Category Archives: Shops

GEO has reached a tentative agreement on our 8th contract with the University

Posted on by February 24, 2015

Upon ratification, the contract will be in effect from August 30, 2009 to August 31, 2012. The contract will cover all UMass graduate students who are employed as Teaching Associates (TO), Teaching Assistants (TA), Research Assistants (RA), Project Assistants (PA), Assistant Residence Directors (ARD), and Graduate Interns.

None of the following changes [ratification-announcement summary] take effect until the contract is ratified by a majority of GEO-eligible employees casting valid votes. Voting will occur at two special meetings described below. To help inform you about the proposed contract and prepare you to vote we have included a detailed list of the proposed contract changes that will affect graduate student employees, listed by article. Also there will be two informational meetings held prior to ratification (see below for details).

VOTING INFORMATION:

Voting begins on Tuesday, March 31st, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and continues on Wednesday, April 1st, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., both in Campus Center Rm 177. Voting closes at 5:00 p.m. on the 1st and a public counting of the votes will begin at 5:01 in the same location.

Pre-Vote Informational Meetings:

Thursday, March 26th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. & Friday, March 27th from 10:00 a.m. to noon, both in Campus Center Rm 168.

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Holub vs. Abby and Sharla

Posted on by March 2, 2009

Dear Abby and Sharla,

I’ve written to you several times over the last few months to try to
keep you posted on the ongoing fiscal crisis here at UMass Amherst and
how we as a university community are responding to it.

There has been speculation and assertions made about the budget plans
that, frankly, aren’t accurate. Today, I want to tell you what we know
about the current budget situation, and to provide you with as many
facts as I can. It is critically important that we as a university
community communicate openly and honestly, and work together to face the
serious challenges ahead. As you know, we’ve created a Budget Planning
Task Force of faculty, students and staff to assist in this process and
to make recommendations – and they have been hard at work discussing
budget cuts, fee increases, reorganization plans, potential layoffs, and
other issues tied to the upcoming budget year. I expect to receive
additional recommendations from this group soon and will, of course,
share with you my decisions on how we go forward.

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Trustees Vote to Raise Fees $1500

Posted on by February 27, 2009

Amid student protest, University of Massachusetts Trustees voted 12-4 this morning to increase student fees by $1,500 for the coming academic year. The hike represents a 17.6 percent spike in fees for UMass, Amherst students. UMass, Amherst has begun laying off faculty and staff. In addition, Chancellor Holub anticipates an approximately 7% decrease in the number of graduate teaching assistants. A campus reorganization plan now … Continue reading →

GSS walks to UMass Dartmouth to protest increased fees

Posted on by February 21, 2009

READY TO WALK! GSS (Graduate Student Senate) and UMass grad students propose to protest the UMass fee increase by walking 110 miles over a four day period. We will walk from UMass Amherst at Haigis Mall at 9am on Monday, February 23rd, and we will arrive at the Board of Trustees meeting at the UMass Dartmouth campus on Friday the 27th. We see our journey … Continue reading →

Bargaining Update

Posted on by February 24, 2015

O% Pay Raise

GEO returned to the bargaining table last Monday February 2, heading
into our 8th month of negotiations. The University presented GEO with
a wage proposal on September 25th which included a three year contract
with an annual 2.5% pay increase. After consulting the membership,
GEO accepted this original offer, which the University, in light of
the progressive economic crisis refused to discuss. Susan Chinman,
the Universities Chief Negotiator refused to bargain over economic
issues up until the winter break.

Upon returning Monday, the university presented us with new economic
perimeters, officially withdrawing the original offer. The new offer
included a three year contract–with stipend “increases” as follows:
Effective August 31st, 2008, stipends increase in the amount of 0%, as
of August 30, 2009 stipends increase by 1.5%, and effective September
5, 2010 stipends will increase by 2.5%.

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