GEO UM Tentative Agreement
The file above contains a full text PDF of the Tentative Agreement reached between GEO and UM on March 25, 2008. Below is an article by article summary of the significant changes this Tentatave Agreement, if ratified, would make to the GEO Contract.Article I – Recognition and Definitions
Minor adjustments to definitions […]

Tentative Agreement (scan)
We’re working on putting together a clean copy of the tentative agreement for members to review. In the meantime, here’s a pdf produced by scanning copies of the agreed upon articles. Please note: the file is quite large and may take some time to download.

STEWARDS COUNCIL MEETING
Tonight, 7 pm, at GEO. Discuss the walkout, our tentative agreement, and the upcoming membership meeting.
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Monday March 31, 7 pm, Michigan League Ballroom. We will be recounting what has happened this week and voting to send out a contract ratification vote to the whole membership.
The walkout in pictures

Solidarity forever!

Here are some links to news coverage leading up to, during, and following yesterday’s walkout, which ended with the university and GEO reaching a tentative agreement on our new contract!
Detroit Free Press: 1-day U-M instructors strike gets big results [March 27]
Michigan Daily: New Deal Ends GEO Walkout [March 26]
Michigan Daily: Members form picket lines, cancel […]

Dear GEO members and supporters,
Due to our successful walkout today, which shut down activity across campus, the Administration asked to reenter bargaining this afternoon in the interest of avoiding a second day. Following a marathon session of negotiating, at 11:42pm Tuesday night we reached a tentative agreement on a new contract.
Because of this progress, the […]

GEO’s Bargaining Team has reached a Tentative Agreement with UM on all major issues.  Details to follow.
There will be a GEO Membership Meeting on Monday, March 31 at 7pm in the Michigan League Ballroom.  At that meeting, members will discuss whether to submit the Tentative Agreement for ratification.

The administration has requested to start bargaining again with GEO. The GEO bargaining team will meet with the administration’s bargaining team at GEO’s office this afternoon. MEMBERS: GEO will be holding a meeting TONIGHT at 8 pm at the Tap Room in Arbor Brewing Company (116 E. Washington St.). It’s important to come and discuss […]

For our brothers and sisters who would like to send letters of support to administrative figures at the University, here is a list of fax numbers.
Jeffrey Frumkin
Assistant Provost
Sr. Directory, Academic Human Resources
(734) 936-8894
Mary Sue Coleman
President of the University
Fax: (734) 936-3529
Sally J. Churchill
VP and secretary of the University
734-763-8011
Teresa A. Sullivan
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic […]

GEO’s walkout began at 5 am this morning with GEO members at loading docks and construction sites at the Stadium and Ross School of Business. The Michigan Daily has published an awesomely supportive editorial rightly criticizing the University for its attitude toward negotiations (thank you!), as well as a news article; the walkout has also […]

GEO WILL GO FORWARD WITH ITS PLANNED WORK STOPPAGE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 25 AND WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26
The bargaining team for the University left negotiations with GEO at 9:05 pm tonight. In negotiations today, the union believed we were making good progress with the university on issues of wage parity and low-fraction employee healthcare; however, GEO […]

MEMBERS: Tonight’s failsafe meeting, where Stewards Council will discuss the status of bargaining and necessity of tomorrow’s work stoppage, is currently taking place at the GEO office but is quickly going to MOVE to the bargaining session happening in Mason Hall 2306. We need as many members here as possible to have some crucial conversations […]

MEMBERS: Significant movement is happening at the bargaining table! HEAD TO BARGAINING IN MASON HALL 1427 (probably 2306 after 4 pm) to discuss the progress with the bargaining team during caucus! We need members there to talk about the negotiations and what has happened with proposals today. Get over there NOW!!!

Members and supporters: Use this handy webform to sign up for a picket shift! On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 25 and 26; there are three shifts each day or, if you are super awesome, you could join us ALL DAY!

BARGAINING SESSION TODAY
GEO is still bargaining with the university, and members are encouraged to attend today’s bargaining session, starting at 11:30 am in 1427 Mason Hall. ***UPDATE: The University’s bargaining team said they need to caucus until about 2:30 pm before they give us any counterproposals. If you want to come over to bargaining, […]

[pdf of press release available here]
[Job Action FAQ for members available here]
[Resources for faculty/staff available here]
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN GRADUATE EMPLOYEES AUTHORIZE TWO DAY WORK STOPPAGE
LABOR UNION OF GRADUATE INSTRUCTORS VOTE 727 TO 177 TO STOP WORK
Ann Arbor, MI – Members of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO, AFT local 3550), the labor union representing approximately 1,700 […]

Take a look at the new School of Natural Resources blog, at snresolidarity.blogspot.com!

On Thursday, hundreds of GEO members and supporters - including undergrads, faculty, and community members - gathered on the Diag and marched to the Fleming Building, demonstrating their amazing solidarity to the University.

Students Organizing for Labor Equality also made some public statements, via chalk power, of their support:

Read a story in the Daily here. GEO […]

Last night, GEO’s membership in attendance at a membership meeting voted to send out a strike ballot to ALL union members. In the next few days, members will be VOTING on whether to authorize the Stewards Council to call a two-day work stoppage next week, if the union’s demands are still not met. If you […]