Welcome Back from Fall Break! Bargaining Team Updates, Tutor-In + Rally, and more
Table of Contents:
Announcements:
Events:
Announcements
Join the GEO Bargaining Team!
We are going into a bargaining cycle in Spring 2022! Are you interested in assuming a leadership role in this Spring’s full contract bargaining?
Consider running for a place on GEO’s Bargaining Team (BT)!
Some info: The BT is responsible for researching, assembling, planning, and making decisions about bargaining documents and agendas. Bargaining can take months or up to a year, with bargaining sessions happening on a regular (often biweekly) basis. Though it is a substantial time commitment, work on the BT can be highly impactful and rewarding.
BT training will begin over winter break and its members will be elected in early January by the general membership.
As an inclusive and democratic union, GEO would like our BT to be roughly representative of our members. Women, people of color, LGBTQ, international students, and caregivers are highly encouraged to run. Please share if you have additional ideas for how to make the BT accessible and inclusive for all. Everyone is welcome!
If you have questions and/or would like to nominate yourself, contact the Bargaining Research Team at barg@uigeo.org.
White flyer, blue borders. Coral box at the top says “We Are Bargaining A New Contract!“. Underneath says “JOIN THE GEO BARGAINING TEAM!“. Caption says “Do you want to see changes to our contract? Run for a place on the union’s bargaining team!” Black GEO logo is in the middle, and four blue boxes surrounding it. Top left box: “What do we do? Survey members’ needs, draft a proposal contract, and negotiate with the administration.” Top right box: “How much time? Meetings are weekly and can take up to a year. You will receive proper training over Winter Break 2021.” Bottom left box: “Who can join? GEO is a democratically operated union so any member can run! LGBTQIAP+ folks, care givers, women, and BIPOC are highly encouraged!” Bottom right box: “Why join? Being on the Bargaining Team is rewarding! YOU can make a positive impact on thousands of grad workers and their families!” Bottom coral box says “For more information or to nominate someone or yourself, email barg@uigeo.org.”
Help the Bargaining Research Team: Analyzing the GEO Bargaining Survey
This coming spring marks the beginning of full contract bargaining, where we will bargain with university administration over wages, healthcare and benefits, workplace protections, and much more. To prepare for and to help set priorities for bargaining, GEO is administering a general membership survey. Take a few minutes to fill out the survey to let us know what is going on in your life and the issues you want GEO to fight for in the next contract. And don’t forget, when you're done go on and share it with a friend! Take the survey here.
Questions and/or concerns regarding the survey? Email the BRT at barg@uigeo.com
Do you like looking over data and making interpretive arguments about what it means? Do you have a knack for making charts and graphs? Are you frustrated by the UIUC administration’s unwillingness to pay graduate workers a living wage and provide adequate healthcare? Well, if you found yourself saying “yes,” the GEO Bargaining Research Team (BRT) wants you!
Right now, the BRT is looking for extra help in analyzing, organizing, and presenting information from the general membership survey. This job is integral to the upcoming full contract bargaining taking place in the spring because the information in the survey will help determine bargaining priorities and pillars. The work will take place in December and over break. If this is a task that you would like to help with, contact the BRT at barg@uigeo.org.
General Membership Survey for Contract Bargaining
A flyer that has been described as both “hot” and “fun” featuring a green background with wacky bursts of shapes like pinwheels, coils, and stars in white, blue, and yellow. The GEO logo appears in a heptagon on the top left. Next to this in purple boxes and yellow bubble font read “UIUC GEO General Membership Survey For Contract Bargaining.” Between this message and a QR code reads black text: “to prepare for and to help set priorities for bargaining with the university over wages, healthcare and benefits,workplace protections,and more in Spring. Geo is conducting a survey that is open to all graduate students, regardless of current employment or membership status. follow this link to take the survey: tinyurl.com/BRTSurvey2021 or scan the QR code below!” On the bottom right is a red text box saying “share with friends and colleagues.”
Unfair Labor Practice Update
Every month since at least January 2020, the University of Illinois has incorrectly deducted dues from some Union members. These dues errors have resulted in a net loss of approximately $24,000 for the GEO. After filing three separate Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB), the University and the GEO have begun the legal battle over this lost dues money.
The first two hearings about the ULP charges took place last Wednesday and Friday. The GEO maintained that, pursuant to Public Act 101-0620 passed in late 2019, the University has the legal responsibility to pay back the GEO $24,000 for dues they failed to withhold. The University refused to acknowledge that they made any errors and did not address the substance of the legal charge. Instead, they spent most of their time attacking the GEO’s accounting of a few fringe cases, which account for less than 5% of the disputed dollar amount.
The next IELRB hearing is scheduled for late January, 2022.
Events
2021 Tutor-In + Rally, Hybrid Format (Illini Union + Online), Friday, December 9, 12-8 PM
The GEO Tutor-In has become an annual Reading Day tradition, where grad students meet up with undergrads in the Illini Union for a day of tutoring (and solidarity-building) in preparation for final exams and papers. This year, join us for a rally, tutoring or study time, fun break activities, and refreshments.
This year we will have the tutor in a hybrid manner (meeting method will be determined by the availability and comfort level of tutors and students) from 12-8PM!
Interested volunteers (either tutors or receptionists) can sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/TutorIn2021Volunteer
Individuals interested in getting tutored can sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/TutorIn2021Participant
[Pink flyer with yellow dots at the top and a pencil floating diagonally on the top right. Black text under the dots says “GRADUATE EMPLOYEES’ ORGANIZATION”. Underneath that is big yellow title text that says “FALL 2021 TUTOR-IN + RALLY” Underneath in black text says “The GEO Tutor-In has become an annual Reading Day tradition, where grad students meet up with undergrads in the Illini Union for a day of tutoring (and solidarity-building) in preparation for final exams and papers. This year, join us for a rally, tutoring or study time, fun break activities, and refreshments.” Underneath this is a black bar that has yellow text on top that says “HYBRID FORMAT (ILLINI UNION + ONLINE), DECEMBER 9, 2021, 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM”. On the bottom right corner is a black GEO logo. At the bottom, yellow text says “Are you a graduate student interested in being a tutor or receptionist? Fill out this form: https://tinyurl.com/TutorIn2021Volunteer” and “Are you a student interested in getting tutored? Fill out this form: https://tinyurl.com/TutorIn2021Participant”.]
In Solidarity,
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org