GEO-L 9/11/2023

GEO Weekly

Welcome! Dear Graduate Workers,  Welcome back to UIUC! We are the GEO Co-Presidents for this academic year, Michael Klajbor and Daniel Rodriguez-Arrizon. We are excited for what this new year promises and look forward to hearing about the incredible research, teaching, and activism that is only possible because of your labor and time. UIUC would not be the same campus without the talents and diversity that you bring to Urbana-Champaign.  We are starting the year with a new, powerful contract. Hundreds of graduate students supported GEO's elected Bargaining Team over 26 long sessions, and our new contract for 2022-2026 reflects that labor and passion. Not only did we win historic wage increases, but summer healthcare coverage is now guaranteed, parental leave was increased, and several other areas of our contract have been strengthened and clarified. None of this would have been possible without you. This year, we are eager to aggressively defend this new contract with you. In August alone, the Grievance Committee submitted over 200 late Notice of Appointment complaints, and our Stewards Council signed 400 new GEO members during orientations. We were so excited to see the hundreds of you that came to celebrate this new year with us during our Welcome Back party last week - expect more celebrations to come!  Your voice and your guidance makes this union thrive, and we strongly encourage you to attend our first General Membership Meeting (GMM) on September 20th, from Levis Faculty Center, Room 300. 919 W Illinois St, Urbana, IL 61801. This first GMM is one of the most important discussions we will have as a Union all year - not only will we be deciding on goals and priorities for this academic cycle, but we will also be presenting a budget for members to discuss and ratify so that we can make our shared goals reality.  Committee Chairs will be hosting an "Open House" so you can learn more about where your talents can benefit every graduate worker on campus. All details can be found in the flier further on in this email. We hope to see you all at the GMM. As your Co-Presidents, we are committed to fostering a union and community that uplifts and supports you and every graduate worker. This union, and this campus, only work because you do. Let's celebrate hopeful tomorrows and defend the wins of the past.  In Solidarity,  Michael Klajbor and Daniel Rodriguez-Arrizon Upcoming GEO  Events Committee Announcements GEO members are facilitating an HRI (Humanities Research Institute) reading group! In the Organize & Analyze: Social Movements Reading Group we will discuss readings, films, short stories, plays, and poems on global working class social movements and develop our praxis. Our first meeting will be Tues Sept. 19 12:30-2 PM CT, Levis Faculty Center 304. Free lunch will be provided (please RSVP so we can get a headcount/dietary restrictions), and the group is open to all, so please spread the word! RSVP here: bit.ly/READMOVEMENTS Join us on GEO's Grievance Committee! If you're interested in helping enforce GEO's contract by representing workers in meetings with their bosses, participating in grievance hearings with admin, examining grievance case evidence, facilitating coordination between stewards and grievants from their departments, and more, get in touch and come to our upcoming meetings! Our next meeting is at 7pm on Wednesday, 9/13, in the GEO office (809 S Fifth Street, Champaign) or online. We'll have pizza. Come introduce yourself! Email grievance@uigeo.org for a link. In Solidarity, GEO