The fight to secure long-overdue pay raises for AFSCME members at U-Mass Dartmouth is now the subject of legal action before the state's Division of Labor Relations (DLR).

The refusal by University of Massachusetts leadership to honor their contractual obligations has forced AFSCME to file a formal Charge of Prohibited Practice with the DLR, making our union the first to take legal action against the University in the matter. Council 93 has also returned to the airwaves with another radio commercial calling attention to the injustice.

"It's truly unfortunate to see the leaders of the University of Massachusetts blatantly avoiding their legal obligations and it's even more troubling to know that their wrongful actions are hurting the hard-working people who have helped to make the University the world-class institution it is today," said Council 93 Executive Director Frank Moroney. "Now that we've been forced to take legal action, it appears as though it will be some time before our members receive the pay increases they are entitled to under their contract, but we are prepared to fight as long and as hard as it take until we achieve justice."

Members of AFSCME Local 507 signed a contract with the U-Mass President last summer and the agreement has been funded and approved by the state legislature. However, U-Mass leaders claim they can't afford to pay the increases to workers without receiving additional money from the legislature. But according to this October 6, 2014 letter from former Patrick Administration and Finance Secretary Glen Shor to the Chairs of the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees, "funds already appropriated are sufficient" to pay the costs of the contracts. In fact, Shor specifically recommends that no additional funds be appropriated. Shor's recommendation was followed by the legislature when they validated the contracts in an October 31, 2014 budget bill with no additional funds for U-Mass. That budget bill was signed into law on the same day thereby obligating U-Mass leaders to pay the negotiated increases to workers, regardless of their claims that they do not have enough money to do so. As the latest AFSCME radio commercial states, 'it's not just unfair, it's a violation of state law.'

AFSCME Council 93 represents more than 200 workers at U-Mass Dartmouth and an additional 5,800 workers at U-Mass Amherst; the U-Mass Medical School in Worcester; and all 24 state university, college and community college campuses. AFSCME public higher education members make up the backbone of one of the most respected public higher education systems in the world, serving in positions ranging from campus police officers to food service workers.