NEW DAY, NEW WAY AT MIT

                                  
From left to right: Mike Valeri, Custodians shop steward, Andy Carvalho, Athletics shop steward, Wayne Langley, HE Director, Neil Cunningham, Structural  shop steward.

Union members at MIT are ready for change; ready to fix a grievance process that is slow and doesn’t solve many of our big problems, ready to change the idea that sub¬contractors can do better, safer and cheaper work than we can, and ready to create a workplace where everyone is treated with respect. The Union is committed to lead¬ing the way to make those changes.

The Union started this process by bringing the membership’s concerns to Marianna Pierce, Director of Human Resources, and her labor relations staff. SEIU 615 Higher Education Division Direc¬tor Wayne Langley, Shop Stewards Neil Cunningham, Mike Valeri and Andy Carvalho, and Organizer Matt Gulish represented the Union at this meeting.

The Union asked management to commit to a new results-oriented process where people who have the power to make decisions meet in¬tensively with the Union leadership and members. These meetings must produce concrete results on the big issues that affect all MIT members. We must also be willing to listen to management’s concerns and to find solutions to common problems.

We were encouraged by their openness to commit to this new process and are waiting to schedule the first meeting.

The Union is responding to the membership’s desire for action to be taken and, one way or another, things are going to change. We hope that management chooses the path of cooperation to solve prob¬lems that affect SEIU members and the whole MIT community.