We, UMass Boston staff and faculty, find management's contract proposals to be deeply disturbing. Management representatives have proposed cut-backs and policy changes that will take this campus back twenty-five years.  For example:

--weakening over-time provisions for classified staff
--eliminating compensatory time for professional staff
--eliminating compensation for many staff who are required to be on-call
--limiting staff, faculty and librarians’ access to family medical leaves and to our Sick Leave Banks
--eliminating the Salary Administration Program which provides for pay equity among professional staff
--eliminating contract language that encourages consideration of current employees for promotional opportunities
--reducing vacation and sick leave benefits for new employees

These and similar proposals show a profound disrespect for our skills and dedication to UMass Boston, as well as a surprising disregard for our families and our lives outside of work.  Dr. Motley, these proposals undermine your stated commitment as Chancellor to creating a University community based on fairness and mutual respect.

Chancellor Motley, President Caret and members of the UMass Board of Trustees, we urge you to instruct management's representatives to withdraw all such punitive proposals, and instead to engage constructively with union proposals advanced in the spirit of building a stronger institution better able to serve our students and community.