100 signatures reached
To: Chancellor Robert Johnson
UMass Dartmouth End the Furloughs for AFSCME and Maintainers
UMass Dartmouth choose to close the budget deficit for FY20 by furloughing the lowest paid workers on campus, the clerical staff (AFSCME members) and the maintenance and trades staff (Maintainers). The members of these unions were told by the administration that they would be "made whole" or better by filing for MA State Unemployment Insurance and receiving the $600 Federal bonus. The members agreed to furloughs to assist campus in this time of financial need.
The campus was assured by the Chancellor in a Town Hall that this was "shared sacrifice" and the the members of the administration (who earn 5x's or more what AFSCME and Maintainers earn) would be taking either 5 day furloughs or 8 day furloughs for FY20.
Now we learn that due to widespread fraud, members of the University community filing for UI are having their applications blocked while the fraud is investigated. This means that some earning $40,000 per year have had their hours cut by 60% on "partial furlough" and were to make up the difference in lost wages through UI will not be able to even begin the filing process for UI until an unknown date in the future and attempt to live on less than $1700 per month. Then they must wait for benefits to be funded. This is NOT what the University promised these hard working members of our community.
We call on Chancellor Johnson to do the humane thing and bring these workers back to campus and make up the hole in FY20 with the promised administrative furloughs that were being delaying to FY21. The AFSCME and Maintainer furloughs need to be delayed until such time when the University and the State UI have made arrangements for our employees to efficiently file and get their benefits as promised to make them whole.
The campus was assured by the Chancellor in a Town Hall that this was "shared sacrifice" and the the members of the administration (who earn 5x's or more what AFSCME and Maintainers earn) would be taking either 5 day furloughs or 8 day furloughs for FY20.
Now we learn that due to widespread fraud, members of the University community filing for UI are having their applications blocked while the fraud is investigated. This means that some earning $40,000 per year have had their hours cut by 60% on "partial furlough" and were to make up the difference in lost wages through UI will not be able to even begin the filing process for UI until an unknown date in the future and attempt to live on less than $1700 per month. Then they must wait for benefits to be funded. This is NOT what the University promised these hard working members of our community.
We call on Chancellor Johnson to do the humane thing and bring these workers back to campus and make up the hole in FY20 with the promised administrative furloughs that were being delaying to FY21. The AFSCME and Maintainer furloughs need to be delayed until such time when the University and the State UI have made arrangements for our employees to efficiently file and get their benefits as promised to make them whole.
Why is this important?
We talk a lot about equity and fairness on our campus it is time we walked the walk and not just talked a lot of empty talk. Tell Chancellor Johnson to do the humane thing.