We Won!

At 1:30 a.m. this morning, lead negotiator André Wilson signed the Tentative Agreements on Salaries and Wages

Guaranteed raises of 2.5%, 3%, and 3% in the three years of the contract! We signed current contract language on No Interference and our Agreement expires on March 1, 2008. More details to follow…

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MEMBERSHIP MEETING FOR RATIFICATION VOTE

SUNDAY, APRIL 3

5:30 PM — Angell Hall Auditorium C

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Sun, April 03 2005
05:30 PM Membership Meeting!! (2:00)
Tue, April 05 2005
07:00 PM Stewards’ Council (1:30)

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BARGAINING UPDATE (by date)

We are making progress on finalizing our contract, but GEO members’ presence at bargaining over the next few days will be crucial in determining the resolution of the remaining articles that remain open on the bargaining table: wages, health care, term of agreement, no interference, and same-sex domestic partner benefits. Please come to bargaining on Thursday, March 31st, 9am-12noon in room 2105B of the Michigan Union.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30th UPDATE: We have reached Tentative Agreements on many issues(!), including anti-discrimination, IGSI training, conditions of employment, paid leave, child care, union rights, and GEO’s ongoing relationship with the university. Please scroll down to these individual items under ‘Bargaining Update (by issue)’ for specifics. Open articles (issues we’re still bargaining over) include wages, health care, term of agreement, no interference, and same sex domestic partner benefits.

* Wages. The current GSI salary for 8 months at a 0.5 fraction appointment is ,977. U of M proposal: GSIs receive the same percentage increase in salary as LS&A faculty, or a yearly increase of 2%, 2.5%, 2.5% (for years 1, 2, and 3 respectively), whichever is higher; some members who have low fractions get a per-hour bump up in hourly wage (a 10% hourly wage increase for members who have below a .25 fraction). GEO proposal: GSIs receive the same percentage increase in salary as LS&A faculty, or a yearly increase of 5%, 3%, 3% (for years 1, 2, and 3 respectively), whichever is higher; all low fractions get a per-hour bump up in hourly wage (5% for fractions between .1 and .5, and 30% for fractions at or below .05); and GSIs receive an hourly wage for any substitute teaching they do.
* Health Care. U of M proposal: For the life of the contract, there will be (1) a fixed formula for determining health care premiums and (2) a maximum increase of .00 for any co-pays; GSIs will receive dental coverage in their first year. GEO proposal: For the life of the contract, (1) there will be a fixed formula for determining health care premiums (projected to guarantee zero premiums for GradCare throughout the life of the contract) and (2) there will be no major changes to health care services offered by our plans — notification of any minor changes should be given to GEO 60-days before proposed implementation; 50% buy-in on dental and GradCare for low fractions; GSIs will receive dental coverage in their first year.
* Term of Agreement. U of M proposal: Contract should last 4 years + 3 months (ending April 30th, 2009); GEO proposal: Existing contract language (contract should last 3 years, ending in February 1, 2008).
* No interference. U of M proposal: If GSIs are absent from teaching on a day of another strike, the University will assume that the GSIs are striking and will retroactively take away benefits, wages, and amount of tuition waiver for that day; GEO proposal: Current contract language.
* Same Sex Domestic Partner Benefits. U of M proposal: Guarantee to reopen bargaining if same-sex domestic partner benefits are threatened by any Proposal 2 court decision. GEO proposal: Guarantee to reopen bargaining if benefits are threatened by any Proposal 2 court decision; creation of an implementation committee for TBLG health issues; fix the same-sex domestic partner definition to clarify waiting periods and include transgender couples.

MONDAY, MARCH 28th UPDATE: More progress at the table on Monday night! We bargained from 4pm to 8pm, and signed a Tentative Agreement on International Student training. It was big victory, with the Administration agreeing to most of the proposals we have been making for months (including some proposals that they’ve rejected twice before). They also agreed to increase the support for students who are required to come to campus early for testing and English language training, and to extend that support outside of LS&A. We spent the remainder of the evening talking about health care; the University made a proposal that for the first time directly addressed health care co-pays – although we’re not quite on the home stretch, it was a big move forward. Bargaining tomorrow will likely focus on health care issues, so join us in the morning at the Michigan Union, and in the evening in Haven Hall (scroll down to see times and locations of bargaining).

FRIDAY, MARCH 25TH UPDATE: On our first day back from Thursday’s walkout, we had a very productive day of bargaining. The Administration came to the table ready to negotiate, leading to a tentative agreement increasing the childcare stipend and expanding eligibility. We also made excellent progress for IGSIs on testing, training, and support. Agreement was reached on a number other outstanding issues, including anti-discrimination, special conferences, bereavement leave, and medical leave. Many of the wins in this section resulted in removing discriminatory language from our contract, and extending the protection of our definition of discrimination.

For more information, read below and click ‘Info on Bargaining’ on the navigation bar to the left.

BARGAINING UPDATE (by issue)

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION — tentative agreement reached

Friday, March 24th: The Administration agreed to accept the protection that activity that ‘tends to’ discriminate is prohibited. This language (it parallels the Michigan Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act) expands our ability to protect our members from discriminatory practices. In addition to the Administration’s agreement on adding ‘gender identity and expression,’ we’ve made huge strides in this area. For more information on this issue, click ‘Info on Bargaining’ on the navigation bar to the left and click on ‘Anti-discrimination 2004-2005’ on the top of the page.

PARENT – CHILDCARE — tentative agreement reached

Friday, March 24: We won (1) increased support and (2) improved access! The University agreed to make a small increase in the subsidy, effective in September (an additional for all children), and continued to agree to index the subsidy to the annual cost increase at UM child care centers every year after that. They also committed to expanding access for employees by lowering the hours requirement from 30 hours to 20 hours – a change that’s especially important for international students. Finally, we won a seat on the childcare oversight committee – a role that will allow us to advocate for ongoing change in the program. For more information on this issue, click ‘Info on Bargaining’ on the navigation bar to the left and click on ‘Parent – Childcare 2004-2005’ on the top of the page.

IGSI ISSUES — tentative agreement reached

Friday, March 25th: The Administration agreed to: 1) transparency in waiver criteria, 2) extension of some version of the LS&A policy for the life of the contract and 3) the right to appeal. On Monday, March 28th, we signed a Tentative Agreement on International Student training. It was big victory, with the Administration agreeing to most of the proposals we have been making for months (including some proposals that they’ve rejected twice before). They also agreed to increase the support for students who are required to come to campus early for testing and English language training, and to extend that support outside of LS&A. For more information on this issue, click ‘Info on Bargaining’ on the navigation bar to the left and click on ‘IGSI Issues 2004-2005’ on the top of the page.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT — tentative agreement reached

GEO and the Administration have agreed to the following conditions of employment. All departments will (1) create and post class-size policies and (2) make public their posting and hiring timeline. All posting will be linked to a central website, with job descriptions and hiring criteria clearly outlined. The University agreed to guarantee the availability of resources for GSIs to do their jobs (i.e. computers, printers, etc.). They also agreed that GEO has the right to privacy of personal email and computer records.

PAID LEAVE — tentative agreement reached

GEO and the Administration have agreed to change the term ‘sick leave’ to ‘medical leave,’ to clarify that employees may take time off for medical situations in which they are not ‘sick’ (i.e. pregnancy). Additionally, the criteria for bereavement leave have been expanded.

UNION RIGHTS — tentative agreement reached

GEO and the Administration have agreed that there will be increased amount of time for GEO to speak at department orientations. GEO has also won the right to send a targeted email to GSIs once a semester through the U of M email system, as well as to get information about instructional titles filed by students. Agreement has also been reached to establish an opt-out system for auto deduction of dues to GEO.

ONGOING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GEO AND U of M — tentative agreement reached

GEO and the Administration have agreed to establish committees to work on equity and access issues on an ongoing basis. A GSSA position will be hired for support of these committees; GEO will participate directly in writing the job description and hiring.

WAGES

Wednesday, March 30th: U of M proposal: GSIs receive the same percentage increase in salary as LS&A faculty, or a yearly increase of 2%, 2.5%, 2.5% (for years 1, 2, and 3 respectively), whichever is higher; some members who have low fractions get a per-hour bump up in hourly wage (a 10% hourly wage increase for members who have below a .25 fraction). GEO proposal: GSIs receive the same percentage increase in salary as LS&A faculty, or a yearly increase of 5%, 3%, 3% (for years 1, 2, and 3 respectively), whichever is higher; all low fractions get a per-hour bump up in hourly wage (5% for fractions between .1 and .5, and 30% for fractions at or below .05); and GSIs receive an hourly wage for any substitute teaching they do. Wednesday, March 22: The Administration’s last move on salary was a change of in year 2 and in year 3 – and before that they hadn’t moved in two weeks. We are now waiting for a counter-proposal on wages. The Administration has agreed to reimburse the SEVIS fee that International students pay. It took four months to win this victory – a tiny amount of cost to the University, but of huge importance to our International brothers and sisters. For more information on this issue, click ‘Info on Bargaining’ on the navigation bar to the left and click on ‘Wages 2004-2005’ on the top of the page.

HEALTH CARE

Wednesday, March 30th: U of M proposal: For the life of the contract, there will be (1) a fixed formula for determining health care premiums and (2) a maximum increase of .00 for any co-pays; GSIs will receive dental coverage in their first year. GEO proposal: For the life of the contract, (1) there will be a fixed formula for determining health care premiums (projected to guarantee zero premiums for GradCare throughout the life of the contract) and (2) there will be no major changes to health care services offered by our plans — notification of any minor changes should be given to GEO 60-days before proposed implementation; 50% buy-in on dental and GradCare for low fractions; GSIs will receive dental coverage in their first year. Monday, March 28th: U of M proposal: For the life of the contract, there will be (1) a fixed formula for determining health care premiums and (2) a maximum increase of .00 for any co-pays; GSIs will receive dental coverage in their first year. GEO proposal: For the life of the contract, (1) there will be a fixed formula for determining health care premiums (projected to guarantee zero premiums for GradCare throughout the life of the contract) and (2) there will be no major changes to health care services offered by our plans — notification of any minor changes should be given to GEO 60-days before proposed implementation; 50% buy-in on dental and GradCare for low fractions; GSIs will receive dental coverage in their first year. The University made a proposal that for the first time directly addressed health care co-pays – although we’re not quite on the home stretch, it was a big move forward. For more information about this issue, click ‘Info on Bargaining’ on the navigation bar to the left and click on ‘Health care 2004-2005’ on the top of the page.

TERM OF AGREEMENT

U of M proposal: Contract should last 4 years + 3 months (ending April 30th, 2009); GEO proposal: Existing contract language (contract should last 3 years, ending in February 1, 2008).

NO INTERFERENCE

U of M proposal: If GSIs are absent from teaching on a day of another strike, the University will assume that the GSIs are striking and will retroactively take away benefits, wages, and amount of tuition waiver for that day; GEO proposal: Current contract language.

SAME SEX DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS

U of M proposal: Guarantee to reopen bargaining if same-sex domestic partner benefits are threatened by any Proposal 2 court decision. GEO proposal: Guarantee to reopen bargaining if benefits are threatened by any Proposal 2 court decision; creation of an implementation committee for TBLG health issues; fix the same-sex domestic partner definition to clarify waiting periods and include transgender couples.

GEO is still in negotiations on important platform issues. We will update you as there are developments. GEO encourages its members to attend bargaining sessions this week.

CURRENTLY SCHEDULED BARGAINING SESSIONS:

Thursday, March 31st: 8pm; Mason Hall Room 2455 (central campus)