AMHERST — A University of Massachusetts union that has been in an extended negotiation over a new contract, after the previous one expired July 1, 2024, may have a tentative agreement ready for ratification.
The bargaining team for the Professional Staff Union announced on its social media platforms Friday that at 11:30 p.m. Thursday a deal was reached on a new contract. That followed what the union said was a pulling back by the university on the idea of incorporating merit-based pay increases, starting in January 2027, for a portion of the state-approved wage adjustments.
The union credited its actions for getting to this point, such as a daylong picket on Feb. 5. Last fall, the union, whose members include student support staff, student success workers, residential directors, advisers and administrative staff, took a no-confidence vote in Chancellor Javier Reyes.
“This agreement was the result of tireless union work by hundreds of PSU members and closely follows huge participation for our vote on No Merit Out of COLA and last week’s practice pickets,” the union wrote.
The union also stated that for the nearly 600 days since the contract expired, it was part of more than 50 bargaining sessions, that various membership votes were taken and dozens of actions staged before “the bargaining team reached what we believe is the best deal possible for our members.”
PSU represents more than 2,400 professional staff members between the two schools, with 1,700 in Amherst and 800 in Boston.
UMass issued a statement about the possible contract: “We are pleased to have progressed in our collective bargaining process with PSU and look forward to the ratification of a contract.”
The new contract would include full cost-of-living adjustments for all members and retroactive payments for these adjustments, with $200,000 economic adjustment pool for the Amherst campus that will be distributed to members with specific job titles who earn less than $80,000 a year.
But certain protections for immigrant workers and a change to sick leave is not included.
Specific to the Boston campus, there will be a $60,000 salary floor for existing employees that goes into effect in January 2027.
PSU also thanked the University Staff Association, the Massachusetts Teachers Association and other unions and organizations that backed it during a 20-month negotiation.