University of Illinois Steals Money from 200 Graduate Workers During Contract Negotiations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, October 27, 2022
Contacts:
Chelsea Birchmier
Bargaining Team Member
sc@uigeo.org
Savannah Wills and Megan Mericle
Communications Officers
commcomm@uigeo.org
University of Illinois Steals Money from 200 Graduate Workers During Contract Negotiations
Champaign-Urbana, IL - The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) protests Chancellor Jones’s State of the University address, demanding the University agree to a fair contract and return the wages owed to over 200 graduate workers.
In the middle of “Graduate Appreciation Week,” the GEO took by storm the State of the University address, where faculty, students and administrators congregated to listen to Chancellor Jones’s “current and future bold plans” for UIUC. GEO interrupted the address to demand a contract that advances equity for all graduate workers, and for the University to pay the money owed to graduate workers whose appointment letters were not honored.
“I’m a TA that has taught several hundred students during my time as a graduate worker. I was promised a 3% raise for the start of the school year. Without consulting me they decided to cut my pay at a 3% deduction, which means 300 dollars less. I’ve had to take a second job because graduate workers like myself have now worked 72 days without a contract. The GEO is the one that appreciates me and is going to bat for me, not the University,” said Patrick Hill.
In addition to submitting an active grievance with the University for the arbitrary changes in wages on nearly 200 assistants’ appointment letters, the GEO is currently negotiating a comprehensive contract that will affect 3,000 workers. Despite the GEO’s good faith efforts in making relevant changes to their proposal to address the “expansiveness” noted by the University, the administration insists that the GEO only focus on wages and health care and drop all other proposals addressing access. justice, health and safety.
“The GEO’s proposal responds to the very complex needs of all graduate workers including those who are parents, international students, people of color, LGBTQIA+ and disabled. The GEO will not be forced to withdraw on equity proposals addressing non-discrimination, inclusive English proficiency requirements, and child care subsidies. The University fundraised 2.25 billion dollars in their “With Illinois” campaign, and can afford to advance equity and provide wage increases to grad workers that account for inflation,” said Chelsea Birchmier.
The Union will have their next bargaining session tomorrow from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Levis Faculty Center, 3rd floor. The sessions are open for all graduate students to attend once they become members. The Union invited interim Provost, William Bernhard, to the session, who declined the invitation.
The Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT/IFT Local 6300, AFL-CIO, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, represents approximately 2,700 Teaching and Graduate Assistants on the UIUC Campus. In November 2009 and in February 2018, over 1,000 GEO members and allies participated in a strike to secure a fair contract and a more accessible UIUC campus. With an active presence in the community, the GEO continues to work for high-quality and accessible public education in Illinois.
For more information, please contact geo@uigeo.org. More information can also be found on GEO’s website at www.uiucgeo.org.
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