GEO held its first General Membership Meeting of the term on Thursday, January 19. Members heard updates from the GEO President and the Bargaining Team. The Bargaining Team has now submitted all their proposals to the university and we will be hearing counter-proposals soon. We are aiming to finish bargaining in March, and until then, we are asking members to show their support for the union and the Bargaining Team.
Now is the time to get involved!
GEO President John Ware kicked off the GMM with a call for all members to think seriously about what you can do and where you can help out. The Bargaining Team presented the last contract proposals to the university on Wednesday and soon members will be called on to turn out to events as we begin to hear back from the university. Now is the time to show our strength as a union and to show up for the issues that matter most to us. The more people we have coming together, the less of a burden is placed on the few. The small things add up, so think about what you can give in terms of your time and energy this semester, and then get involved!
Get ready to make decisions
As we hear counterproposals from the university over the next few weeks, members will have to start making tough decisions about what to prioritize. As a participatory democracy, GEO doesn’t do anything without the say of its members and so it is crucial in the months ahead that members come to General Membership Meetings and Bargaining Sessions to have their say about what is important to them.
Join the Info Campaign
Over the next few weeks, GEO will be running an information campaign designed to inform GSI, undergraduates, faculty, and staff about the bargaining process. You can help! We will be running flyering campaigns on campus and a grade-in event in February. Get in touch with your department steward or email the Organizing Committee for more details and to get involved.
Show your support at bargaining sessions
Do you have a particular issue you are especially passionate about? Do you want to help the bargaining team gather feedback from members during bargaining sessions? Do you just want to see how bargaining works? Then come to a bargaining session! Bargaining sessions take place every Monday and Wednesday in the winter term. Stop by the Great Lakes Room in Palmer Commons any time between 2:15 and 5pm to show support for the team.
GEO’s DEI platform
Our bargaining platform’s message is really, in a sense, GEO’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Plan. As many of you may know, the university has implemented a DEI initiative this year, requiring each UM school to submit its own plan for how to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion for their students, faculty, and staff. As far as GEO is concerned, the things our membership wants the most in this contract, from raises that match cost of living in Ann Arbor to increased child care subsidies and better hours protections for International GSIs, transinclusive healthcare and compensation for individuals engaged in diversity labor in the form of paid diversity GSSAs, all proposals aim to make graduate student labor accessible and adequately supportive for all grads, regardless of class background, race, nationality, gender, ability status, etc. We see these proposals as our way of institutionalizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, our contribution towards a lasting, substantive change for the campus community at UM.
Other ways to get involved
- Follow us on Facebook for updates on bargaining topics — your department stewards will also email you updates
- Wear a GEO button and talk to friends, students, faculty, and staff about the union. Even if you don’t feel like you are qualified to do this, the fact that you are here reading this page means you know enough!
- Help us find stewards for un-stewarded departments
- Become a steward yourself! Contact: headstew@geo3550.org
- Go to a general membership meeting (GMM) and help the bargaining team make decisions
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