MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Unionized teaching assistants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison began a two-day walkout Tuesday after failing to reach a contract agreement with the state's bargaining team.þþThe Teaching Assistants' Association said about 500 members decided at a meeting Monday night to picket some campus buildings Tuesday and Wednesday and hold a rally at the state Capitol Wednesday.þþBoian Popunkiov, a graduate math student and teaching assistant who is co-president of the group, said the association asked 1,200 of its 1,900 members to cancel their classes. The assistants are graduate students who create assignments, write and grade exams and lead student discussion groups. They have been without a contract for 10 months.þþ``As negotiations have progressed, the state has agreed that TAA members are paid significantly less than graduate assistants at similar universities. But we have been unable to agree on a contract that would bring the union to parity with other schools,'' he said.þþKaren Timberlake, director of state employee relations, has said under state law and contract provisions a work stoppage would be illegal, so the state ``will be considering a full range of options as it unfolds.''þþTimberlake did not return a call Tuesday morning.þþThe major conflict is over the state's insistence that the group begin to pay some of its health insurance costs. The assistants' average salary is $12,144 for 20 hours a week for nine months.þþ
Source: NY Times
