GEU Bargaining Updates

Find out what's going on in bargaining between your GEU colleagues and the Michigan State University administration. Here you can find out 1) when the next bargaining session is, 2) what we're actively bargaining for, and 3) ways you can get involved.

We want you to have access to bargaining needs and updates at your leisure and without accosting your email inbox more than necessary. Follow us to get updates sent to your inbox. You, as a member, are welcome to come to a bargaining session at any time or to become more involved. Email geu at msu dot edu with questions, or visit us at geuatmsu.org!

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Urgent General Assembly:
MSU has called in a mediator

Serious development in bargaining: we NEED to take action. 

MSU has requested a mediator at today's bargaining session. A mediator's job is NOT to get us to agree to a fair contract, it's to get us to agree to a contract QUICKLY. 

MSU wants to end these negotiations.
We want a contract that benefits our members.

We believe that a mediator COULD be beneficial to us IF we show that: 

1. Our proposals are based on accurate data and sound reasoning (they are).
2. Our members are prepared to fight for them, and to fight against cuts to our current benefits and compensation.

We need YOU, and anyone you know who cares about the wellbeing of graduate employees, to come to the Nisbet Building (1407 S. Harrison) TODAY to show the administration, and the mediator, that we will fight for a fair contract.

We will be staging another grade-in from 10-5 TODAY,and at 5 we will gather for an emergency general assembly. Both will take place at Nisbet.
More information HERE. 

The administration wants to:
  • Reduce our tuition waiver to 3-3-1 once we've finished our comprehensive exams.
    • (We have testimony from faculty and over 350 grad students explaining why this will result in students paying out-of-pocket, taking longer to graduate, etc..)
  • Provide us with a healthcare plan that is more expensive than the one we currently have.
    • (We live on a tight budget - we can't afford more costly healthcare.)
  • Strip us of our dependent subsidies, forcing parents to pay huge out-of-pocket expenses for their children's healthcare.

 In addition to fighting the above changes, GEU is fighting for:
  • A one-time salary increase for those of us at the bottom of the payscale.
    • (Over 50% of our members make less than $15,000 before taxes).
  • Yearly salary increases for all TAs that account for the fact that in our last contract negotiations, we accepted VERY small yearly increases due to the 2008 economic crisis.
  • To strengthen the anti-harassment language in our contract.

Graduate employees are crucial to university.
There's no reason we need to accept anything less than what we deserve.

Be at Nisbet anytime from 10-5 TODAY to show the university that 
MSU works because we do. 

Be at Nisbet at 5pm for a General Assembly TODAY to 
discuss the administration's proposals and decide on next steps. 

Family, friends, faculty, and other supporters welcome. 
Coffee, food, etc. provided. We can reimburse for childcare.
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