Hundreds of UMass Amherst employees face fall furloughs
BOSTON (AP) — The University of Massachusetts Amherst plans to furlough hundreds of employees for the fall semester.
MassLive reported Thursday that the president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 1776 in an email to members said the furloughs affect roughly 780 members. She said the alternative was layoffs.
The union represents about 1,700 workers in skilled trades, grounds, custodial, housing, food services, and security jobs.
UMass confirmed the furloughs in a statement from Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, who said 850 employees would be placed on “indefinite furlough” effective September 13.
The number of students on campus has been reduced because of the pandemic.
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