Pictured from left to right: Jesse Hargrove, Neil Greenberg, Michael Grillo, Lisa K. Neuman, Pankaj Agrrawal and Rose Abramoff
Faculty and staff across the University of Maine System unite to win funding, build power, and increase membership.
For more than a decade, faculty and staff throughout the University of Maine System (UMS) have faced stagnant wages, increased workloads, staffing shortages, and declining state investment in public higher education. Despite these challenges, union members from across the UMS continue to organize in solidarity to make their voices heard—and their efforts are paying off.
“Fund Maine’s Future was the first time that the three bargaining units came together around the same set of issues.”
Neil Greenberg, UMPSA Vice President
Over the past year, MEA’s three bargaining units at the University of Maine System—Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine (AFUM), Universities of Maine Professional Staff Association (UMPSA), and Associated COLT (Clerical, Office, Laboratory, Technical) Staff of Universities of Maine (ACSUM)— joined forces to advocate at the State House, helping to secure $30 million in additional state funding for the UMS.
“Fund Maine’s Future was the first time that the three bargaining units came together around the same set of issues,” says Neil Greenberg, Vice President of UMPSA. “It was huge for us because we were able to make our efforts very visible.”
While the funding win at the legislature was significant, challenges remain, especially for hourly staff. According to a survey conducted by ACSUM President Brian Berger, many members rely on public assistance, second jobs, and some even experience homelessness. One key piece of legislation, LD 1219, still awaits state funding. This bill aims to address financial hardships within UMS by increasing the system’s fiscal appropriation and establishing a minimum wage of 125% of the state minimum for all UMS employees.
Fund Maine’s Future opened the door for new voices and new connections. The campaign gave faculty and staff across the UMS a platform to share their stories, many for the first time.
“There’s been an assumption that different staff classifications don’t share issues-but Fund Maine’s Future helped us articulate the importance of every worker.”
Lydia savage, AFUM President
The result? Solidarity is surging across Maine’s public university system not only at the legislature but also at the bargaining table.
“There’s been an assumption that different staff classifications don’t share issues—but Fund Maine’s Future helped us articulate the importance of every worker,” notes Lydia Savage, President of AFUM. “We’ve all been hit by the same forces of disinvestment in higher education.”
Together, their efforts have resulted in consistent growth for their local unions—not easy to do when members of your bargaining unit are spread across the state.
ACSUM Empowers Members for Change
The Fund Maine’s Future campaign gave ACSUM members and potential members a platform to share their stories—an experience Berger, describes as empowering. “We saw more involvement than ever before,” he says. “We reached out to the entire bargaining unit, but I believe it was our voices that put us over the finish line.”
Berger has been involved with ACSUM for over a decade and says the union is now working more closely together than ever. “We recognize our collective bargaining power when we identify the issues we share,” Berger says. “We need to leverage that power and speak with one voice.”
To continue building momentum, Berger emphasizes the importance of grassroots advocacy among members. “I want to help people understand the power that they have individually, make sure they know what to advocate for and who they need to talk to,” he says. “As a leader the power I have is the power given to me by our members. I hope to see members use their power.”
Berger, an administrative specialist in the Prison Education Partnership, supports education and integration efforts for incarcerated people in the Maine State Prison system. He says ACSUM’s bargaining unit has been decimated over the years due to staffing cuts and the reclassification of roles into salaried positions under UMPSA.
“Often, administration says they don’t hire for positions to save money,” says Berger. “So our members serve students with fewer people, doing the same work.”
With staffing shortages and low wages, ACSUM members work hard to preserve the benefits in their contract. Despite these challenges, their commitment to public higher education remains strong. “We do this work because we believe in its impact on students’ lives,” Berger says. “But it’s getting harder to create a life where we can afford to live in our communities.”
“Every person is integral to our success,” he adds. “It’s important to support every level and job classification at the university with wages and benefits that help recruit new people and retain the quality employees we already have.”
“I remember what it was like when I first joined ACSUM. I want members to find people who can help them grow.”
Brian Berger, ACSUM President
Berger says his leadership journey began with mentorship and involvement. “I remember what it was like when I first joined ACSUM,” he says. “I want members to find people who can help them grow.” He emphasizes that union leadership is hard work—often unpaid—but deeply rewarding. “These are important roles, and I try to help people understand what commitment looks like,” he says.
“What can we have the biggest impact on within the system we live in?” For Berger, the answer lies in helping members recognize their own power, connect with others, and build the skills to lead.
UMPSA’s Steady Growth: Engaging New Members
When Neil Greenberg first became president of UMPSA in 2010, the union represented about 1,200 employees and had just 17 percent union density. “My goal was to get us to 30%,” Greenberg recalls. “My UniServ Director told me, ‘If you can do that, MEA will take notice.’ It took nearly a decade, but we did it.”
“Knowledge is power, and the more information we share, the more members feel empowered to get involved.”
Sara Abronze, UMPSA President
Today, UMPSA represents nearly 2,000 academic professionals across UMS. Members work in nearly every department—from IT and university research to clinical coordination, student services, financial aid, and administrative roles like specialists, coordinators, managers, and more. Many have advanced degrees, yet face stagnant wages, limited advancement opportunities, and increasing workloads. The average salary is around $58,000, with starting pay as low as $37,000.
“Some of our members are doing the work of two or three people because positions haven’t been replaced,” says current UMPSA President Sara Abronze, a grants and contracts technology manager at the University of Southern Maine (USM). “People feel overwhelmed (especially early career professionals), and many struggle with the continuous increase of living expenses.”
Abronze, who took office in June, credits recent contract wins—including an 11.5% raise over three years—with helping to spur membership growth. She also led a strategic planning retreat to focus on sustainability and leadership development.
Her leadership is driving deeper engagement. This year UMPSA has expanded its executive committee, added grievance representatives at all seven campuses, and launched monthly orientations and timely communications to engage new members.
“We’re focused on building power through education and visibility,” Abronze says. “Knowledge is power, and the more information we share, the more members feel empowered to get involved.”
Their goal is to grow membership by 8% this year—and she’s already on track. As of September, UMPSA has added 30 new members, surpassing last year’s pace.
AFUM Builds Connections Across Campuses and in the Community
According to the latest edition of the Hunter Directory, published by the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions at Hunter College (CUNY), only 27% of faculty nationwide are unionized1, yet 72% of UMS faculty members of AFUM, making Maine one of the states with the highest faculty union representation.
AFUM leaders say they are always looking to find ways to increase membership density, “but more than that,” Savage says, “We want to increase awareness. We’re always thinking about how to bring up new leaders.”
Like staff, faculty across the University of Maine System face mounting pressures—from shrinking departments and limited research support to administrative expansion and limited resources. “We’re expected to deliver a rigorous academic experience with fewer faculty, limited professional development, and constrained research support,” says AFUM President Lydia Savage.
Despite these challenges, AFUM continues to grow, strengthening relationships across campuses and within their communities. Leaders within AFUM emphasize the importance of cultivating new leadership and expanding member engagement.
That leadership depth is already taking shape. Last year, Michael Cauvel became president of the University of Southern Maine (USM) AFUM chapter, succeeding Lydia Savage as she stepped into the statewide role.
“Each new leader brings fresh energy, new connections, and new ideas,” Savage says. She notes that Cauvel’s leadership has added valuable expertise to the success of the Fund Maine’s Future campaign and helped bring new members into the union’s organizing efforts.
With seven campuses spread across the state, AFUM leaders prioritize relationship-building through regular meetings, webinars, and social events to keep members connected. “For example, the University of Maine [AFUM chapter] hosts payday meetings where faculty can ask questions about their benefits,” Savage says. While many gatherings are virtual, the executive board meets in person each semester, and Savage makes a point to visit every campus annually to support local chapters.
These efforts help faculty feel more connected in a system where disconnection is common. “Sometimes it feels like you’re all alone,” says Paul Johnson, a grievance representative at the University of Southern Maine. “But what amazes me is the amount of time people give up for their colleagues and ultimately their students. We’re all dealing with the same issues and the same storm.”
That storm includes a growing staffing crisis that affects not only faculty but also the professionals who support them. “My department no longer has a full-time administrative associate,” Savage notes. “We share one with another department, so students no longer have a go-to person. The person who greets students when they walk into our office is key to the overall student experience.”
Despite these challenges, AFUM helps faculty see the bigger picture and take meaningful steps to address it. “You don’t realize sometimes how much it’s all interconnected,” Johnson says. “But the union helps us see that and act on it.”
“What amazes me is the amount of time people give up for their colleagues and ultimately their students.”
Paul Johnson, Grievance Rep. USM
Focusing on the Future
As faculty and staff across the University of Maine System face shrinking resources, rising demands, and uncertain funding, MEA’s higher education unions are playing a vital role in shaping working conditions and the future of public higher education in Maine.
“The longer I’ve been here, over 33 years now, the more I see that the workers in our unions are the university,” Michael Grillo, an AFUM member and MEA Board member, reflects. “We’re the ones connected to our communities in a lasting way. We’re much more sensitive to the needs of Maine families.”
That deep connection is expanding. As union growth among graduate student workers surges nationwide, AFUM and UMPSA leaders are working closely with graduate organizers at UMS to build collective power even though they’re not represented by MEA.
And the movement is growing beyond the UMS. In September, a majority of faculty at Thomas College voted to unionize with the Maine Education Association—becoming the first private college in Maine to do so—and joined nearly 2,000 public higher education faculty and staff already represented by MEA.
“Our unions are a way to make sure our goals are accomplished and that the UMS remains a resource the people of Maine can turn to, no matter the issue.”
Michael Grillo, AFUM Member & MEA Board Member
“There’s a spillover effect,” says Savage. “If you’ve been around a union, you’re more likely to join one. Most Americans want a collective voice at work—and increasingly, they’re seeing unions as the way to get it.”
Grillo notes that graduate student organizing is helping to shape the next generation of union members. “As graduate students grow their unions, they become more attuned to the power of collective action—and that’s good for AFUM,” he says. “Our unions are a way to make sure our goals are accomplished—and that the UMS remains a resource the people of Maine can turn to, no matter the issue.”
Leaders say the Fund Maine’s Future campaign was only the beginning. From tuition benefits and health insurance protections to wage increases, unions across the University of Maine System are standing together in solidarity. “Bargaining units are talking to each other,” Savage says. “That’s how we build strength—not just for ourselves, but for every worker in education.”
UMaine System Bargaining Units:
UMaine System: University of Southern Maine (USM), University of Maine at Farmington (UMF), University of Maine at Augusta (UMA), University of Maine at Machias (UMM), University of Maine (UM), University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI), University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK), and Cooperative Extension (CE).
The Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine (AFUM) represents full-time faculty across the University of Maine System.
Universities of Maine Professional Staff Association (UMPSA) represents salaried professional staff and academic professionals within the University of Maine System.
Associated COLT Staff of the Universities of Maine (ACSUM) represents hourly COLT (clerical, office, laboratory, technical) staff across the University of Maine System.
