
UVM STAFF UNITED
UVMSU testimony on H. 173 : Watch the recording Here!
WHO WE ARE:
UVM Staff United is the clerical, specialized, technical and professional staff at UVM. Together, as UVM Staff United, we are organizing for collective power to bargain wages, benefits and working conditions, and for equity, transparency, justice and respect at UVM.
UPCOMING
EVENTS SCHEDULE
Rally for Rümeysa Öztürk
Friday, May 9th | 8:30 AM (Rally); 10:00 AM (Hearing)
The Federal Building at 11 Elmwood Avenue
Tufts student Rümeysa Öztürk was detained in Massachusetts by armed and masked plainclothes agents, following an op-ed she co-signed. She passed through several states including Vermont as she was moved between different jurisdictions. The court has now ruled that her case will be adjudicated here in Vermont and there will be a bail hearing tomorrow. Several unions, including her own from Massachusetts, as well as a coalition of members from UVM unions, will rally at the courthouse to support Rümeysa and show that we stand with free speech and against arbitrary detention of our immigrant neighbors.
UVMSU Contract Celebration
Friday, May 9th | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Mansfield Room, Davis Center
After a long contract fight, it’s time to celebrate our victories! All UVMSU members and their families are invited to a contract ratification celebration. If you work in an Extension office outside of Chittenden County and would like to either be supported in a trip to Burlington, or supported in hosting your own celebration at your extension site/joining us virtually, please let us know in the RSVP form. RSVP in 4/17/25 member email.
Rally for Kseniia Petrova
Wednesday, May 14th | 10:00 AM
The Federal Building at 11 Elmwood Avenue
Harvard Medical School grad student geneticist Kseniia Petrova was detained at Logan Airport for inadvertently incorrectly declaring the frog embryos she was bringing in for her research. If deported to Russia, she fears imprisonment for past statements she has made regarding Russian politics. Similarly to other cases, her case is planned to be heard in Vermont as she was held here overnight. A number of academics from Harvard are planning to convoy to Burlington to support her at her hearing, and members of the UVM community are similarly mobilizing to rally in support.
MEMBER UPDATES
Stay up to date on the details by reading the UVMSU newsletter and attending member meetings.
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Video on H.173 - Contact your legislators
Contract Implementation Payroll Update
Events:
March for Mohsen Mahdawi (4/30)
May Day 2025 (5/1)
Contract Celebration (5/9)
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Contract Updates and Implementation
March for Mohsen Mahdawi (4/23)
Events:
Union Power 2025 Conference (4/26)
May Day 2025 (5/1)
Contract Celebration (5/9)
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Board of Trustees Ratifies our Contract & FAQs
Events:
Today: National Day of Action Higher Ed
Strike Conference
May Day 2025
Contract Celebration
Solidarity:
Letter to Vermont State Education Secretary
Support Scholarships for VSC
We did it: UVM Staff United has voted overwhelmingly to ratify our contract. In the final tally, 923 people or 77% of our membership voted in our ratification election, with 919 voting yes and 4 voting no. With the close of voting at 5pm yesterday, our contract was officially ratified on the UVM Staff United side. This contract - our union’s second ever - represents an advance in worker rights at the University of Vermont. In every article, we either made progress or maintained status quo: there are no losses to our rights in this contract.
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
We Ratified Our Contract & FAQs
Events:
Grad Student Union Birthday Event
National Day of Action for Higher Ed
Strike Conference
Contract Celebration
Solidarity:
Letter to Vermont State Education Secretary
Support Scholarships for VSC
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Ratification Vote In Progress
If you haven’t voted yet, you have until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 9th, at 5pm.
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
We have a TA! Member Meetings and Contract Ratification Vote
What does a yes or no vote mean?
What’s in the new contract?
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
We Reached Tentative Agreement!
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
All Out to Bargaining Friday, 3/28!
UVMSU Testifies on Right to Strike (H.173)
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Reminder: UVMSU Member Meetings Today (3/25) & Tomorrow (3/26) at noon
Tentative Bargaining and Week of Action Dates
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Pledge to Take Action
Legislative Action Day Report-Out
Other Updates: NIH Indirects, Sick Leave Bank, “Total Rewards”
AFT Connections
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Update on UVM response to Executive Orders
Lunch & Learn Report-Out
Sign-up: 2/27 AFT Vermont Legislative Action Day
AFT Connections: More organizing wins, Statehouse updates, and AFT membership benefits
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Lunch and Learn is TODAY (2/13)
Update on UVM response to Executive Orders
UVMSU Tabling in 2025
Sign-Up: AFT Vermont Legislative Action Day 2/27
AFT Connections: Northwestern Nurses Unionize
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
UVM Unions Join Together to
Protect Students and Workers
2/6 Rally RSVP
Download and print out our rally flyer
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Message from Co-Presidents - We Keep Us Safe
Bargaining Update
Sign-up for 2/13 Lunch & Learn
UVMSU Tabling in 2025
Save the Date: AFT Vermont Legislative Action Day 2/27
Send us your glam shots!
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Bargaining Update: Post-Hearing Briefs Submitted
Performance Evaluations
UVMSU Winter Social: Please RSVP!
UVMSU Tabling in 2025
Save the Date: AFT Vermont Legislative Action Day 2/27
Vermont Labor Event: Solidarity with Migrant Workers
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Bargaining Update
Annual Performance Reviews
UVMSU Winter Social: Please RSVP!
Tabling in 2025
Save the Date: AFT Vermont Legislative Action Day 2/27
Lived Identity Focus Groups
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Fact-Finding: highlights and update
UVMSU Winter Social: Please RSVP!
Call for Volunteers: Professional Development Committee
Tabling in 2025
Vermont Labor News: Legal Aid Workers Organize!
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Stop the cuts rally at UVMMC
Rally for Grad Student Union
Report-out: “Not the Enemy Within”
Tabling Sign-Up
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Sign the petition: Stop healthcare cuts at UVM Health Network
Report out: 11/18 Fact-finding Hearing
Upcoming Event: “Not the Enemy Within”
UVMSU Elections results are in!
Opt-in for Open Enrollment and donate to the UVMSU Sick Leave Bank by 11/27!
Tabling sign-up
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Fact Finding on November 18th
A letter from our co-presidents on the national election
UVMSU Elections
Healthcare update: opt-in open enrollment
Tabling sign-up
Important Solidarity Action: Stop healthcare cuts at UVM Health Network
Dear Members,
While our bargaining team is working hard to prepare a strong case for the fact finding hearing (see below for specifics), this week management also forced our Board to make a last-minute decision about healthcare. On Tuesday and Wednesday, HR met separately with our union, the faculty union, the maintenance union, and the police union to present long-overdue details about additional health insurance options and gave us three days to decide if these options should be offered to our members without bargaining.
Before sharing the specifics, we want to make sure to allay any concerns by saying: our health insurance is not changing, nor is the percentage of the premium that we pay. We know that a lot of us work at UVM because of the quality of the health insurance, and that is not at immediate risk.
Here’s the situation: HR officials called a meeting with our union this Tuesday morning, and with the other UVM unions on Wednesday. Co-Presidents Claire Whitehouse and Ellen Kaye, Co-Lead Stewards Jack Roberts and Kara Williams, and AFT Field Rep Max Tracy attended. At this meeting, HR informed us that they planned to offer 3 additional healthcare coverage options to non-represented staff during Open Enrollment (November 6 - 27). They handed us a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and told us that if we wanted these options made available to our bargaining unit we had to sign it by Friday–three days later. This MOA would force us to waive our right to negotiate the costs or details of coverage for these new options for the next year.
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Healthcare Update
Elections Update
Fact-finding Update
Advice Column
Table sign-up
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Healthcare Update
Last Call for Nominations
Fact-Finding
GSU Work-in 10/28
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
UVMSU Nominations and Member Meetings
Fact-Finding Update
Solidarity with Planned Parenthood workers
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Kronos Lunch & Learn
Fact-finding update
Election heads up
Presidential search
DOL Ruling
New UVMSU Interim Treasurer
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Help our union build a case for fair wages
AFT Convention Report
Ask Solidarity Cat: Can contract enforcement get me a better wage?
Election heads-up
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Lunch is Not Enough: Fair Contract Now
Events:
2024 AFT Vermont Convention
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
9/17 Staff Appreciation RSVP
Work stoppages, and the fact-finding phase of our campaign
Visit the Member Information page to view the full PDF of this member update.
Bargaining Update: Where are we now?
Survey on work stoppage
Staff Appreciation Week
UVMSU Tabling
News & Updates
August Month of Action: UVMSU at Convocation
Palestine Survey
Kronos Implementation
Welcome new Local Stewards
Know Your Rights
Events
AFT Vermont Convention, 9/21