NOTICE OF GEO-UAW 2322 INTERIM MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZER POSITION & BARGAINING COMMITTEE

1/26/2023

Dear GEO Members,

Nominations have closed for the interim GEO interim Membership Organizer and Bargaining Committee for 2023. Thank you to everyone who has stepped to nominate themselves or thoughtfully nominated someone else. Voting will begin by secret ballot starting February 2nd. Candidate statements will be available at the polling station and available on the online forum and GEO website soon. Please see the official election notice below:

There will be an election for one GEO-UAW2322 Officer, the Interim Membership Organizer, and GEO’s Bargaining Committee: (2) Bargaining Committee Research and Proposal Coordinators, (2) Bargaining Committee Organizing and Mobilization Coordinators, and (5) At-Large Bargaining Committee Members.

VOTING

Nominations for these positions have closed. In accordance with the bylaws, to accommodate those who cannot attend the membership meeting, additional voting will be administered in a hybrid format, with voting being administered via the ElectionRunner platform. Everyone eligible to vote will receive a unique voter ID to their UMass email to vote from February 2-8. Additional in-person voting will be made available in Campus Center 915 on the following days and times:

Campus Center 915:

Monday, February 6

1-3pm

Tuesday, February 7

11-2pm

Wednesday, February 8

4:30-5:30 pm (Outside of membership meeting – Campus Center 903)

TERM AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF INTERIM MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZER & BARGAINING COMMITTEE

The interim Membership Organizer will serve for the spring semester and will be up for re-election during the regular spring elections of officers. All Bargaining Committee positions shall continue through the end of the semester in which contract negotiations conclude, or upon resignation. The four paid coordinator positions are fully benefited, 10-hour GEO positions paid at the GEO minimum rate. (In the past committee members have also opted to shift the assistantships around among at-large volunteers so that everyone receives support as needed to remain involved in the bargaining process.)

Elections will be held for:

  • 1 interim Membership Organizer (19-week, 20h/week contract)

  • 2 Bargaining Committee Research and Proposal Coordinators (10h/week contract)

  • 2 Bargaining Committee Organizing and Mobilization Coordinators (10h/week contract)

  • At-Large Bargaining Committee Members (5 At-Large Positions)

One (1) Interim Membership Organizer:

GEO officers (the co-chairs, mobilization coordinator, membership organizer, and grievance coordinator) are paid through the Provost’s Office as graduate assistantships. In our last round of contract negotiations, GEO won a sixth paid staff position, expanding on our historic wins in previous rounds of bargaining and increasing our organizing capacity. At the general membership meeting on November 8, 2022, GEO members voted to make this position another Membership Organizer (which was the position we added in 2018 when we ratified our last contract). The following position description was affirmed by a vote of the membership at the meeting, but has not yet been incorporated into our bylaws:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: assisting with membership drives and engaging in consistent field work; coordinating event, workshops that develop increased membership participation and new organizers; recruiting, organizing and overseeing the election of Stewards in departments and/or work sites; fostering stewardship through one-on-one meetings; attending General Membership and Assembly of Stewards meetings; develop awareness of the various issues affecting graduate workers – especially those affecting students of color, international students, and student with families – and build organizing infrastructure for these issues; fostering and engaging in organizing projects around permissive subjects of bargaining, e.g. housing, immigration, accessibility, anti-sexism and anti-racism, and liaise with already-existing organizations involved in these spheres; expanding our capacity to meet the needs and interests of underrepresented groups are being met by the union, e.g. making accessible GEO events, spaces and information; ensuring that those attending GEO Membership Meetings and Steward’s Assembly are members; organizing and coordinating departmental orientation schedule; maintaining accurate membership lists; assuming duties of the Mobilization Coordinator if they are unavailable; and assisting the union in achieving its overall mission in the workplace.

The Bargaining Committee (9 Positions):

The bargaining committee will consist of the four elected bargaining members, alternate members, and the GEO staff. The bargaining committee members will elect its chief and co-chief negotiators. All members of the bargaining committee are to serve throughout the duration of a contract negotiation and will not need to be re-elected in the event that contract negotiations are extended beyond a year. Membership will have ultimate oversight over the bargaining committee and the committee answers to and is in service to the membership. The bargaining committee’s responsibility is to assess the needs of the membership prior to negotiations and make them transparent regularly via the GEO website. (from the GEO Bylaws)

When nominating yourself for the Bargaining Committee, please specify which position you are running for (descriptions below):

  1. Bargaining Research and Proposal Coordinators (2 Positions): The two Bargaining Research & Proposal Coordinators will focus on researching, drafting, discussing, and writing our contract proposals for negotiations. These elected members will also help argue for our proposals at the bargaining table with the administration. Paid GEO Bargaining team members are expected to make Bargaining-related training and meetings that have been scheduled (around team members’ availability). These elected members will also serve as the liaison between the negotiating/research group, and will be in regular communication with the existing listserv of members who have signed up to be active on this committee and the bargaining committee.

  2. Bargaining Organizing and Mobilization Coordinators (2 Positions): The two Bargaining Organizing & Mobilization Coordinators will focus on organizing members around their issues/concerns. These elected members are responsible for involving more members in the bargaining process and recruiting members to speak at the bargaining table (to administration) and for actions around contract negotiations. Paid GEO Bargaining team members are expected to make Bargaining-related training and meetings that have been scheduled (around team members’ availability). These elected members will also serve as the liaison between the campaigning/organizing group and will be in regular communication with stewards, the existing listserv of members who have signed up to be active on this committee, and the bargaining committee.

  3. At-Large Members (5 unpaid and unlimited alternate volunteer positions): If you wish to be an at-large member of the Bargaining Committee, you may nominate yourself by email or at the membership meeting on February 8, 2023 from 5-7pm in Campus Center 903. If you are unable to attend that meeting, you may send your nomination along with a short statement to elections to be read at the meeting.

Please contact elections if you have any questions.

In Solidarity,

GEO Elections Committee

Published by GEO