Hello,
Yesterday, your GENU Bargaining Committee met with the Northeastern Administration to continue the fight for our first contract. We introduced proposals addressing standards for how SGA, TA, IoR and Hourly appointments are made, attempting to clarify the criteria used for making those appointments. We also proposed guaranteed funding and greater job security in our appointments.
Before we were able to introduce these proposals, once again the administration seemed committed to engaging in circular dialogue around the bargaining committee’s requests for information that will help us build a contract responsive to our needs.
“He acts like a reality TV star,” one observer noted,
referring to the University’s lead negotiator, Scott Merrill.
Nevertheless we persisted, and were able to have a productive dialogue about the articles we presented. No counter proposals were made by the University in the room.
Thank you to all the observers, present both in person and over Zoom! Your comments and recommendations during our caucus discussions are incredibly helpful, and we hope you found the experience informative. Please reach out if you have any questions by responding to this email.
If you have not yet filled out your Bargaining Survey please do so ASAP. Survey results will ensure that we can mobilize around the issues that we really care about and will determine the outcome of our contract. It only takes 15 minutes.
Lastly, if you want to make sure that our first contract meets our needs please join our Contract Action Team (CAT). The CAT supplements the Bargaining Committee and makes sure that our contract demands will be met. You can also help us get that contract by signing your name and demanding that administrators commit to bargaining in good faith with a lead negotiator who will respect our rights as graduate workers and our demands to the administration.
In Solidarity,
GENU-UAW Bargaining Committee