First Bargaining Session
This morning, the GEO Bargaining Team (BT) and the UIUC Administration held their first bargaining session. Thank you to all members who attended! Please read below for more information on what happened today and what comes next.
Purpose of the meeting
The purpose of this meeting was for GEO to present the UIUC Administration with our comprehensive contract proposal. This contract proposal was drafted by the BT based on survey results and the research conducted by the Bargaining Research Team over the past year. Members approved the resulting bargaining pillars at the January General Membership Meeting (GMM).
What GEO did
We presented a comprehensive proposal that covered our four bargaining pillars: Tuition Waivers and Fees, Wages, Healthcare, and Access and Equality (Child Care, Bereavement Leave, Non-Discrimination, Visa and Immigration Leave). We read our entire proposal to the administration, and provided them with paper copies for review.
How the Administration responded
The Administration thanked us for presenting a full comprehensive proposal and, after briefly meeting together, asked for additional information from our fall survey of membership.
The Administration would like to meet every other week to continue the bargaining process and have set a tentative date for the next meeting.
What comes next
Please attend the next bargaining session because we will be discussing the Administration’s response to our comprehensive proposal and negotiating future meeting locations. Attending bargaining sessions is the best way to actively engage in the negotiation of your wages, healthcare, and other protections. It is perfectly acceptable to come late or leave early from a bargaining session if you can’t stay the entire time. Just being present demonstrates our unity and strength to the Administration. You can even bring your work if you want. Coffee and food will be provided.
The BT and the Administration agreed to meet for our next bargaining session on Monday, April 17th at the Fire Services Institute (11 Gerty Drive, Champaign). We are waiting on the administration to confirm the exact time. Please watch for a future email update regarding the time of the bargaining session. For information on carpooling or bus routes please email barg@uigeo.org.
We asked the Administration to present a comprehensive response next time, but they did not confirm whether or not they will have one.
The next BT meeting is on Saturday, April 1st, 5:00-7:00pm, at the GEO office in the McKinley Foundation Sun Room (809 S. Fifth St., Champaign–enter through the Presby Hall doors on Fifth St.). All members are welcome to the meeting. If you have questions about bargaining or the BT’s proposal, attending this meeting is the best way to address them.
More ways to be involved with bargaining:
Talk to your GEO department Steward
Attend a BT meeting
Attend bargaining sessions
Talk to your GEO colleagues
Follow GEO online:
Website: www.uigeo.org
Twitter: @geo_uiuc
Facebook: @uigeo @geosolcomm
Instagram: @geo_uiuc
Text Updates: text the word “GEO” to 69238 to receive periodic messages concerning crucial bargaining updates and other urgent information. Msg & data rates may apply. Text STOP to 69238 to stop receiving messages. Text HELP to 69238 for more information. Terms & Conditions.
See the GEO event calendar for future BT committee meetings, bargaining sessions, and other events. Add it to your Google calendar by searching for geo@uigeo.org. Bargaining Team meetings and bargaining sessions are open to all members. Please contact the Bargaining Team (barg@uigeo.org) with any questions.