▁these ▁issues ▁and ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁Sol id ar ity ▁Committee . ▁ ▁The ▁B arg aining ▁Team ▁( B T ) ▁acts ▁as ▁the ▁representative ▁for ▁gradu ate ▁employees ▁in ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁University ▁administration ▁and ▁any ▁other ▁relevant ▁body ▁over ▁terms ▁and ▁conditions ▁of ▁employ ment . ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁b arg aining ▁team ▁are ▁members ▁in ▁good ▁standing , ▁and ▁include ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Co - Pres idents , ▁two ▁represent atives ▁chosen ▁by ▁the ▁Ste wards ’ ▁Council , ▁and ▁one ▁member - at - large ▁chosen ▁by ▁the ▁membership ▁at ▁a ▁membership ▁meeting . ▁Other ▁members ▁may ▁be ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Co ordin ating ▁Committee , ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁Ste wards ▁Council , ▁or ▁be ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁Ste wards ▁Council ▁or ▁the ▁general ▁membership ▁following ▁a ▁decision ▁by ▁that ▁body . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁years ▁ ▁Gr adu ate ▁employees ▁have ▁been ▁organ izing ▁at ▁UI UC ▁since ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁when ▁a ▁group ▁called ▁the ▁Ass ist ants ▁Union ▁first ▁worked ▁to ▁improve ▁working ▁conditions . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁union ▁named ▁themselves ▁the ▁Gr adu ate ▁Emp loy ees ’ ▁Organ ization ▁( GE O ) ▁and ▁got ▁together ▁to ▁voice ▁gradu ate ▁assist ants ’ ▁concerns ▁over ▁issues ▁such ▁as ▁sal aries , ▁work load , ▁and ▁health ▁care , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁perce ived ▁lack ▁of ▁campus ▁par king