that appointment, an equivalent alternative appointment, or compensation in lieu of your appointment.
Titles and duties
If you teach discussion or lab sections or lead other ASEs, you have the right to be appointed and paid as a TA. If you engage in any instructional duties, you have the right to be appointed and paid as a tutor or TA.
Wages
If you are a TA, you have the right to be paid a salary and to receive experienced-based increases for every 2 non-summer semesters of TA experience. Tutors/readers have a right to be paid an hourly wage for all hours worked, including overwork & canceled sessions.
Fee remission
All ASEs receive some amount of fee remission. Readers and tutors/UCS1s receive an IREF fee remission of 100% of IREF at 10+ hours per week and $35 at <10 hours per week. TAs/UCS2s receive a proportional refund of tuition and campus fees on the basis of hours worked: 8 hours—40%, 10 hours—50%, 12 hours—60%, >12 hours—100%.
Discrimination and hiring
You have a right to be free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, medical condition, HIV status, status as a veteran, age, citizenship, political affiliation, and union activity.
You have the right to be free from discrimination in appointment or reappointment. You have the right for your application to be considered by the department or instructor of record and to be free from undue influence or nepotism by ASEs engaging in hiring work.
Discipline rights
You may be disciplined for just cause only. You have the right to have a union representative present at meetings where you reasonably expect to be disciplined, but you must request a representative be present.
Union rights
You have the right to join and participate in your union at uaw2865.org/join without discrimination from the university. As a union member, you have a right to participate in union elections and votes.
Grievance & enforcement
You have a right to file a grievance if you believe your rights have been violated without retaliation from the university. You have the right to have your grievance be heard in a timely fashion and to be represented by a union representative in grievance proceedings.
Contact your union
Please contact us! Your union reps are undergrad ASEs in EECS and Data Science, just like you, and we’re glad to help you with any questions, comments, or concerns you might have.
Join your union
We only have these rights because a majority of ASEs sign up to be members of our union, UAW 2865. You have the right to join and participate at uaw2865.org/join without discrimination from the university. As a union member, you have a right to participate in union elections and votes.