Resident advisors end strike, reach deal with University of Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Resident advisors at the University of Michigan have ended their nearly two-week strike after reaching a deal with the university.

Student residence hall employees went on strike on Tuesday, Sept. 8, over coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns. Residential Staff members demanded more protections including regular access to testing for all residence staff, and enforcement of the university mask and social distancing mandates in dining and residence halls.

Through a social media post on Monday night, Residential Staff stated that members voted to accept an offer extended by the U-M. As of 7 a.m. on Tuesday, the strike ended and staff resumed their duties.

The post states:

“We’re happy to announce ResStaff has accepted an offer from UM Housing, and our strike will be ending effective 7am on Tuesday, September 22nd. We’d like to thank everyone that supported us during our strike, especially GEO, AFT, our regents, our LT, & everyone on campus that supported us. We appreciate greatly that Housing met with us and that we were able to negotiate an offer that both sides were happy with. This wouldn’t have happened without everyone that extended a helping hand in our direction. Solidarity forever!”

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The deal offers residential staff additional personal protective equipment, priority in the U-M’s weekly surveillance COVID-19 testing program and a one-time payment of $200 in Blue Bucks, according to the Michigan Daily.

Members of the Graduate Employee’s Organization (GEO) at the U-M have also ended their strike and returned to work after accepting an offer from the university last week. GEO members had been on strike since Tuesday, Sept. 8 calling on university leadership to ensure better protections from COVID-19 on campus. That strike ended on Thursday, Sept. 17 after a vote from GEO members the previous evening.

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