Overview
On March 19, 2011 the GEO Bargaining Team reached a tentative agreement with the bargaining team from U-M Academic Human Resources. At the March 23 GEO Membership Meeting it was decided to send the tentative agreement on to the entire GEO membership for ratification.
Only members in the bargaining unit are allowed to vote, and only one vote is allowed per member. Ballots containing invalid authentication codes will be discarded. If multiple votes are submitted with the same valid authentication code, only the first ballot cast will be counted. Paper ballots are also available upon request. In the event that a member casts both a paper and an electronic ballot, only the paper ballot will be counted. If you require any other accommodations in order to be able to vote, please contact GEO.
The initial voting period will end on Wednesday, March 30 at 5pm. If neither YES nor NO has received majority support at that time, the Stewards Council will have the option to extend voting.
A summary of each of the changes agreed to is provided below. You may also download a pdf of the entire 2011-2014_UM-GEO_TentativeAgreement.
SUMMARY OF CHANGES TO THE GEO CONTRACT
Policies and Procedures for Employees with Disabilities
Summary of Intent:
Specifies that a central office will be designated to handle Employees’ accommodations requests and implementation of those requests. Stipulates central fund to pay for such accommodations. Mandates the creation and maintenance of forms Employees can use to request an accommodation and the formal procedure by which these requests are made. Mandates that the University designates administrators in each school or college to assist in facilitating the accommodations process in consultation with the designated central office. Explains that Employees may make a request informally in their individual appointing units. Includes training for school/college administrative designees as needed.
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Article VI: Union Rights
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–Eliminated reference to specific bulletin boards available to the Union.
–Specifies that the University’s acceptance of work-study applications from the Union does not imply the University’s endorsement.
–Mandates the University provide the Union with appointing unit contact information for scheduling orientations. Specifies that orientation time allotted to GEO be free of other activities, and that GEO’s presentations will be consistent with the law.
–Mandates that if an appointing unit doesn’t have an orientation or holds its orientation through another entity, it must make time available for GEO at another time.
–Removes GEO’s participation in the writing of the University’s contract summary document.
–Reduces number of printed contracts whose cost is shared between GEO and the University to 1200. Mandate that contract be put on University’s and Union’s websites.
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Article VII: Information
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–Separated the reports to include one report containing information about individual Employees; another report contains descriptive demographic information about the bargaining unit.
–Makes the University’s delivery of the CRAS report to the Union automatic.
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Article IX: Job Postings, Distribution of Postings, Notification, and Hiring Procedures
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
Section A.
–Mandate that appointing units distribute job postings to students enrolled in the unit’s graduate program via email.
–For jobs open to those enrolled outside the appointing unit, jobs must be distributed via the GSI/GSSA Positions listserv maintained by Academic Human Resources.
–Refer to Memorandum of Understanding regarding Job Postings website.
Section B.
–Reorganized for clarity.
Section C.
–Specifies that job notifications should be given within 6 weeks of the job application due date, and normally by 21 days before the start of the term of employment.
–Changes terms of offer letters to include references to SEVIS fee reimbursement, child care subsidy availability, and disability accommodations.
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Memorandum of Understanding: Implementation of a Job Posting Website
Summary of intent
–Establishes the University’s commitment to begin posting GSI and GSSA positions to a central University website no later than September 1, 2013. A Special Conference on the implementation of the website will occur no later than May 1, 2012.
–Specifies changes to be made to Article 9, Posting procedures, upon website implementation.
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Article X: Salaries
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–Establish language guaranteeing on-time monthly payment.
–Amends salary raises to 2.5%, 3%, 3% for three years.
–Eliminates clause tying annual GSA salary increase to average tenure-track LS&A faculty increase.
–Extends timeline for international Employees to receive SEVIS fee reimbursement to the first four terms of employment as a GSA.
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Article XI: Benefits
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–Clarified eligibility for Other Qualified Adult (OQA).
–All Employees (including low-fractions) now automatically default to Tier I GradCare coverage and Dental Plan Option 1.
–Co-pays for office visits/urgent care set at no more than $20 per visit; emergency room visits set at no more than $75. Freezes health care plan co-pays for life of Agreement.
–Specifies that for the duration of Agreement, the annual maximum in prescription drug co-pays for any Employee will be $2500 for an individual and $5000 for a family.
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Article XII: Child Care
Summary of Changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–Expanded the list of unique circumstances that may impact eligibility for the Child Care Subsidy to include a spouse’s visa status or unemployment status.
–Mandates notification to Employees of availability of subsidy award upon hiring.
–Increases subsidy amounts to $2250 for one child, $3300 for two children, and $4350 for three or more children. Ties subsidy amount to increase in tuition at U-M Child Care centers.
–Eliminated nomination procedure for GEO’s Childcare Steering Initiative Committee.
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Memorandum of Understanding: Work Group Regarding Child Care Subsidy’s Spousal Work/Study Requirement
By no later than September 15, 2011, the University and the Union shall each appoint three members to a committee to review the spousal work/study eligibility requirement of the child care subsidy, as referenced in Article XII. The committee will review the work/study requirement’s applicability and, by April 30, 2012, recommend changes, if needed, to the University.
The University will commit $75,000 for each academic year for the remaining two years of the contract toward the implementation of any recommendation accepted by the University.
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Article XIII: Medical Leave, Parental Accommodation Period, Jury or Witness Service, Immigration Proceedings, Bereavement Leave Pay, and Replacement Coverage
Summary of changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–Minor non-substantial changes.
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Article XIV: Grievance and Arbitration Procedures
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–For group grievances, Employer may request that Employees seeking individual remedies be present at grievance meetings.
–Step 1 resolutions do not set precedence. Any Step 1 resolution is valid as long as it does not violate the Agreement.
–Minor changes to arbitration guidelines. Clarifies arbitrator’s role in “academic judgments”.
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Article XV: Special Conferences
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
– Eliminates Equity and Access GSSA Position.
– Removes Equity and Access as a specific type of Special Conference, but maintains that issues of equity and access are of mutual interest to the University and GEO.
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Article XIX: Employee Training
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
– Includes lab training as a specific type of compensated Employee training.
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Article XXI: Employee Rights
Summary of major changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
– Section D: Building access exception applies to Earl V. Moore Building (School of Music). GSAs will have access to offices in Burton Tower on Central Campus.
– Section E.2: Added access to printer for work duties.
– Section I: Departments will make reasonable efforts to end group grading sessions before 1:00 am. No GSA is required to be at a group session past 1:00 am.
– Section K: Access to kitchens unless buildings are redesigned or demolished.
– Section: L: Solidifies International Center’s role in providing advice and assistance to international GSAs and their immigration status.
– Section M: Moved language involving biological station from Article IX to XXI
– Section N: Employees will have access to space provided for faculty and staff for the purpose of expressing breast milk. Where no space exists, appointing units will make a reasonable effort to find an appropriate temporary space for expressing breast milk. The university will allow time for the Employee to express milk, as long as class time and/or lab time is not interrupted.
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MOU on Lactation Accommodations (Article 21)
Summary of intent:
– Clarify the specifications of appropriate lactation spaces and provides information for Employees trying to locate lactation spaces.
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Article XXV: Term of Agreement
Summary of changes from 2008-2011 Agreement
–Changes day and month of agreement termination date to reflect new contract cycle.
