GEO members to vote on whether to authorize strike

After five months of tug-of-war contract negotiations with the University, members of the Graduate Employees Organization have until midnight to decide whether to give GEO leadership the ability to authorize a strike - a step many GEO members say they are ready to make.

If the majority of the membership votes yes, the GEO steering committee will be able to authorize many University graduate student instructors to take job action, which could include a strike or a walkout.

GEO spokesperson Chip Smith said that, based on the University's response to his organization in bargaining sessions, the steering committee could opt for something more serious than most people think.

"People should expect a serious, extended action and I'm not talking about a one- or two-day walkout," Smith said. "We are being driven to strike by the University, specifically by (University Chief Negotiator) Dan Gamble's refusal to negotiate with us."

Smith said that while other members of the University bargaining team seem to be more willing to talk with GEO, Gamble refuses to communicate with GEO.

"When Gamble responds to us, we always get a two-letter answer: n-o," Smith said. "If we strike, it's because he's unwilling to negotiate about anything."

But Gamble said he believes the members of the University bargaining team are unified, despite GEO's claims of dissension.

Smith said the steering committee will meet extensively this weekend to discuss job action plans if the majority of the membership votes yes on the ballot proposal. He said the committee will present its information at a GEO membership meeting Wednesday night in the Michigan League Ballroom.

GEO Chief Negotiator Eric Odier-Fink said GEO will present its current contract to its membership if the majority vote down the strike authorization. But, if the majority says yes, Odier-Fink said the membership will take a job action vote.

"We'll use the opportunity of a huge mass meeting to decide what to do and when to do it," Odier-Fink said. "We'll use the time to determine exactly what are the most important issues - the must-haves, the walkout issues."

"We'll find out how far the membership will go to back up" GEO, Smith said.

Odier-Fink said that after the membership decides what it must have in its contract, GEO will set a deadline for the University to fulfill its requests. Odier-Fink said if GEO's conditions are not met by that deadline, it would take a job action with the membership's approval.

But Odier-Fink added that the deadline will probably not be set until after spring break.

"We wouldn't say (on Wednesday) 'Let's go on strike,'" Odier-Fink said. "We're going to give the University the time to satisfy our membership."

Odier-Fink said he hopes the University community will put pressure on the administration to reach a settlement with GEO.

"The undergraduates and their parents should call the University and tell them to settle this contract," Odier-Fink said. "Let's get this done so we can get on with what we do best - teach."

02-19-99