Twenty-sixth Bargaining Session

***195 days since our contract expired on August 15th***

Strike Begins on Monday

Because the Administration has refused to negotiate a contract that secures membership priorities, we will be going on strike, beginning Monday 2/26 at 8:00am. Our picket lines will go from 8:00am-5:00pm every day until we secure a fair contract. We will be meeting at the Eternal Flame Pillar in between the English Building and Lincoln Hall on the Main Quad to assign picketing locations. Everyone, GEO member or not, is welcome to join us on the picket line.

In order to WIN, we need to withhold ALL of our labor and have a mass presence on our picket lines. Now is the time to commit to supporting each other for as long as is needed to win.

Bargaining Update

Thank you everyone for your organizing work! Everyone who committed to our strike, signed up for picket shifts, did office visits, and showed their support and solidarity have put us in a great position to be prepared for a powerful strike and win a great contract for our membership!

At the beginning of the bargaining session today, the GEO presented a new comprehensive proposal to the Administration and gave them two hours to provide a response. The Administration sent over a proposal that made no real changes from their previous proposal, illustrating that they’re not interested in bargaining a fair contract that protects tuition waivers. For a markup of the Administration’s proposal from last Friday, see this link. The GEO gave the Administration until 5:00pm to get serious and make substantial movement, especially on tuition waiver protection.

The Administration told the GEO that they would not move. At 5:00pm, the bargaining team kept its promise, left the bargaining room, and joined the rest of the GEO at the rally outside the Illinois Fire Service Institute.