As the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) considers a one-day walkout of classes March 24, the University is urging members of the union to consider the disruption and harm to undergraduate students that would be caused by the work stoppage.

In a memo to deans, Associate Provost Philip Hanlon said the University is troubled by any action that would disrupt undergraduate teaching. Hanlon noted that Michigan law forbids a work stoppage by public employees, as does the contract for the Lecturers Employees Organization.

Deans have been asked to notify all instructors that they are expected to cover their classes as scheduled.

The current contract with GEO was to expire Feb. 1, but both sides agreed to an extension to Feb. 24. Since that time union members have been working without a contract, although they continue to be paid and conduct their work under the provisions of the old agreement.

In addition to the March 24 work stoppage, GEO has announced the possibility of an open-ended strike beginning April 4 if the sides cannot reach agreement.

University and GEO representatives have been bargaining since November and have reached signed tentative agreements on seven contract articles: dues deductions, job security, postings, jury duty and witness service, class size, University rights, and past practices.

Proposals related to salary, benefits, child care, training and nondiscrimination are among the issues that remain unresolved.

GEO President David Dobbie said membership ballots seeking authorization for the walkout would be counted March 20, after Record press time. He said GEO representatives hoped extra bargaining sessions scheduled for March 18 and early this week would bring resolution to the remaining issues, but he would not speculate on the likelihood of the work stoppage.

“It’s hard to say [if there will be a walkout]. The membership will meet Wednesday night to assess the administration’s latest proposal,” Dobbie said, adding that the sides are “a long way from one another” on the issue of wages, and have much bargaining to do with respect to health care and same-sex domestic partner benefits.

As of Record press time, the respective positions on the key issues were:

Salary: A typical graduate student instructor (GSI) with a 50-percent appointment earned a median salary of $13,977 in 2004-05. According to the terms of the current contract, GSIs receive the same annual salary increases given to LSA faculty (excluding adjustments for promotions and retention), with a floor that ensures increases achieve a minimum level. Annual salary increases during the past five years have ranged from 2.51 to 4.86 percent. The University’s new proposal calls for a minimum guaranteed increase of 2 percent in each of the next two years and 2.5 percent in the two years following, or larger if the LSA increase is higher.

GEO wants to raise the minimum salary rate from $13,977 to $16,000 in the first year of the contract, or 14.5 percent, and it wants to increase all GSI salaries by the average LSA faculty increase plus 5 percent in each subsequent year. That would be a salary increase of more than 30 percent over three years.

Benefits: GEO members with a 25 percent or greater appointment currently are eligible to receive University-provided health and dental care for themselves and their eligible dependents, as well as basic life insurance.

In the new contract, the University has offered to guarantee that GSIs would pay nothing toward GradCare premiums for themselves and their dependents for the life of the contract, if a four-year agreement is signed. University proposals also would: expand benefits to include the basic dental plan from the first day of employment and $30,000 of life insurance coverage, both at no cost to the employee; allow members to purchase additional life insurance for themselves and eligible dependents; give members the option to enroll in vision and legal plans; and offer GSIs summer health care coverage if they are appointed in both the fall and winter terms.

GEO wants the University to allow all GSIs to name a designated beneficiary to receive benefits from the University as part of the GSI’s employment. The union defines a designated beneficiary as any adult certified by the employee, regardless of relationship but with some shared life elements, such as a joint banking account. In addition, GEO wants an agreement that it may bargain the design of health plans available to its members.

Child care: GEO is asking for an increase in the child care subsidy to $2,000 per child, with an automatic annual increase for inflation. Currently the subsidy is $1,700 for the first child and $850 each for the second and third child.

The University has proposed to increase the per-child subsidy each year, beginning in fall 2005, by the same percentage as the average tuition increase for U-M child care centers outside of the Health System.

Nondiscrimination: The University has agreed to add to the new contract protection against discrimination on the basis of an individual’s gender identity and gender expression, as well as several other categories of protection against discrimination.

GEO wants expansion of the definition of what constitutes discrimination that goes beyond language in the contract.

For more detail on these and other bargaining issues, go to: http://www.umich.edu/~urel/gsi-sa/negotiations.html or http://www.umgeo.org.