On May 11th GEO Members showed up from departments across UMass to pack the bargaining room and show the administration they stand behind a contract that takes GEO members forward instead of several steps backwards on mandatory fees, health care, and funding for diversity across campus. Many members plan to turn up for bargaining with the Umass administration next Friday at 1:30 May 18th in the Campus Center as well.

Here’s what Chris Fobare a member from the History Dept. who came on May 11th had to say to his fellow GEO members in History afterwards:

Hello everyone,

I wanted to send out an e-mail about the GEO contract negotiations
that occurred today. I, along with several other history department
members, attended a packed session of the ongoing bargaining
session between GEO and the administration negotiators at the
Campus Center this afternoon. For the first time, after four months of
negotiations, the administration offered an “off the record”
financial package, which I’m sure that anyone who is a teaching
assistant/research assistant in the department would be offended by.
I know that we are all busy finishing up work for our own classes and
grading papers, but I would seriously encourage all grad students to
make the trip to campus for the next bargaining session (tentatively
scheduled for next Friday at 1:30). Yes, I know that next Friday is
a day that most of us will not be on campus, but your income for next
year is at stake. Today’s bargaining session was approximately one
hour—we can all take that out of our schedule.

The reason that I have taken it upon myself to send this email out to
everyone is because I think that all of you, as employees of UMass,
would be appalled by the arrogance and combativeness of the
administration negotiators (I am in no way exaggerating the attitude
that they displayed in contract negotiations today). I would ask
that you not simply accept my characterization of the administration
negotiators; go see for yourself! However, it is also important to
note that because we were able to pack the room full of student
employees the negotiations went further today than they have in the
past four months. Although the administration only made an “off the
record” financial offer, it’s the first mention of any financial
package that’s been made since the bargaining sessions began for our
new contract. This demonstrates what can happen if enough graduate
students show interest in the contract negotiations.

Over the course of the semester, I have talked with several other
grad. students in the department who expressed their dismay with how
hard it is to survive on what we make as teaching assistants. The
contract negotiations that are currently occurring will dramatically
impact all of us. The more times that the administration negotiators
are forced to look at a room full of employees (rather than just four
or five bargaining members) will seriously make them consider
stalling the negotiations. I will be the first to admit that I have
not been as involved with GEO as I should have been, but today was an
eye opening experience. I encourage you all to attend the next
bargaining session and see how the administration views your worth as
employees of UMass.

Best,

Chris Fobare

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