Sections

Mediation follows 2-day work stoppage

The administration and the union are scheduled to meet again at the bargaining table today, but this time there will be a state-appointed mediator to facilitate the talks.

GEO spokesperson Pete Church said 90 percent of the union's membership did not teach classes Monday and yesterday.

"We represent 1,600 (graduate student instructors), and our membership is 1,200," Church said. "I know for an absolute fact that 1,000 members did not teach."

Kim Clark, assistant to the vice president for University relations, said the administration did not plan to calculate the number of students, professors and GSIs who did not attend classes.

"We don't have numbers," Clark said. "What we've heard back from various department heads is that classes generally met."

Jessie Flynn, a part-time LSA student, said she was impressed that GEO picketed even in cold weather.

"I was at a rally," Flynn said. "There have been tons of people who have been picketing even though it's been freezing."

Flynn said she supports GEO but had to cross a picket line to attend class.

"I felt bad about crossing a picket line, but I had no other way of getting the information."

Church said the walk-out should show the administration and the mediator that GEO has strong support from the University community.

"We hope the University will look at the impact we've had and can potentially have if they don't settle on a contract this week," Church said. "The mediator is going to look at the contract issues, not specifically address work stoppage, but he's also going to judge the strength of our members."

Provost J. Bernard Machen sent a letter April 1 to faculty members and GSIs about the progress of GEO negotiations.

"The mediation process that is scheduled to begin on April 10 will provide a new environment in which we hope to be able to resolve the final differences that remain," Machen wrote.

The administration and GEO announced March 19 that both bargaining teams would participate in mediation today and tomorrow. Charles Jamerison of the Michigan Employment Relations Commission was appointed as the state mediator.

Church said GEO had hoped to sign a contract before mediation because the mediator is assigned from a state office to solve the dispute.

"Mediation is a risk," Church said. "Chuck Jamerison is a state-appointed mediator, and this is a state university.

"The mediator's job is to find the University's bottom line, and we hope that the mediator will judge our level of commitment and community support and come up with a bottom line that is acceptable to us."

Church said GEO has not considered a grade strike if mediation does not resolve the contract dispute but warns of possible response.

"We have no plans," Church said. "We'd like to get a contract this week, but if the University continues to bargain illegally, we would reserve the right to respond appropriately.

"It would be terrible for undergrads if the University continues to stonewall."

University chief negotiator Dan Gamble said the mediator is experienced with the issues and should help both sides reach an agreement. Jamerison mediated the last contract between the University and GEO in 1993.

"This will be the third time with the same mediator," Gamble said. "He is well-acquainted with the University and GEO's relationship. He knows a lot about it.

"I'm hopeful that things will go well, and by 5 o'clock we'll have good news."

The issues both sides are scheduled to bargain on are wages, international GSI training and an affirmative action liaison.

"The University is asking us to sign a contract that doesn't tell us how much it will pay us," Church said. "Our response is `Would you sign a contract that doesn't tell you how much you'll get paid?'"

GEO bargaining team member Peter Wolanin said GEO has been asking for the same thing since contract negotiations started Oct. 31.

"We want a living wage," Wolanin said. "That's been our demand the whole time."

LSA first-year student David Lavigne agreed.

"I agree they deserve more money," Lavigne said. "In my French class, my (GSI) does everything."

Gamble said the administration hopes GEO will accept its current offer of percentage increases in wages equal to tenured LSA faculty and annually set at the beginning of the fall semester.

"Throughout the contract, we have a lot of parity between (GSIs) and faculty, and there's no greater way to have parity then to give them same increases," Gamble said. "This shows that we care for (GSIs) as our faculty."

Wolanin said GEO wants international GSIs to be paid for their three-week summer training because federal forms and department memos say they are employees as soon as they accept their jobs.

"We want the University to recognize that international GSIs are employees and should be paid for their mandatory training," Wolanin said. "It is a financial hardship for international GSIs to come early and support themselves when they aren't getting a salary from the University."

Gamble said the administration understands the situation of international GSIs and is offering to provide orientation sessions, a $500 fellowship for room and board and a Rackham associate dean as an adviser.

"They're looking at them as employees, but they're employees starting Sept. 1," Gamble said. "The deans can handle this (issue)."

Wolanin said GEO wants to have a paid GSI liaison to coordinate the activities of the joint administration and GEO committee, which is already signed by both parties.

"It seems that the University is willing to make a verbal commitment to affirmative action rather than a monetary commitment," Wolanin said. "We feel it should do both."

Gamble said the administration is proposing that a member of the office of human resources and affirmative action administration be "designated to specifically handle GSI concerns."

"What we're balking at is creating a new (GSI) position for this liaison," Gamble said. "We don't really think a liaison position is necessary."