AMHERST — The state’s director of the Department of Labor Relations is advising representatives for both the University of Massachusetts and the Professional Staff Union at the UMass campuses in Amherst and Boston to continue bargaining on a new contract before mediation takes place.
Philip A. Roberts wrote in a Dec. 8 letter that, due to unresolved issues, face-to-face negotiations should continue on narrowing the scope of conversation, until at least mid-January.
The contract for the union that represents 2,400 employees on the two campuses expired in July 2024, and since that time the university and PSU bargaining team have met 48 times, with terms of the previous contract still in effect.
“Once the parties have bargained and narrowed the focus of their differences, they can report back to the department their progress toward resolution of their differences, and a decision will be made on the appropriateness of mediation at that time,” Roberts wrote. “It is in the parties’ best interest to resolve as many core issues as possible prior to mediation.”
The union issued a statement supporting Roberts’ memo:
“We very much look forward to getting back to the bargaining table and reaching a fair contract for our members.”
Leaders for the union, whose members earlier this month took a no-confidence vote in UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes, added that this is a win, contending the administration is attempting to circumvent bargaining and impose what it describes as “unilateral takebacks.” The union has criticized the concept of having merit-based pay affecting a portion of a wage increase set to go into effect in January 2027.
In a statement, UMass spokeswoman Emily Gest said the university didn’t request an immediate impasse declaration. Instead, it filed a “Petition for Mediation and Fact-Finding” to request the presence of a neutral, third-party mediator provided by the Department of Labor Relations to assist in the ongoing negotiations.
“Any opportunity to continue to bargain in good faith is welcomed by the university,” Gest said.
There was also never an effort by UMass to seek an end to bargaining or attempt to unilaterally implement a final offer and that throughout the university has been negotiating as required under state law with a public employees union.
Gest’s statement notes that UMass fully agrees with the Department of Labor Relations that “it is in the parties’ best interest to resolve as many core issues as possible prior to mediation,” and looks forward to continuing good faith efforts to reach an amicable agreement.
UMass officials have previously noted that Reyes is not a member of the bargaining team and has no direct participation in the bargaining process, which would be inappropriate and counter to the university’s long-standing practice to abide by state law governing the collective bargaining process.