HR suggested that allowing victims of abuse to escape without reporting would keep the University from addressing harassment and discrimination. HR then proceeded to flatly reject a broad slate of common-sense proposals intended to support graduate parents, international workers, and Masters students. Help respond by participating in the Week of Grad Labor Visibility from February 6 to 10 (bit.ly/GEOGradWeek).
HR finally gave us counterproposals on Friday, which can be summarized in a word: "No." For some crucial proposals -- paying MSW students for their labor, funding an unarmed, non-police crisis response program, and protecting workers from ICE -- HR went further, suggesting our proposals were permissive and potentially illegal, and telling us to drop them entirely.
After months of GEO members and allies applying pressure and refusing to back down from open bargaining, HR finally agreed to dismiss the mediator and discuss substantive issues with grad workers in attendance.
GEO members have been diligently coming to the table ready to bargain in good faith, but HR does not seem willing to proceed with any productive discussion unless GEO members give up their right to be in the room where their livelihoods are being discussed.
After lunch, the mediator brought management into the room with members to hear our proposals. Bottom line: we've sustained open bargaining despite HR's intransigence and attempts at intimidation.