For more information about the upcoming election and how joining other graduate employees in GEO would benefit GSRAs, please see our website here.
Category Archives: Bargaining
Tentative Agreement Ratified by General Membership Vote
Today, after nearly a week of voting, the membership of GEO ratified the tentative agreement reached by the GEO bargaining team and the University. Once approved by the Regents of the University, the new UM-GEO Agreement will go into effect. For more information, please see our ratification page.
GEO reached a tentative agreement with the University on March 19, 2011, for a new contract for the years 2011-2014 to replace our current contract, which expired on March 18, 2011, after a two-week extension. After approved by a general membership meeting on March 23, 2011, the tentative agreement was sent to the general membership for approval by secret ballot.
Share and Enjoy
Membership Meeting and TA Party!
A General Membership Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 23, at 6 PM in the Michigan League Ballroom. We’ll discuss the Tentative Agreement we’ve reached with the University, and vote to send out a ratification ballot for the membership to ratify our new contract. We’ll also be talking about progress on the GSRA campaign, and political struggles at the local and Michigan state level. Please attend, and tell all members you know!
A celebration will follow at the Blue Leprechaun, starting at 9 PM! Come mingle with your fellow members and celebrate the strength of our Union.
Read about the end of our negotiations in the Michigan Daily article!
There will also be a Stewards Council meeting on Tuesday, March 22, 6 PM (GEO office) – all are welcome to come in advance of the membership meeting to learn more about the TA and GEO’s next steps.
Share and Enjoy
GEO Bargaining Team Signs Tentative Agreement
After over 12 hours of bargaining with the administration today, our bargaining team signed a tentative agreement on our 2011-2014 contract at 2:05 AM. The contract still needs to be ratified by a vote by the membership. Stay tuned for an announcement about a General Membership Meeting next week where we will vote to send out a ratification ballot!
We were able to secure an excellent agreement. Our new contract has the following gains:
–Disability accommodations
–2.5%, 3%, and 3% raises
–Maintained prescription drug copays – a huge win in this economic climate
–50% GEO representation on a 6 member committee to evaluate the spousal work/study requirement for the university’s child care subsidy. The University will put $75,000 in contract years 2 and 3, each, toward implementing the recommendations of this committee, if those recommendations are accepted.
–Increase in the amount of the childcare subsidy, with a link to the rate of tuition increase at child care centers
–Dental I for all low fraction employees without a premium
–Access to lactation spaces
–Language establishing guidelines for timely hiring (generally by 3 weeks before the semester starts)
–Jobs posting website for all GSI and GSSA positions by September 2013
–Maintained $0/month premiums for GradCare
–Expanded SEVIS fee reimbursement timeline
–Maintained current term of agreement language regarding contract expiration, which the university badly wanted to change
–Burton Tower keys for School of Music GSIs with offices there
–No mandatory group work hours after 1 AM
–Low fraction GSIs auto-enrolled in zero premium GradCare
If you see your Steward, Bargaining Team member, GEO officer, or staffer, give them a solidarity high-five, and come to the membership meeting.
Share and Enjoy
General Membership Meeting TONIGHT!
Hi folks,
We have a GEO membership meeting tonight at 7pm!
When: Today (Wednesday, March 16) from 7-8:30pm [note the time change]
Where: Ballroom in the Michigan League [the same as last time]
What: Our bargaining team believes that we are close to an agreement with the university. Depending on the university’s counter-proposals on Wednesday, we may be deciding whether or not to send out the ballots for the ratification of a new contract. If things are looking bad on Wednesday, we may revisit our bottom line platform and determine the absolute minimum we need to avoid a possible job action. We will also need to debate any further extension of the existing contract depending on progress at the table. Finally, we will discuss upcoming actions to help us win at the table, including a rally that is currently scheduled for Wednesday, March 23rd @ 2:30 in the Diag. (See FB event page for details: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105111582904506)
Why should I show up: First, if you want your voice heard you need to be at the meeting. Our decisions regarding revisions to our bottom line and whether to send out a contract ratification ballot will determine not just the contract that we win, but whether some form of job action will be necessary to get there. Second, when you show up to the meeting, you send a signal to the University that the union is strong and has the power to win a strong contract.
CART service (real time closed-captioning) and childcare will be available during the meeting.
Share and Enjoy
At The Table, Issue 12
The new issue of At The Table is here! Check it out for detailed bargaining updates, and information on how you can get involved as the bargaining team works to bring this process to a close.
Newsletter: At the Table, Issue 12
Share and Enjoy
At the Table, Issue 11 is here!
Take a look at the newest issue of At The Table. This issue has details on the University team’s financial counter-proposals and dates to watch for in the coming weeks.
Newsletter: At the Table, Issue 11
Share and Enjoy
Bargaining TODAY, 10-2
We’ll be bargaining in Palmer Commons, Great Lakes North, from 10 AM to 2 PM today, Friday, March 4!
Share and Enjoy
Bargaining Tuesday, 1:30-4:30
GEO will be bargaining with the administration on Tuesday, March 1, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm, in the LS&A Building Room 4128. As always, the session is open to members.
Share and Enjoy
General Membership Meeting Wed., Feb. 23
General Membership Meeting!
Wednesday, February 23, 6-8 PM
Michigan League Ballroom
At this GMM, we’ll be discussing priorities for bargaining with the university and also whether to extend our contract. Our contract expires on March 1!
Commit to coming to the meeting!