A Supportive Workplace, A Brighter Future
At UMass Boston, we're fostering a culture of success. We believe strong relationships drive collaboration and lead to innovation. Employee Relations is committed to facilitating these principles. As the university's chief representative in all labor relations matters, we provide guidance on employment issues and concerns and assist with preventing and resolving issues. Our goal is to ensure the fair and consistent treatment of all university staff.
Bargaining Updates
| Union | Date Tentative Agreement Reached | # of Sessions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teamsters, Local 25 | 9/19/2024 | 5 | Settled - Contract Implemented |
| Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) | 5/27/2025 | 32* | Settled - Contract Implemented |
| New England Police Benevolent Association Local 290 |
5/2/2025 | 8 | Settled - Pending Implementation |
| New England Police Benevolent Association Local 285 |
5/7/2025 | 5 | Settled - Pending Implementation |
| Faculty Staff Union (FSU) | 5/15/2025 | 22 | Settled - Pending Implementation |
| Classified Staff Union (CSU) | 7/17/2025 | 29 | Settled - Pending Implementation |
| Professional Staff Union-A (PSU) | TBD | 29 | Active Negotiation |
| Professional Staff Union-C (PSU) | TBD | 4 | Active Negotiation |
| Department Chair Union (DCU) | TBD | 3 | Active Negotiation |
* Parties engaged collaborative bargaining facilitator. Sessions inclusive of joint training.
Teamsters Local 25 (Lieutenants): This was the first of the 9 unions to reach an agreement and the first state funded contract reached in the UMass system. The parties signed a tentative agreement on September 19, 2024, which is pictured below. Sophie Coddington, Labor Relations Specialist (right), signing for the University and Jason Lopes (left), Business Agent, for the Union.
Settled - Pending Implementation:
GEO Local 1596 (Graduate Student Employees): The parties signed an MOA on May 27, 2025. The union is completed it's ratification June 19, 2025 with an overall 98% approval rate. This round, the parties engaged in collaborative bargaining, which involved the use of a facilitator from Cornell University.
NEPBA Local 290 (Patrol & Dispatch): This union reached a signed MOA on May 2, 2025 and is in the process of being approved by the Commonwealth.
Josh McLain, Treasurer for NEPBA 290 sharing: “I’d like to take a moment to sincerely thank each of you for your patience, dedication, and hard work throughout the process of negotiating a fair labor contract for the members of NEPBA Local 290.”
NEPBA Local 285 (Sergeants): Shortly after the Patrol and Dispatch reached agreement, the Sergeants signed their MOA on May 7, 2025. They too are in the process of being approved by the Commonwealth.
CSU (Classified Staff): The parties signed a Tentative Agreement on July 17, 2025. After a speedy ratification, with 92% of the unit voting in favor to implement, the agreement was sent to the Commonwealth for approval.
Active Negotiations:
DCU (Department Chairs): Bargaining began June 5, 2025 and are making steady progress.
PSU – A (Professional Staff): Bargaining began in June 2024 and is making steady progress. This unit is shared between the Boston and Amherst campus. The parties engage in negotiations on zoom and by rotating in person sessions on the respective campus’.
PSU – C (Head Coaches): Bargaining began in April 2025 and is making steady progress.
Bargaining Unit Employees
Union Contracts & Collective Bargaining
For an accessible version of any contract, please contact Sophie Coddington.
Non-Unit Professional Employees
Review the Non-Unit Employee Personnel Policy for non-unit professional employees. Non-unit professional positions are not governed by a collective bargaining agreement.