8/13/24 Newsletter

Job Creep Got you Down? Unionize with USU

Have new responsibilities been added to your job description without commensurate compensation? After a colleague retired or left, was their job posted with vastly broader duties at a similar or lower salary level, or simply left vacant? Have you been asked to cover a colleague’s duties over an extended period (for example, over a medical leave) without earning commensurate additional pay? USU will fight to protect staff against job creep through clear guidelines negotiated with U-M and, most importantly, through rigorous enforcement of these guidelines.

LEO-GLAM, the union for non-tenure track faculty at UMs Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums, was able to negotiate a provision in their first contract to combat job creep that has two important provisions: 1) all workers will have a written work plans that outline worker responsibilities in percentages, and 2)if a worker is given (for example) 20% more responsibility they are either relieved of 20% of their duties per their work plan or paid at 120% of their salary for the duration of holding those responsibilities. Something like this is possible for us too! It’s important to keep building our membership so that we have the power to win similar provisions at the bargaining table once the Student & Instructional Services unit is certified

We need to come together to build a strong, member driven union so that we have the power to fight for a good first contract. Join us today by talking with an organizer about getting involved in building our union by talking with folks in your department. We are more powerful together!

Staff Voices

"I support University Staff United because I believe that the laboratory technicians and support staff in my unit are nowhere near being adequately compensated or acknowledged for the hard work they do. In addition, our unit has been inadequately staffed for our long-term projects. In summary, I support this union because I want my lab mates to be able to afford food and rent, and I believe that nobody's health should be put at stake for the sake of keeping a job. -Traci Cramer, Research Lab Specialist Intermediate, Michigan Medicine

Tell Your Story

One of the best ways to help others feel at ease in joining the union effort is to share your story about why you support USU. Please fill out this form or contact us to set up an interview.

All Campus Labor Council Presents: Labor Fest!

Join University Staff United at the All Campus Labor Council Labor Day Picnic! It’s Monday, September 2, 2024 starting at 4PM at Island Park in Ann Arbor. We want to make sure everyone is fed and give you a casual space to talk about working at U-M, and more importantly: how to improve all of that together through labor union organizing! So if that sounds like something for you, please RSVP here. For USU folks, we’re trying to get together carpool arrangements, especially since parking in Ann Arbor can be tricky and the car parking spots closest to the park are very limited. Contact us to sign up for the carpool.

Join us for the 3rd annual Labor Fest. RSVP at https://bit.ly/2024laborfest. Monday September 2, 4pm - 8pm. Island Park, 1420 Island Drive, Ann Arbor. Grills will be running 4 pm - 6 pm. Come hang out with your union siblings for a day of food, fun and solidarity!

Weekly Drop-in – Lunch Hour

Wednesdays 12-1pm

Whether you’re ready to sign your card, have some questions first, or want to join as an organizer, you’re welcome at our weekly info session! Contact us to ask for meeting info

This session is on Zoom at 5:30pm tomorrow, Thursday 7/18. Contact us to ask for meeting info

Important Links