Members of the Graduate Employees’ Organization have voted to ratify a new three-year agreement with the University of Michigan.
GEO reported a majority vote in favor of the deal on April 16. GEO and U-M have been in negotiations since mid-November 2019. The new contract takes effect May 1, when the current agreement expires.
more information
Nearly 2,200 university employees working as graduate student instructors or as graduate student staff assistants are represented by GEO. There are approximately 2,155 GSIs and 36 GSSAs on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses.
The three-year contract provides annual wage increases of 3.0 percent, 3.4 percent and 3.7 percent on the Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses. GEO members on the Flint campus will receive a 3.0 percent increase each year.
Ellen Grachek, associate director for academic human resources, and GEO President Emily Gauld led the negotiations and said both teams worked hard to solve problems and reach a place of agreement. They said committees and special conferences have been agreed to throughout the contract that will help continue the collaborative problem solving beyond the bargaining table.
GEO members also will continue to get GradCare health coverage at no cost and new speech therapy coverage for the treatment of gender dysphoria. Medical and childbirth leave times will increase, and problem-solving provisions were added to improve work hours accountability.
The terms of the new agreement will be in effect May 1, 2020, through April 30, 2023.
