Category Archives: Featured News

USA Heats Up At the MTA Winter Skills Conference!

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By Deborah Place and Kyle Chambers 

Every year, the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) brings together union members from school districts and public higher education institutions from across the Commonwealth to attend the MTA Bargaining Summit and Winter Union Skills Conference. This year’s event took place at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, which held a special meaning for the event as the union that represents employees at this hotel had recently ratified their labor contract after a 24 day strike.  Among higher ed locals, University Staff Association (USA)’s presence was unmistakable, as the union was well represented by its members at the event. 

Several USA members in attendance took classes that count towards earning their MTA Bargaining Certificate, awarded to MTA members who attend an extensive curriculum of courses focusing on developing leadership and organizing skills to build influence in power in bargaining campaigns.  By teaching members the fundamentals of grassroots organizing and shifting traditional bargaining strategies to create membership-driven campaigns, the program seeks to modernize collective bargaining practices by sharing current best-practices of locals who won major victories in bargaining.  USA Communications Committee chair and Contract Action Team (CAT) co-chair Camille Godbout-Chouinard credits the Bargaining Certificate program with inspiring change within the USA: “The basics I learned there help pave the way for changing USA’s bargaining process to be more transparent [by introducing] silent bargaining representatives.” 

New this year for Winter Skills were several events specifically tailored for higher education staff and faculty, one of which being the Higher Education Bargaining Summit.  USA Vice President Sheila Gilmour was one of several USA attendees to at the summit, and described the experience fondly: “We talked about some of the differences between our campuses and our roles in our individual workplaces, but most of the discussion centered on our common goals and strategies to win the best possible contracts for our members.” 

For the first time, the MTA Winter Skills featured a Next-Generation Leadership course exclusively tailored to higher education, allowing faculty and staff from across the UMass campuses and the Massachusetts Community College Council (MCCC) to exchange ideas, stories, and lessons learned in a guided discussion setting.  Tim Pyne, Recording Secretary for USA and one of the attendees of the course, reflected on his experience, saying that the course “offered a welcoming space for facilitated reflection, dialogue, and learning. I felt validated in the work I’ve already been doing and recharged to dig in more.”

USA’s Health and Safety Coordinator, Casey Krone, led a focused workshop titled “Food Insecurity in Our Union”, where both higher education members, K-12 members and MTA retired members shared stories from their locals as they related to the issues of food insecurity among faculty and staff across the commonwealth. In the workshop, Casey pointed to recent survey results, including one such survey where 1/3 of USA members reported experiencing food insecurity, as direct factors in our students’ educations. “We all agreed that we need to continue the discussion so we can figure out what to do next and to help de-stigmatize food insecurity that our members experience,” Krone said.

Next year’s MTA Bargaining Summit and Winter Union Skills Conference will be held at the Sheraton Boston Hotel from January 23-24, 2026, but there are numerous other opportunities throughout the year to attend training sessions through MTA, including right here at UMass Amherst.  In addition to online webinar courses, educators and union activists of all experience levels can sign up to attend these events.

MTA Higher Education Conference – March 1st, 2025 – Worcester, MA 

MTA Education Support Professional (ESP) Conference – May 2-3, 2025 – Southbridge, MA 

MTA Summer Conference – July 27-30, 2025 – UMass Amherst 

 These events are a great way to network, develop relationships and learn more about how to develop skills for both personal development and for the benefit of your union. For more information, or to request release time from your regular job duties to attend events on behalf of USA, contact the USA office at usa@umass.edu for more information!.

“Where the **** are our raises?” – Parameters, Bargaining, and More

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By the University Staff Association (USA) Communications Committee 

 As we find ourselves in January 2025, there are a few things to be expected. New university policies, the start of the new Spring 2025 semester, and the frustration of accidentally writing “2024” on your documents. 

But more importantly, it’s likely you’re reading this and wondering: shouldn’t we be getting a raise soon? 

For USA members in their early years of service to the University, it’s likely you’ve been earning a step increase yearly based on your anniversary date.  However, for members who have been with the University for more than 14 years, it’s likely you have only received raises based on the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) parameters set by the Office of the State Governor. 

What are parameters? 

In the state of Massachusetts, labor unions don’t bargain for wages in the traditional sense. Rather, the Governor’s office sets the wage increases, referred to as “parameters.” Essentially, they determine how much money from the state budget will be put towards wage increases in our contracts. 

Parameters can be confusing, which is partially by design. As a result of the parameters from the governor’s office, the raises that are on the table from management for the contract from 2024-2027 include the following language: 

Effective the first day of the first pay period following the date that the parties reach agreement on a successor collective bargaining agreement but no sooner than January 5, 2025, employees will receive an increase of three percent (3%) increase in base salary rate.  

Effective July 13, 2025, employees will receive a two percent (2%) increase in base salary rate.  

Effective January 4, 2026, employees will receive a two percent (2%) increase in base salary rate.  

Effective July 12, 2026, employees will receive a two percent (2%) increase in base salary rate.  

Effective January 3, 2027, employees will receive a two percent (2%) increase in base salary rate. 

In addition to the inequitable process for which parameters are bargained is the ugly side: management generally uses parameter raises as a bargaining chip to try and hurry the bargaining process along and force the unions to settle for less than they deserve, which has resulted in the erosion of the bottom line for many employees, both across the unions on campus and throughout the UMass system. 

Parameter raises also represent a fundamental disagreement between the unions and management. While the unions across the UMass system view the parameter raises as a cost-of-living adjustment to the realities of steadily increasing costs of living, management has consistently viewed parameter raises as, well, raises – and this is consistent with management’s proposals on other bargaining tables. PSU-A has reported that management put forward a proposal to convert their parameter raises into “merit based” raises, designed to reward those employees for going above and beyond for the UMass system. This is consistent with what many union members have said is one of Chancellor Javier Reyes’s main goals to drive innovation and reward hard work on campus.  

In practice, however, this practice is highly inequitable, especially when stagnant wages are at the heart of many of the issues we face on campus. If a member struggles with food and housing security, the catch-22 becomes evident: they’re not likely not going to be able to go “above and beyond,” meaning they won’t earn a raise to address the issue. 

While it’s admittedly demoralizing to know that we will have to wait for a bump in your paycheck, it’s important to note that USA intends to work as diligently as possible to negotiate in good faith for a contract that we all deserve. 

Shifting the Pay Scales 

At the December 11th bargaining session, USA put forth their ambitious plan to address both retention and financial insecurity.  Before the bargaining team presented the plan to management, several USA silent bargaining representatives provided testimony: some at the beginning of their careers and hopeful that UMass will right the wrongs and support their needs in the coming years, others having crossed the threshold of being at their top step.  All of them face financial hardship as a result of stagnating wages, despite funds brought into the university system as a result of their hard work. 

At the following bargaining session, the final meeting between both sides of 2024, UMass Labor Relations Director Brian Harrington suggested that the 7-step proposal would need state legislator approval, and their team likely wouldn’t be able to reach a tentative agreement to approve the plan.  However, it is USA’s position that the cost would likely be offset by the savings resulting in decreased turnover, which include the candidate searches, onboarding process, and productivity slowed by training and other operational needs, as well as reducing the need for seeking outside contractor work. 

In addition to these figures, it’s OK to be skeptical at Harrington’s assertion that the decision cannot be made at the University level, as members of the unions have watched as UMass proudly announced the hiring of new UMass Football coach Joe Harasymiak to a 5 year contract worth approximately $1.3 million per year, and the reported $1.4 million buyout due to former football coach Doc Brown.  It’s also worth mentioning that A&F Vice Chancellor Andrew Mangels approved a $500 thousand bonus to outgoing chancellor Kimbel Subbaswamy, just weeks before his retirement and after he signed the layoff notices of 120 members of the Advancement division. 

To address management’s assertions that we’d need to go to the legislature to fight for higher wages, it’s already been done. MTA unions, including USA, fought for the Fair Share Amendment, an amendment to the state constitution that has added a small surtax on the wealthiest people yet generated billions of dollars in revenue for transportation and education in the state of Massachusetts.  What the unions did NOT fight for, however, was the $20 billion allocated for “endowment matching” in FY24 — funds that were placed into the UMass endowment to accrue interest on top of itself, instead of addressing labor-related issues across the campuses. 

Here’s how YOU can help

While your USA Bargaining Team is doing its best to make cohesive arguments at the table, it’s crucial to our efforts that you show your support in the coming months.  Your presence at the USA bargaining table as a Silent Bargaining Representative (SBR) is a great help in affirming and validating what is being said by both sides, and we invite you to sign up to be an SBR for our next bargaining session here. 

USA Reconvenes the Stewards Council

By Kyle Chambers, USA Communications Committee 

One by one, the zoom screen populated with faces, both new and returning, culminating in the newly re-formed University Staff Association (USA) Stewards Council. 

After a brief introduction by USA President Mary Malinowski and Vice President Sheila Gilmour, each member of the new iteration of the Stewards Council introduced themselves. The levels of experience ran across the spectrum, but enthusiasm was high as the stewards gave their reasoning for wanting to get involved. 

“I want to be part of this structure that builds up our members through a helpful network,” said Antonia Lynch, a new steward and member of USA’s Contract Negotiation Team. 

“I really think that we’re here to support each other, and to make sure that the rights [of USA members] are being respected. Having the backup of other people to support you makes every hard thing easier,” said new steward Andrea Lydick. 

Returning steward Catherine Russell added, “I really just want to help out and give back to my union.” 

A union steward is often the first point of contact for union members.  In many cases, it can feel intimidating talking about workplace issues.  However, because stewards have often seen or experienced similar situations, their valuable insight fosters a more comfortable atmosphere to voice concerns. 

The role of a USA steward is multi-faceted: stewards are expected to represent the union and carry the knowledge of workplace grievance policies, have a working knowledge of the University Staff Association’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, and an understanding of Weingarten rights – the rights that ensure that union members have adequate representation in matters that may result in discipline.  

“A steward is someone who will take the information we have and bring it to other people,” said Chief Steward Dora Ramos. “It’s empowered me in many ways, and that’s what I want to do for everyone else.” 

Stewards are elected to serve a two-year term, and several of USA’s current board members started their union service as stewards.  Some council members said they see the Stewards Council as the future leadership of the union.  

With the rise of hybrid and remote schedules across the University, this iteration of the USA Stewards Council faces unique and unprecedented challenges when it comes to outreach and communication.  “A lot has changed,” Ramos added. “There are a lot of moving pieces, there are a lot of good fights going on all over campus and we need to make sure we are on top of our game. We need to see where all the changes are coming from, and how we’re going to move forward.” 

The Chief Steward says the most crucial element to staying on top of these changes is training.   

“One of the best things about being a steward is the training.  Knowing how to respond to a member with a problem, knowing what to do when things happen, knowing how to interpret the contract, all of it.  I’m excited to get the training back for the people with their boots on the ground.” 

The next steps for the Stewards Council will include drawing up and assigning new districts to members and establishing a regular meeting time where stewards can coordinate their efforts across campus.  You can expect to see more information from the Stewards Council on the USA website and in the USA newsletter. 

If you would like more information on becoming a steward for your union, please contact the USA office at usa@umass.edu.