Newsletter 1/22: Solidarity Dues, the Value of your Benefits, and GMM on 2/13

All Graduate Students Benefit From a Strong Contract

GEO is a labor union representing graduate student employees, yet many of the benefits we negotiate in our contract become the baseline for graduate student packages and are extended to graduate students even when they don’t teach. These include GradCare, tuition waivers, and annual raises. All graduate students benefit from GEO and have a vested interest in keeping our union strong. See your options for contributing solidarity dues in terms you do not teach!

Know your Rights and Benefits

If you a GSI or GSSA this term, make sure to get informed of your rights and benefits in our GEO contract digest, or the full contract.

A few important start-of-term reminders:

• Track your hours! Make sure your work expectations remain within your appointment fraction. Keep track of your hours now get in touch with GEO if you end up going above your hours during the term. Check out resources for tracking hours on our website.
• Our newly won $700 annual cap on mental health copays in now in effect! You can track your spending by logging into you healthcare benefits account.
• Alert Rackham at the start of the term if you plan to use your Childcare Subsidy by filling out this form. Doing so will avoid retroactive reductions of the subsidy from need-based grants you receive. Contact denise@geo3550.org with questions.

Encourage Your Friends to Become Dues-Paying Members

Dues for a .5 FTE GSI appointment average to about $44 per month (deducted from paychecks in three installments of about $60). The benefits GEO has won in our contract more than make up for this contribution! When you become a dues-paying member of GEO, you help your union stay strong and ensure we can continue to win crucial benefits and raises in future contract negotiations. Encourage your friends to sign up!

Learn how to become a dues-paying GEO member, and for other ways to get involved.

Save the Date!

General Membership Meeting

Wednesday, February 13, 6:30pm

Rackham Amphitheater (4th floor)

This semester, GEO members are developing a bargaining platform as we prepare to negotiate our new contract in the Fall. Be a part of this process and GEO’s many ongoing campaigns by attending the first General Membership Meeting of the winter term. RSVP on Facebook.