ANN ARBOR, MI (WXYZ) — On Wednesday hundreds of University of Michigan graduate employees gathered at Diag on U of M's campus in protest. The employees say they feel stonewalled by the school after five months of continuous negotiations.
The GEO is asking for a livable wage and a 60% pay increase in the first year of a new contract. The school’s current compensation proposal for GEO members translates to 11.5% in raises over the next three years and salaries of up to $39 per hour by year three.
Graduate employees are also seeking additional public safety resources in the form of unarmed, non-police responses.
The head of GEO Jared Eno says some grad students are resorting to selling plasma to make ends meet.
“This is a university that has over $17 billion in its endowment. That makes over $400 million every year in profit," Jared said. "We’re just asking what we need to get by. Less than that, every year.”
According to the school, the strike is technically illegal and goes against its current contract with GEO. In a statement, U of M leadership says, “We urge GEO to reconsider breaching the agreement we reached through good faith collective bargaining…..Nonetheless, our focus remains on continuing instruction for our students and achieving an agreement with GEO through the negotiation process.”
There was a large turnout in support of GEO Tuesday from both the undergrads and the Black Student Union.
Weekly negotiations are expected to continue during this strike. For reference, these two groups are going on their 18th bargaining session. They last met on Sunday for about 5 hours according to the school.
Right now the next talk is set for tomorrow.
