At yesterday’s Campus Unite! rally, GEO announced our Benefits for All plan and officially kicked off our campaign to protect SSDP benefits at the University of Michigan. Below is the text of Julie Robert’s speech at the rally announcing our plan.

My name is Julie Robert and I’m a member of the Graduate Employee’s Organization. […]

Dear GEO Brothers and Sisters,
By this time many of you have heard about the Michigan Court of Appeals’ recent ruling that a state-wide proposal passed in November 2004, “prohibits public employers from recognizing same-sex unions for any purpose,” including the provision of employee health benefits. Even if the current ruling is not stayed pending […]

As of March 1, 2004, MCare will be withdrawing all coverage for residents of several counties west and northwest of Ann Arbor. Contact MCare for more information, and please let GEO know if you live in one of these counties so we can assist you.
Download a map of the changes here.

For people who want to switch into GradCare for the Winter semester:
If you’re currently enrolled in a plan other than GradCare, you’ll receive a special medical insurance enrollment letter from the U-M Benefits Office. The letter is being sent to your home address listed with the University. If you won’t get mail sent to that […]

From the Michigan Daily
By Jeremy Berkowitz
November 26, 2003
In a bittersweet, emotional moment for graduate students instructors, the Graduate Employees Organization overwhelmingly voted last night to settle an issue with the University over health care premiums. Under the deal, about 90 percent of GSIs will now pay the same rates they paid before.
Due to a twofold […]

On Thursday, 11/20, 200 GEO members gathered in the Chemistry building to assess the University’s response to our demands.
David Dobbie and Holly Burmeister presided over the meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, the two described the grievance hearing of earlier that morning as “unusual.” A typical hearing consists of each side stating its position, […]

Today, the Regents of the University met after a rally of nearly 200 supporters of the All Campus Labor Council and GEO. During the public comments period, eight of ten speakers spoke to the impact of health care changes on employees of the university. Here are some excerpts:
Five members of the all-campus labor council spoke […]

Dear President Coleman
I write to you today as a graduate student in history, a GSI in history,
and a member of GEO to request that you revisit the misguided
co-premium policies the Committee on Health Insurance Premium Design
(CHIPD) and Provost Courant are attempting to impose on GEO members. I am
concerned with the process by which this […]

I have three main points. First, the University’s proposed health care changes violate the GEO contract and state labor law. Second, the University can afford to keep health care free. Finally, we all know there is a crisis in health care provision in this country; however, the University’s proposed plans are short-sighted cost-shifting measures.
The […]

RSG recently sent out an email with a letter receieved from the Provost included. We at GEO believe the figures quoted in that letter are at best unlikely, and at worst intentionally misleading. Here’s our analysis (the letter from RSG is at that bottom).
Hello DeAunderia and RSG,
I want to point out that Provost Courant’s […]