The bargaining teams for the University and the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) made significant progress March 25, reaching tentative agreements on seven new contract articles for a total of 17 that now have been resolved. The teams agreed to additional bargaining sessions March 28-29.

Megan Biddinger addresses more than 100 graduate students at a rally to support members of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO). (Photo by Marcia Ledford, U-M Photo Services)

The two major items resolved in bargaining March 25 include child care and anti-discrimination. The University and the union agreed to increase the child care subsidy to $1,750 for the first child and $900 each for the second and third children in Fall 2005, along with a reduction in the work hours needed to qualify for the subsidy. Beginning in Fall 2006, the child-care subsidy will be indexed to increase by the average tuition percentage increase at U-M child-care centers outside the Health System.

The bargaining teams also reached a tentative agreement on the anti-discrimination clause, adding gender identity and gender expression as categories protected from discrimination, and incorporating some additional language from the state’s Elliott-Larsen Act.

Tentative agreements also were reached on recognition, medical leave, bereavement, the law savings clause, and special conferences. Under the latter provision, the University and the union agreed to meet each semester to discuss issues of mutual concern such as benefits, child care and testing and training of international students.

Members of the union held a walkout March 24. Overall, most classes met as scheduled across campus, but in some LSA departments a number of classes were cancelled or held offsite as GEO members and other instructors participated in the work stoppage. Some construction work and deliveries on campus also were affected as members of other unions observed GEO picket lines.

For the latest developments, go to: http://www.umich.edu/~urel/gsi-sa/negotiations.html or http://www.umgeo.org.

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