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GEO, `U' extend bargaining 2 weeks

On the eve of spring break, members of the Graduate Employees Organization and the University have agreed to further extend negotiations to March 13.

In yesterday's bargaining session, GEO members suggested focusing on economic proposals, including wage and benefits proposals.

Members of both sides agreed the decision would accelerate signing a new contract, but admitted that extensive negotiating still remains.

"It's a good sign," said GEO President Scott Dexter. "We're not completely done talking about non-economic problems, but we feel like we've made good progress.

"We want to carry that (progress) into economic proposals."

University chief negotiator Dan Gamble said the union's suggestion was encouraging.

"I came away from the table tonight with a very positive impression from the union," Gamble said.

Though a final deadline has not been set for signing a tentative contract agreement, both GEO and University bargaining team members recognized a time pressure.

"Traditionally, the union has a need to sign as soon as possible -- no later than the first of April -- because the union needs time to get ratification of its members," Gamble said.

Dexter said an April 1 agreement would be difficult without substantial talks on a wage proposal, which has only been recently raised.

"It would be wonderful to have a tentative agreement by April 1, contingent on the membership ratification," he said.

Dexter said signing another contract extension depended "largely on the quality of (March) 13's discussions.

"So (it will be) one session at a time if we do sign another extension," he said.

GEO and the University agreed yesterday to hire an affirmative action liaison to a previously determined joint committee on affirmative action. The liaison would be a GEO member hired as a graduate student staff assistant and supervised by the dean of Rackham, Dexter said.

"(The liaison) would keep GEO informed of the actions of the committee and make sure the committee gets its work done," Dexter said.