The main task of GEO is to negotiate a contract with the University Administration that determines wages and benefits for graduate student employees. This contract is usually a major undertaking and requires many meetings, negotiations, and usually several rallies.

• Tuition and curriculum fee waivers
• Dental and vision plans
• Discounted Health Insurance
• Help to resolve workplace conflicts

To be a voting member of GEO, you must check off the box for membership on your Payroll Deduction Form. This form is sometimes attached to your assistantship contract, or you can sign it at the new employee orientation hosted by the Graduate School. Updated membership dues are listed in the Dues Deduction form accessible on the GEO website. Graduate employees who choose not to join the union must still pay an "Agency Fee," as established under state law. This amount is recalculated each year. The protections and benefits offered by GEO are significant, and the union recommends full membership for all graduate student employees.

In general, you will receive one semester’s tuition waiver for one semester if you work a 10-hour per week appointment for either the Fall or Spring semesters. If you work one 10-hour appointment in the fall and one 10- hour in the spring, you receive a full year's tuition waiver. If you work 20 hours per week in either semester you will receive a full year's tuition waiver.

Health insurance is provided by the University. Anyone eligible for a tuition waiver also gets basic health care coverage. In general, working one 20- hour appointment per year will give you Basic and SHIP coverage at a reduced rate for the entire calendar year. Working one 10-hour appointment per year will give you 95% waivers for Basic and SHIP fees for one 6-month coverage period. Working one 10-hour appointment in the fall and one 10- hour in the spring will earn you waivers for Basic and SHIP fees for the whole year. Check the GEO website for information about Family and Domestic Partner Coverage.

The GEO Union administers these plans. You must sign up for these plans every year. Check out the UAW/UMass Health & Welfare Trust Fund website for details.

You are still eligible for benefits, but you must go to University Health Services to sign up for health insurance in person before the add/drop period of each semester. See more information from UMass Health Services.

GEO membership provides a for a significant discount on parking fees. To access your GEO discount, print out a copy of your graduate assistantship form (GFAF) through Spire, and bring it to Parking Services to demonstrate your eligibility for the parking discount. Check the parking services website for current discounted GEO parking fees.

If you feel that any portion of the contract is being violated, you can contact the GPD or the GEO office and speak with a staff member about your options.

• Read over the current contract available online https://www.geouaw.org/geo-contract, so you know your entitled benefits.
• Check out the entire GEO website http://www.geouaw.org/
• Know your GEO Steward at https://www.geouaw.org/stewards/
• You will get GEO emails. Read them to stay on top of what’s going on. 
• Attend the membership meetings and social gatherings. They are a great way to meet people from other departments.
• Support the hard work that the GEO officers do by going to a rally, even if you don't feel particularly educated about the issue. People will fill you in once you get there