Affiliations: AFT-Michigan | AFT | AFL-CIO | AGEL | CGEU | COCAL | Michigan Pride at Work
The Bargaining Committee will be meeting Thursday, May 27, 3-5 pm in the GEO office! If you’re interested in joining the committee, come to this meeting! You can also email umgeo@umich.edu for more information.
The Bargaining Committee needs as many members as possible to make next year’s negotiations successful and representative of all GEO members’ concerns!
New officers and committee chairs have now been elected! Your 2010-2011 leadership is…
PRESIDENT
Rob Gillezeau
Economics
VICE PRESIDENT
Melissa Sanders
Psychology
SECRETARY
Renee Echols
English
TREASURER
Dan Marcin
Economics
COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR
Joanna Tatomir
Anthropology and Public Health
GRIEVANCE CHAIR
Jonathan McLaughlin
History and Classics
ORGANIZING CHAIR
Samantha Montgomery
Psychology
BARGAINING CHAIR
Mathieu Desan
Sociology
SOLIDARITY & POLITICAL ACTION CHAIR
Vacant!
(If you would like to run for SPAC Chair, contact GEO! umgeo@umich.edu)
CONGRATULATIONS!
At last week’s membership meeting, new officers were elected to GEO leadership for 2010-2011:
President: Rob Gillezeau, Economics
Vice President: Melissa Sanders, Psychology
Secretary: Renee Echols, English
Treasurer: Dan Marcin, Economics
Committee Chair nominations are still open! Email umgeo@umich.edu to make a nomination or nominate yourself. Committee chairs will be elected at this week’s Stewards Meeting:
Stewards’ Council Meeting
Wednesday, April 21, 7 pm
Also make sure to come to GEO’s Haiti Fundraiser TUESDAY, April 20! Info below.
Take a break from studying to support a great cause!
GEO will be raising funds for Project Medishare- an organization that provides prosthetics to survivors of the Jan 2010 Haiti earthquake.
*Tickets are available PRESALE and at the door (presale preferred) at a suggested donation of $10-15
We’ll be selling tickets (in our snazzy red GEO t-shirts):
-Monday 4/19 5:00pm-8:00pm in the Haven Hall lobby (across from the elevators)
OR- email us at geohaitifundraiser@gmail.com for tickets
The event will feature speaker Dr. Marie Lozon, of University of Michigan. Dr. Lozon lead Team Wolverine, a group of UM doctors that travelled to Haiti to work on the U.S. Comfort, providing emergency healthcare to Haitians directly affected by the earthquake.
The event will also include:
-Hot and cold Hors d’oeuvres from Produce Station and Jerusalem Garden
-Live Music from “The Rocks” http://www.myspace.com/xtherocksx
-DJ Chuck Sipperley (of Permanent Green Light)
-Dancing/a “dance off”
-A raffle featuring gift certificates, gift baskets, and more!
-A cash bar for those over 21
….and most importantly- an AMAZING time .
Project Medishare was one of the first to set up a field clinic after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. Project Medishare continues to work closely with the Haitian Ministry of Health to coordinate medical relief efforts at the airport and other locations. The organization was uniquely positioned to respond to this crisis because of its years of experience working in the country and a network of U.S. doctors ready to fly in.
During the first week after the quake, many Haitians lost arms and legs as a result of their initial injuries. As a consequence, Project Medishare is developing a specific effort to begin providing and fitting prosthetics and assessing requirements for the provision of facilities and specialists for rehabilitation. The funds from this event will be earmarked for this particular effort in order to empower Haitians directly affected by the quake. For more info visit: http://www.projectmedishare.org/ .
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Special thanks to the following for additional sponsorship from: Rackham Student Government, Salon Vox, Afternoon Delight, Vie, Relax Station, Cafe Ambrosia, Mongolian Barbeque, Ten Thousand Villages, Whole Foods, and Randazzo Dance Studio
GEO members: please complete a bargaining platform survey and make your concerns known!
Results will help determine the importance of different issues for our membership as we continue working towards defining bargaining priorities for next year.
GEO is currently at work developing an initial Bargaining Platform for 2010-2011 contract negotiations! An initial platform will be voted on at the April 14 Membership Meeting. Members and constituencies (GEO committees, departments, caucuses, etc.) are encouraged to submit platform plank proposals to be added to the platform. Members will vote on these planks (basically comprising issues) and discuss modifications to them at the Membership Meeting, and we’ll continue to refine the platform before bargaining begins in the fall.
GEO needs a diverse array of voices to win a great contract that makes meaningful changes for members. We want to hear YOUR ideas! To get involved in the process, follow these links!
GEO Member Guide to Platform Development
Online Plank Proposal (submit your proposals online!)
Sample Plank Proposal: Rights for Employees with Disabilities
GEO GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Wednesday, April 14
7 pm - 8 pm
The U Club in the Michigan Union
It’s our second and last membership meeting of the year! At this important meeting, members will discuss and vote on an initial bargaining platform for next year’s contract negotiations. Come and make YOUR concerns heard!
Members will also elect new leadership: the offices of President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary will be elected at the membership meeting. Nominations are now open for these positions and can be made by email to umgeo @ umich . edu
STEWARDS’ COUNCIL MEETINGS
Wednesday, April 14
and
Wednesday, April 21
7 pm - 8:30 pm
GEO Office, 330 E. Liberty Street Suite 3F
The 2010-2011 committee chairs will be elected at the Stewards’ Council meeting on Wednesday, April 21, 7 pm. Committee chair positions (Organizing, Communications, Grievance, Solidarity & Political Action, and Bargaining) are now open and can be made by email to umgeo @ umich . edu
ACTIVISM FACTORY!
Wednesday, March 31
7 pm
GEO Office
We’ll be talking about organizing a fundraiser for Haiti, continuing to work on developing a bargaining platform, and brainstorming artwork for next year’s contract campaign.
Get involved in YOUR union!
Information about GEO Dues can be found at our Dues FAQ. Any further questions can be addressed to umgeo @ umich . edu
If you haven’t signed a yellow card yet, please consider becoming a GEO Member! The financial difference between membership dues and the representation service fee is small (under $10 a term for a .5 employee), but the benefits for you and the Union are huge (you get voting rights in Union decisions + the Union is stronger and more effective = we win good contracts that reflect YOUR voice).
GEO Fall 2009 Membership Meeting
Thursday 11/19
Food/drinks 6:00pm
Meeting Starts at 7:00pm
At the GEO Office (330 E. Liberty Suite 3F)
At this Membership Meeting, we’ll update members on what has happened in GEO this year and form working groups around possible bargaining items for the 2010-2011 contract campaign. What are aspects of GEO’s contract that you think work well? What are aspects that you think could change? What are issues pertinent to GSIs/GSSAs that aren’t currently covered by the contract? Bring your ideas to the meeting and come ready to discuss with your fellow union members! We need to hear from YOU!
If you have any questions about the Membership Meeting, please contact your department steward.
For more information contact umgeo@umich.edu, or go to http://umgeo.org
For GEO’s updated events calendar, bookmark: http://umgeo.org/events
The Graduate Employees’ Organization at University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign went on strike this morning against the Board of Trustees. GEO-UIUC has been bargaining with the administration for a new contract and is demanding that the university guarantee tuition waivers in the contract, which the university refuses to bargain over.
GEO-UM stands in solidarity with our sisters and brothers at GEO-UIUC and urges the Board of Trustees to offer graduate employees a fair contract.
For more information: http://www.uigeo.org
Graduate Student Worker for Fall 2009
(Note the typo on page 1: The deadline for disenrolling ineligible dependents from University health plans is December 18, 2009)
The University will be conducting an audit of the eligibility of dependents of ALL University employees, including graduate employees, starting in February 2010. Disenroll ineligible dependents by December 18, 2009 without penalty. To become familiar with the requirements for eligibility documentation, and for more information about the audit, visit:
http://mydependentcheck.com/umich/
*Note: The Fall 2009 edition of GEO’s newsletter incorrectly stated that the deadline for disenrolling ineligible dependents is December 18, 2010. The correct deadline is DECEMBER 18, 2009. GEO apologizes for this error.