July 27 - First discussion of wages! Package proposal on multiple issues (meaning that any part of proposal is only offered if whole package is agreed to.) Wage proposal delivered verbally. Agreed to add more negotiating sessions.

Aug 3 - SHARE made a counter-proposal, also as a package, addressing all issues we have been discussing up to now.

Raises and bonuses for all three years of the contract
Staffing shortages and mandatory overtime in Animal Medicine and the Continuing Care Units
Work from home issues
Joint Working Groups that give SHARE members more input into their work lives
Differentials
The SHARE Childcare Fund
Grade ranges and classifications
Non-weather hazardous conditions
Incorporating new policies into the SHARE contract (Juneteenth, Work From Home, Volunteer Time)

SHARE emphasized that we are looking for good raises because:

SHARE members deserve recognition for how hard they have been working and how much they have been through
We need to offset the huge increases in the cost of living these days
We want UMass Chan to be able to recruit and retain staff in a very competitive labor market when people have a lot of choices of where to work

That means we need a fair agreement for the first year of the contract, and continuing progress in the second and third years of the contract.