Stewards’ Council
The Stewards’ Council (SC) is the primary organizing body of GEO. In SC, representatives from across campus come together to discuss the needs of our membership and develop a GEO culture across campus. Right now, we are working to increase membership and knowledge of our working conditions to support contract bargaining. If you are interested in representing your department or cultural organization, email sc@uigeo.org for more information
Coordinating Committee
The Coordinating Committee (CC) is led by the Co-Presidents and made up of elected officers from all committees. The CC is the executive body of the union and makes decisions about day-to-day union business, large‐scale projects, finances, and the GEO’s long-term vision. Any member can attend CC meetings, and upcoming meeting times are posted on the GEO calendar. For questions about the CC and/or to add items to the CC agenda, please contact the Co‐Presidents at cc@uigeo.org.
Grievance Committee
Whether it’s late wages, a missing tuition waiver, or retaliation in the workplace, the Grievance Committee enforces the union contract and helps GEO members navigate and resolve issues with the UIUC administration. The Grievance Committee also educates union members about the contract and distributes information to the larger campus community. We are looking for members who are interested in labor issues, like to advocate for others, and are detail-oriented! We are working hard defending members who are experiencing potential violations of the contract. If you are interested in joining the Grievance Committee, email grievance@uigeo.org!
The Solidarity Committee (SolComm) builds connections between the GEO and other movements and local social justice projects through financial endorsements, statements of support, collaborations, and more. SolComm supports several local organizations and movements that work towards economic, racial, gender, disability, prison, and environmental justice. In addition to graduate employees, we welcome undergraduate students and C-U community members to participate. If you are interested in joining the Solidarity Committee, please email solcomm@uigeo.org.
Solidarity Committee
The Communications Committee (Comms) produces GEO newsletters and flyers, manages GEO social media, responds to interview requests, designs and orders merchandize, and more. They need people with a variety of skills (from designing to writing to planning!), and they would love to have you no matter your department or expertise. If you are interested in joining the Communications Committee, email commcomm@uigeo.org or just come to a meeting!
Communications Committee
The Personnel Committee (PC) is made up of elected members and is tasked with hiring Union staff and establishing all terms of staff employment, including, but not limited to, wages and benefits. Its membership includes three people elected by the Stewards Council, current staff, and the two Co-Presidents who serve as co-chairs of the committee. The PC acts as the contract bargaining committee with the Union staff and works with the staff to establish and renew employee contracts. If you have any questions about the PC, please email the Co-Presidents at cc@uigeo.org.
Personnel Committee
The Treasurer is responsible for the accounts of the GEO. The Treasurer makes regular reports to the Membership, and make the financial records of the GEO available for annual audit by officers selected for that purpose or by independent auditors not otherwise connected with the GEO. If you have any questions, please email the Treasurer at treasurer@uigeo.org.
The Finance Committee is tasked with accounting, reporting to members on how dues are spent, fundraising, and connecting members to emergency financial support. We're currently ramping up our fundraising initiatives to prepare for full contract bargaining. Email treasurer@uigeo.org if you would like to get involved!
Treasurer and Finance Committee
The Secretary Committee manages the database for our union, handling everything from mass texts and email lists, to training our election committees and ensuring a fair election within our democratic union. The Secretary Committee designs surveys to better understand the needs, wants, and experiences of graduate employees across all departments within the university. The GEO Secretary serves on each of our GEO Bargaining Teams with the ultimate goal of ensuring the voices of our members are always heard and uplifted. If you are interested in joining the Secretary Committee, please email secretary@uigeo.org.
Secretary Committee
The Bargaining Team (BT) is formed during bargaining year and acts as the representative for graduate employees in negotiations with the University administration and any other relevant body over terms and conditions of employment. If in person, during the bargaining session the two bargaining teams face one another and negotiate. Members of the bargaining team are members in good standing, and include at least one of the Co-Presidents, two representatives chosen by the Stewards’ Council, and one member-at-large chosen by the membership at a membership meeting. Other members may be appointed by the Coordinating Committee, subject to the approval of the Stewards Council, or be elected by the Stewards Council or the membership following a decision by that body. Additional members may be appointed by these various bodies from time to time. For questions about bargaining, please contact barg@uigeo.org.
Bargaining Team
The Immigration Working Group (IWG) was formed within the Solidarity Committee to address the concerns of non-citizen students and workers at the start of the second Trump presidency. The group aims to advocate for international and undocumented members by consolidating resources to navigate changing immigration policy, researching strategies to strengthen immigrant protections within the union and university, and collaborating with local immigrant organizations to preserve community safety. If you are interested in joining the Immigration Working Group, please email solcomm@uigeo.org. Any community member is welcome to join and union membership is not required.
Immigration Working Group
RA Working Group
In 2019 the Illinois state legislature passed HB253, reclassifying Research Assistants as "employees" rather than "students." Governor Pritzker is expected to sign the bill into law with an effective date of 1/1/2020. Having "employee" status doesn't change anything immediately, but opens the door to graduate employees in these categories having a union. The RA Unionization Working Group is researching paths to unionization, planning organizing these groups of employees, and answering questions and disseminating information to general membership. If you are interested in working around these issues please contact geo@uigeo.org.