On May 7 we sent an email to management explaining that the vote did not result in a majority approving their proposal. We explained that we thought that our positions were not that far apart, and proposed extending the negotiating deadline by a week, and bringing in a mediator, in order to try again to reach an agreement.

The following email went to SHARE members:

Hi SHARE members,
SHARE members have voted on UMMS’ proposal to furlough 32 SHARE members (instead of laying them off) in exchange for SHARE members giving up their 6/21/20 raise and other concessions (with the understanding that the raises would be reinstated if non-union employees received a raise.)
Result: No change is made to the SHARE contract because no option received a majority
There were 3 options on the ballot and 213 votes total. In order to win, one choice would have to receive a majority of votes cast, which would be 107.
Vote Count:

OPTION 1 (NO to management’s proposal) received 55 votes
OPTION 2 (YES to management’s proposal) received 81 votes
OPTION 3 (YES to putting SHARE’s counter-proposal back on the table, knowing that if management said no to it again then they would likely implement OPTION 1, layoffs instead of furloughs) received 77 votes

What Happens Now?
This is a complicated situation, without the usual amount of time for resolving the complications. Under AFSCME’s voting rules, the next step would be a run-off election between the top two vote getters, OPTION 2 and OPTION 3. There is no time to do that before the deadline we have been set.
We cannot agree to their proposal without a majority approving it. However, it is clear that a large number of SHARE members are willing to make a sacrifice of some kind in order to help their coworkers; 158 votes went toward some kind of compromise. In our last negotiating session yesterday, our proposals got closer to each other. And there are additional possibilities of saving money that could be explored.
Letting this agreement fall apart will harm both parties:

UMass will not only not gain the savings they were looking for, they will also spend $250,000 in notice and severance pay that they do not need to spend if they furlough people instead
Employees will lose out on the benefits of being furloughed instead of laid off

We propose to management that we extend the deadline in order to try again to reach an agreement.
We will see what they say. And we will be back in touch.
The SHARE Staff,
Elisabeth Szanto, Jana Hollingsworth, Andrea Caceres