Community Demands UM Treat Lecturers and PA's with Respect

Mark Schlissel, President of the University of Michigan ; Provost Susan M. Collins; Chancellor Domenico Grasso; Provost Susan E. Alcock; Chancellor Deba Dutta; Provost Sonja Feist-Price; VIce President Marschall Runge; Vice Dean David Miller

As community Allies of the Lecturers’ Employee Organization (LEO) and United Physician Assistants of Michigan Medicine (UPAMM), we support the LEO and UPAMM bargaining platforms.

To: Mark Schlissel, President of the University of Michigan ; Provost Susan M. Collins; Chancellor Domenico Grasso; Provost Susan E. Alcock; Chancellor Deba Dutta; Provost Sonja Feist-Price; VIce President Marschall Runge; Vice Dean David Miller
From: [Your Name]

As community Allies of the Lecturers’ Employee Organization (LEO) and United Physician Assistants of Michigan Medicine (UPAMM), we support the LEO and UPAMM bargaining platforms.

LEO’s platform calls for Dignity, Parity, and Respect for lecturer faculty across all University of Michigan campuses. Lecturers’ working conditions directly impact student learning conditions, and an investment in LEO faculty is an investment in the health, well-being, and academic success of all U-M students. Investment in the campuses also deeply impacts the wider Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor communities.

In addition to proposals for increased job security, childcare support, and DEI initiatives, LEO is asking U-M central administration to commit to the long-term viability of the Flint and Dearborn campuses by providing $15 million to each campus in order to:

-Improve base salaries and create parity for lecturers across all U-M campuses, while protecting other campus investments;

-Provide sufficient student funding to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates, in ways spelled out by the One University campaign;

-Improve lecturer job security by increasing student enrollments and course offerings

UPAMM’s bargaining platform is based on the values of Equity, Transparency, and Respect for Physician Assistants (PAs) who work in the U-M Health System. This is UPAMM’s first contract, and we call upon the U-M administration to bargain in good faith. PAs deserve raises and other benefits on par with other union workers in the Health System and they should have more of a voice at the hospital, given the critical role they play providing care to our community.

The undersigned allies urge the administration to enhance the strength and vitality of all U-M campuses and the U-M Health System by granting LEO and UPAMM’s reasonable requests for fair contracts.