We, the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO/UAW2322), stand in solidarity with our union siblings, the Goddard College Staff Union (GCSU), in their strike for a fair contract! The staff union has received no cost of living adjustment over the last 10 years, endured furloughs, layoffs and vacancies. And despite these hardships, the expectations placed upon staff at Goddard continue to intensify. While the staff continues to labor tirelessly to uphold Goodard’s progressive mission of respect, inclusion and transparency, the school’s administration has failed to follow their example.
We call on President Hocoy and the Board of Trustees to immediately meet GCSU’s eminently reasonable demands. We condemn any attempts by administrators to intimidate striking staff workers and demand that there be no retaliation of any kind against the strikers and organizers.
We ask that every GEO member sign and share this petition sent out by Goddard staff to show your support for their fight. We also ask that you attend the “Fighting for a Cooperative College” session of the Building Worker Power conference this weekend at UMass Amherst. The session was initially intended to focus on the push to make Goddard College a cooperative; now it is going to highlight the struggles of striking staff workers (and we may even hear from those workers themselves!) The session is Sunday, march 26, at 10am in Campus Center 903-905.
Finally, we are trying to gauge interest/availability for sending a GEO delegation to the picket line in solidarity sometime this week. If you are interested in taking a trip to Vermont with some of your fellow workers, reply to this email or reach out to David Pritchard, your union representative, at david.
Goddard Staff Workers, we see your struggle across staff unions working at UMass-Amherst and the entire UMass system. Your labor creates the spaces at our colleges and universities—whether public or private—where students and faculty can learn and grow. You deserve everything you are fighting for and form the cornerstone of building a Goddard College that is beautiful and just for all.
Solidarity Forever!
GEO Leadership
