UMass Amherst Graduate Students Demand a Living Wage

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UMass Amherst Graduate Students Demand a Living Wage

Chancellor Javier Reyes, UMass Amherst Administration Bargaining Team

Graduate student workers at UMass Amherst are bargaining for a living wage and fair working conditions. The administration has thus far offered wage increases that do not even keep up with the rising cost of living. GEO-UAW Local 2322 is asking our members and community members to sign this petition to demonstrate our strength. Please sign this petition to call on the university to meet our demands.

Sponsored by

UMass Graduate Employee Organization (GEO)

Amherst Center, MA

To: Chancellor Javier Reyes, UMass Amherst Administration Bargaining Team
From: [Your Name]

We, the undersigned graduate workers of GEO-UAW Local 2322 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and community members, are writing to you to reassert our wage proposal and cost of living adjustment amongst other demands. We firmly believe in the importance of fair negotiations and equitable labor conditions for our members. We stand in solidarity with the proposals that GEO has put across the table. These proposals include:

1. A Living Wage For All: Based on a 15% wage increase in AY 2023-2024, a 5% increase in AY 2024-2025, and a 5% increase in AY 2025-2026.

2. Alleviate Rent Burden: A $400 per month rent subsidy in AY 2023-2024, $450 in 2024-2025, and $500 in 2025-2026 for all graduate workers for 12 months a year.

3. University Guarantorship: The university to act as a guarantor for all graduate workers who require one to obtain housing.

4. Providing Graduate School Housing: University graduate housing that does not charge more than 30% of our wages as rent.

5. Non-Discriminatory Access to GEO Positions: All Masters students should have equal access to GEO-protected jobs. Denial to these jobs is a clear and egregious form of discrimination against equal opportunity to work with union wages and benefits.

6. Remote Work Protections for International Students: Equal work conditions for international students through remote work opportunities, where visa, border issues, or international fieldwork do not become excuses to terminate or deny funding.

The university is a realization of GEO’s labor, GEO’s research, GEO’s teaching and GEO's academics. We are its production and reproduction. We are integral to giving the university shape in its rankings and also its vision and ideals. We deserve to lead a decent life as workers and students while we do so. This is why our proposals advocate for equity, non-discrimination, better protections, and an end to our constant struggle with financial, housing, and health crises.

As unionized workers, we are committed to realizing our vision of a fair wage and dignified living through this bargaining process.

We stand together in solidarity for a just and fair contract.