Hi Fellow Workers,
We have some very important updates for you this week, including an illegal increase in our health insurance premium which we are challenging. There are also some training sessions and a speaker series to sign up for, along with bargaining information. Read on for more.
- Health Insurance Premium Increase and Unfair Labor Practice charges
Last week, UMass management let us know that they decided to increase the premiums for the Student Health Benefits Plan for the upcoming year by nearly 10%. This decision was made without any advance notice to GEO, and without allowing us the chance to bargain over the impacts of any financial changes to the plan. This is illegal! Insurance premiums are a mandatory subject of bargaining, and UMass must give the union the opportunity to negotiate before making a decision to increase them. GEO has responded by filing unfair labor practice charges, demanding that UMass reverse this price increase and negotiate with GEO over any changes to the plan.
This process will likely take several months to conclude, so we cannot stop the 10% hike from going into effect tomorrow when the new plan year begins. But we fully intend to push UMass to reimburse all affected members for any difference paid in the premium as a result of this illegal unilateral change.
Below is a chart outlining the yearly cost of the individual and family health plans for the past year and this upcoming one.
| SHBP Plan Year Rate | 8/1/22 – 7/31/23 | 8/1/23 – 7/31/24 |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Individual Member Rate | 3,840 | 4,109 |
| Graduate Family (Individual Fee) | 3,840 | 4,109 |
| Graduate Family (Incremental Family Fee) | 6,900 | 7,452 |
| Total Graduate Family Member Rate | 10,740 | 11,561 |
Note: This chart does NOT reflect the 95% cost reduction in the plan that comes from holding a GEO-protected position.
- We’ve sent a letter to the Chancellor
UMass students and workers face significant challenges with the rising cost of living and our poverty wages. We have reached out to Chancellor Reyes to talk about the pressing issues confronting graduate workers and students at our university and how GEO can work together with him to confront these issues. We await a response and will keep you updated!
- Speaker Series Talk this Friday! Rutgers Union
As part of escalating our current bargaining campaign and getting folks excited about bringing the fight to the administration, we have put together a speaker series for our members over the next several months! This Friday, August 4th, from 12:30-1:30pm we are hosting folks from the Rutgers union! They will talk to us about campaign tactics and their recent strike! All are welcome! This will be held on Zoom
- Training: How to Have an Organizing Conversation
The most effective tool in labor organizing is a good one-on-one conversation. Talking to people about the labor issues they face can be challenging, but there are skills and strategies that can make it much easier to have effective conversations about organizing. Come learn some of those skills and strategies and get some practice with your fellow GEO members. This training will be held on zoom, Friday, August 11 from 2-4pm. Please fill out this google form to receive the zoom link. This training is open to all GEO members.
- Save the Date! Summer Bargaining Sessions
GEO adheres to the philosophy of open bargaining. This means that all members are invited to participate at every stage of the bargaining process. Members are welcome and encouraged to join our Bargaining Committee as volunteers. More importantly, all GEO members are welcome to sit at the bargaining table with us. Every member has a right to know what goes on in negotiations and your input is essential. The contract is not a third-party agreement imposed on the members; it is a living document written by and for all GEO members past, present, and future. The members are the union. When graduate workers take ownership of the bargaining process and stand up for their rights, it always pays off.
We are OFFICIALLY bargaining on the following dates:
- Monday August 7th 1-4pm @ Conference Room 343 of Worcester Dining Common
- Monday August 28th 1-4pm @ Room 903 of Campus Center
Sign-up here to join us at the bargaining table!
Weekly Bargaining Meetings & Drop-In Hours
- Mondays 10-1130am Bargaining Drop-In Hours [GEO Office + Zoom]
- Tuesdays 5-7pm [Zoom]
- Wednesdays 10am-12pm Bargaining Committee Meetings (open to all members) [Zoom]
- Thursdays 330-530pm [GEO Office + Zoom]
We hope to see you all there! If you want to know more info on how to get involved, please email bargaining@geouaw.org and/or geo@umass.edu
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Please email geo@umass.edu if there is anything you’d like to include in our weekly newsletters!
