The University Staff Association (USA) is the collective bargaining agent under Massachusetts law (Chapter 150E) for about 1,000 classified employees (Clerical, Technical, and Administrative) on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus in the town of Amherst, 90 miles west of Boston. Amherst is the “flagship” campus (with about half the students) of the Univ. of Mass. system, with five campuses around the state.

The UMass Amherst campus has about 5,000 staff (including 1,400 faculty), 5,000 graduate students, and 20,000 undergraduate students.

USA is affiliated with the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) with about 100,000 members, and the National Education Association (NEA) with about 3.2 million members.

USA is governed by an Executive Board of 11 elected members, with a Stewards Council of 16 elected Stewards. There are several committees within that structure. General Membership meetings are open to all members, as is the USA Annual Meeting. Mail ballot elections are frequently used for governance.