It’s safe to say that your petition was effective! At the last bargaining session (2/18), the University told the Bargaining Committee they may only present one counterproposal at the upcoming bargaining session. However, after delivering the majority-backed petition, they came back with five. This may not seem like much, but after months of stalling, the University is responding to the pressure you’re putting on them. Keep it up!

This week, the Union presented counterproposals for Grievances, Job Security, Appointment Letters, and Job Posting an Hiring.

While we are making way on these articles, there are protections we will continue to fight for.

The articles proposed by the Union at this session are:

1. Grievances: We persist in our demand for an extended timeline for filing grievances in the event of discrimination and harassment. We also demand clear timelines and expectations for interim measures to keep you safe while harm is still being investigated.
2. Job Security: While many of us are promised guaranteed funding for a number of years, few of us have a contract that affirms this guarantee. We continue fighting to affirm that policy into your next contract.
3. Appointment Letters: This article is close to completion, and demands that you are notified of important or changing aspects of your work (such as your lab space, course assignment, expected hours, or travel) within a reasonable time before the start of your assignment.
4. Job Posting and Hiring: This article is also close to completion. It outlines the procedures for how newly available graduate jobs are posted.

UNH presented counter-proposals to the following articles:

1. Employment Records: The University and Union continue to move closer together on this article and we project that it is nearing completion. Of note is that the University has accepted that grievance records shall not be considered part of employment records.
2. Workspace and Materials: The University has accepted important language regarding the provision of basic cleaning supplies necessary to facilitate sanitary workspaces, though we continue to disagree on language supporting the remote/hybrid work process/arrangement.
3. Inclement Weather (Curtailed Operations): The University has changed the title of our Inclement Weather article to Curtailed Operations. This broadens the applicability of its protections, though the University did counterpropose language that is less explicit than our own and would allow the University to retain more power regarding remote work arrangements during curtailed operations.
4. Discipline and Dismissal: The University’s counter to this article modifies or strikes much of the Union’s initial proposal, particularly concerning the processes of disciplinary action(s) and the distinction and relationship between one’s status as a Graduate Employee and a Graduate Student.
5. Health and Safety: The University’s counter to this article made plain their position that they do not consider the safety of their pregnant or LGBTQ+ employees worthy of protection in the contract. Further, the University refused to commit to language that strongly protects the health and safety of all its Graduate Employees, choosing instead to pass that responsibility to uncertain local, state, and federal laws.

Your next bargaining session is on March 18th at 11:15 AM in MUB 338. It’s vital that you show up to bargaining to show the administration you deserve a strong contract. We strongly encourage you to join!

UNH-GEU-UAW Bargaining Committee