The Graduate Employees' Organization/AFT celebrated a number of victories in a tentative agreement, signed by the University of Michigan and GEO lead negotiator Andre Wilson in the wee hours of April 2. Among the highlights: paid SEVIS fees for international graduate instructors, guaranteed wage increases of 2.5 percent and 3 percent, and a cap on co-pays for health insurance, plus expanded dental and vision coverage and summer coverage for those who work fall and winter semesters. Benefits for same-sex domestic partners are now equal to those of married partners, and include transgender individuals. And to ensure these improvements last, the contract expires before the semester ends, on March 1, 2008, so that union members can participate in negotiations before campus clears out for the summer.

These gains were hard-fought, with many hours spent in negotiations (approximately 200 people showed up for the 16-hour marathon April 1) as well as a one-day walkout in March. "While this agreement of course does not include everything we wanted, it makes significant progress toward our goals of ensuring access and eliminating discrimination," the union said in a notice to members. In addition to the domestic partner provisions, the contract expands protection against discrimination by including "gender identity and expression."

Other provisions include paid leave for immigration hearings, broadened access to child care, substitute teaching wages set at $20 per hour and equal pay for librarians. The GEO has mailed ballots for a ratification vote, which will be counted on April 12. For details, see www.umgeo.org. [Barbara McKenna]

April 20, 2005