*Last week’s Work To Rule membership meeting*
On Wednesday, July 29, GEO’s work-to-rule committee hosted a very special membership meeting designed to kick off our work-to-rule action for the coming academic year. Over 60 GEO members attended the meeting. They heard presentations from the committee addressed the bleak situation we find ourselves in, as well as GEO’s demands for our next contract, which include pay raises, guaranteed job security, robust on-the-job protections for graduate workers, hazard pay for those of us who cannot work remotely, two weeks’ additional pay for prep work, the defunding of UMPD, and the continuation of current health benefits. Members heard about management’s bad faith at the bargaining table over the last several months, and learned how work-to-rule can help us win at the bargaining table and stand in solidarity with other workers on campus, like our siblings in RAPMU (Resident Assistant and Peer Mentor Union) and MSP (Massachusetts Society of Professors). In the midst of interlocking economic and public health crises–a great depression, a global pandemic, an overdue reckoning with systemic racism–in this context, we work to rule to show UMass management that UMass only works because we do. Members also participated in breakout groups where they heard from fellow grad workers about different concerns in different departments.
*The Latest Bargaining Session*
This past Thursday (7/30), the GEO bargaining team and rank-and-file members came to the bargaining table to hear responses from the admin about our proposals regarding the Campus reopening plan. Unfortunately, we were not pleasantly surprised by admin’s counter proposals. They elected to reject all of our proposals except for two: PPE and expanded FMLA (more on this below).
Because the admin team only sent their proposals at the beginning of the session, we had them walk us through their counter proposals briefly. After this, GEO members went into a caucus for about an hour, where we answered questions and discussed the response of the admin team. The overall feeling from members was that of anger and disappointment.
After caucus, we spent the last 30 minutes back at the table where the bargaining committee and members asked some follow up questions. After yet another frustrating session, we are working on formulating a response to the administrative bargaining team.
*The University’s Counter Proposals*
Again, so far the Union has passed two sets of proposals on July 2 [link] and July 15 [link],
Administration rejected all proposals except for three, responding to the PPE proposal, FMLA proposal, and academic calendar proposals.
The University proposed:
1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and face-coverings: The University will provide appropriate PPE, face-coverings, and safety equipment as necessary for onsite bargaining unit members and shall train employees in the use of such equipment as well as safety and health protocols. The University shall provide spare masks for Residential Life employees to give to residents who lose or forget their masks.
2. Fall 2020 holidays and the Revised Academic Calendar: Due to the University’s decision to revise the academic calendar, bargaining unit members who are required to work on a University holiday pursuant to Article 39 (Additional Time Off) shall take compensatory time off after the December 14, 2020 grading deadline. Bargaining unit employees who have both summer and fall appointments shall not experience a loss of income from either appointment as a result of calendar change.
3. Expanded Family and Medical Leave: Article 45, Section I.B. shall be temporarily suspended for the Fall 2020 semester and bargaining unit members shall be eligible for leave without having to be employed for at least four (4) consecutive months prior to the start of the leave.
Article 45, Section I.D. shall be temporarily expanded for the Fall 2020 semester to include employees who test positive for COVID-19 or employees who take care of an individual as defined in Article 45.I.C.3 who tests positive for COVID-19 and cannot be assigned remote work or other accommodations.
For the Fall 2020 semester, Article 45.I.C shall temporarily cover circumstances in which the employee is unable to work onsite or remotely as follows:
1. Two weeks (up to 40 hours), prorated on the basis of percentage of appointment of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay where the employee is unable to work because the employee is quarantined (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; or
2. Two weeks (up to 40 hours, prorated on the basis of the percentage of appointment) of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay because the employee is unable to work because of a bona fide need to care for an individual subject to quarantine (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), or to care for a child (under 18 years of age) whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19, and/or the employee is experiencing a substantially similar condition as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Labor; and
3. Up to an additional 4 weeks (up to 80 hours, prorated on the basis of the percentage of appointment) of paid expanded family and medical leave at two- thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay where an employee, who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days, is unable to work due to a bona fide need for leave to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.
Any paid leave granted under this provision shall run concurrent with (and not in addition to) the paid leave outlined in Article 45.I.E.
The graduate student employee must submit a medical certification or other documentation justifying the need for any leave under this provision. Bargaining unit members may be required to submit the Flexible Working Arrangement Request Form in order to expedite the leave or other accommodation. Leave shall not be available for quarantine or isolation as a result of personal travel to or from an area that is not designated low-risk for COVID-19 as determined by the Department of Public Health of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
4. This agreement shall constitute full agreement by the parties and shall only be modified by subsequent agreement in writing.
*This Week*
This week, the GEO office is closed as the staff and bargaining committee members take a much needed break. It feels challenging to take a break when so much is happening. But we know that we cannot do our jobs effectively while running on empty! Rest assured that your union staff will be back strong on Monday, August 10th to prepare for the semester. In the meantime, both the Work to Rule Committee and Health & Safety Committee are reachable for questions or support related to those committees.
All other GEO Caucuses and Committees are good places to channel questions, issues, or energy this week. If you have questions or want to get more involved with organizing around Work to Rule, contact nefeli@geouaw.org and david@geouaw.org. If you have questions for the GEO Health and Safety Committee or want to get more involved with that committee, please contact ej@geouaw.org, and brendan@geouaw.org. As usual, please refer to the GEO website if you more run of the mill questions about benefits, the GEO contract, or bargaining updates as many questions are answered there.
