Kronos is No Picnic!
Major Victory due to Lunch on the Lawn Rally and March 📢

A huge contingent of USA members turned out to stand up to management alongside our allies in PSU, MSP, AFSCME, GEO, PRO, and others at Lunch on the Lawn on September 18th. Organizers stopped counting at over 120 rally participants! This action was a major opportunity to directly speak truth to power – many decision makers such as Brian Harrington (Director of Labor Relations), Sheri Nesheim (Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer), Susan Weldon (Senior Director of Human Resources), and other members of the administration watched on from the crowd. Chancellor Javier Reyes was noticeably absent from the staff appreciation picnic.

In the middle of a speech, Brian Harrington and Jeff Hescock (Executive Director of Environmental Health & Safety) approached speakers at the rally and asked them to proceed without megaphones citing a new, repressive campus land-use policy on amplified sound. Undeterred, you and your coworkers delivered the petition and marched on. Turning up the music and taking away our megaphones can’t drown out the collective voice of over 120 workers on this campus! (Click on the image to watch a video of the action. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news!)

Within 48 hours, the UMass President’s Office contacted the USA grievance officer to schedule a hearing date for the Kronos step 4 grievance weeks earlier than contractually required as they had until October 14th to schedule it. By showing up and demonstrating our collective power at Lunch on the Lawn, management got scared. This is a significant victory!

On September 10 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm, USA will present this grievance, and we’re planning to pack the hearing room with stewards, members with testimonials, and others who are directly impacted.

We’ve already shown the administration that we are organized, powerful, and capable of mobilizing. If the UMass administration doesn’t implement Kronos by the beginning of the fall semester, you and your coworkers have successfully fought them off from the original timeline they claimed. However, this fight has only revealed that the administration is trying to sneak Kronos into more departments and onto more individuals. Please report any instances of management offering workers rewards for using Kronos to the USA office.

Let’s keep fighting and demand that they bring their Kronos proposal to main table bargaining next summer. Only through our collective power which requires the participation of every USA member can we prevent further Kronos implementation, now and in the future!

If you’ve signed and shared the petition, the best thing to do now is to keep talking to your coworkers about the potential headaches of this contract violation, the greater threat of your data being stolen, and what else they stand to lose by not joining the fight.

Want to learn more about our Kronos campaign? Read more on our Kronos webpage.

Meet MTA President Matt Bach and Vice President Deb Gesualdo!

“Newly installed as the Massachusetts Teachers Association president and vice president, Bach and Gesualdo were elected by delegates at the 2026 Annual Meeting in May. Each took office in July, succeeding former President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy.

While the MTA’s priorities ultimately are shaped by members and through a democratic process, in an interview for MTA Today, the new statewide leaders emphasized the importance of fighting for autonomy and dignity in the workplace.”

Want to hear their thoughts on higher ed? Go to 11:24 in the video!

Keep an eye out for this interview in the upcoming print issue of MTA Today or read it on the MTA website.

MTA Endorsements for Candidates

The MTA is recommending these candidates in the 2026 election. The primary election is Tuesday, Sept. 1, and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.

MTA’s member-elected Candidate Recommendation Committee (CRC) establishes policies and procedures for recommendations in elections, which are reviewed by MTA’s Board of Directors for final approval.

An Update on Ballot Questions

“Delegates at the MTA Annual Meeting threw their support behind several initiatives that had been expected to reach the ballot in November. That included financial support, with delegates voting to authorize the use of MTA resources to advance two ballot questions and oppose two others.

Since that time, two of these proposals have been rejected by court rulings for inclusion on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot – the rent control initiative and one of the two tax-cut initiatives. The MTA remains opposed to the remaining tax-cut initiative – Question 5 – which would restrict state revenue. A third proposal, seeking to overturn gun protections, made it to the ballot as Question 9.” Learn more on the MTA website.

✨ Upcoming Events & Workshops ✨

Monthly Stewards Training Now Open to ALL USA Members!

Your hardworking USA stewards meet every month to become better representatives for you
and your coworkers. These trainings are now open to ALL USA members. You are welcome to attend as a fly on the wall, or participate directly.

The trainings are 12-1pm on the last Monday of every month, barring holidays. Here are the next few dates:

• September 28
• October 26
• November 23 (in-person at Hampshire House only)

Meetings are hybrid, except every third meeting is in-person only. Contact Camille (cgodboutchou@umass.edu) to get the meeting invites, or use the following Zoom link:

The Partnership for Worker Education aims to create an inclusive and empowering environment where workers have meaningful learning opportunities and career growth, all while building community.

We invite you to join us again or join us for the first time during the Fall 2026 semester.

Your hardworking USA stewards meet every month to become better representatives for you
Bring your projects and handiwork for an hour of crafting and socializing! All UMass community members are welcome – not just USA members!

Tuesday September 15th, 12-1pm @ W.E.B. Du Bois Library, Room 1920 (19th Floor)

Tuesday September 29th, 12-1pm @ W.E.B. Du Bois Library, Room 1920 (19th Floor) If you’re interested in helping coordinate events or want to be added to the email list, please email Camille (cgodboutchou@umass.edu) and Deborah (dplace@umass.edu).

🌷 In case you missed it!🌻