Summary of 2/28 Impact Bargaining, Next IB session TODAY at 2:30 PM
COVID-19 Impact Bargaining
Subject: Summary of 2/28 Impact Bargaining, Next IB session TODAY at 2:30 PM
***March 1, 2022***
Table of Contents:
Announcements:
Events:
Announcements
Summary of COVID-19 Impact Bargaining Session on 2/28/22
Administration presented their proposals to GEO on the basis that the acceptance of these proposals would end COVID-19 Impact Bargaining for the Spring 2022 semester, and that the Health & Safety Level 3 grievance that the GEO has filed against the university be dropped. The Impact Bargaining lead negotiators asked questions about the proposal specifics.
Worker choice:
We clarified procedures for requesting accommodations in the short term and long term.
We clarified who has the authority to grant accommodations and interim accommodations.
Exposure notifications:
Confirmed that individuals who test positive for COVID-19 need to opt-in to contact tracing by calling the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
Masks:
A joint committee with 5 people on the university’s side and 5 people on GEO’s side. This would be an opportunity for the GEO to express the concerns with what types of masks that the university is offering, as well as an opportunity to discuss how to reach certain areas where the GEO believes that there are insufficient masks being provided.
What’s next? Based on the information received in this meeting, our Impact Bargaining team is submitting a counter proposal to Administration. This will specify what COVID-19 risk factors graduate workers can request accommodations for, the process for requesting interim accommodations, and allowing instructors to notify students about COVID-19 exposure. We expect administration to respond to our proposal at tomorrow’s Virtual Impact Bargaining Session.
EVENTS
Virtual Impact Bargaining Session - Tuesday, March 1, 2:30-4 PM
On Tuesday, March 1st from 2:30-4:00 PM, GEO will negotiate with UIUC administration over COVID-19 health and safety conditions! In addition to our demands for high quality masks, COVID-19 exposure notifications, regular testing and building access status checks, worker choice, and changes to mask mandate policy, which will directly impact graduate workers, our students, faculty, and staff. We can only demand change to this unscientific, undemocratic decision to disregard public health and leave workers and students to fend for ourselves if we come together to make our voices heard!
RSVP here to receive a link to attend the session: https://tinyurl.com/COVIDIBSess21
[Alt text: Light blue poster with dark blue, yellow, and purple bars stemming from the top left, bottom left, and middle right of the page. Big white text on the middle left says “COVID-19 IMPACT BARGAINING SESSION - 3/1/22”. The GEO logo in white is on the top right. Bottom right white text says “PACK THE SCREEN! Attend virtually and support our union’s Impact Bargaining Team! Tuesday, March 1, 2022, 2:30-4:00 PM CDT. Register here:
https://tinyurl.com/COVIDIBSess21. IBT members will be negotiating for a more comprehensive COVID-19 notification system, unlimited PPE (K/N95 masks), and extension of the UIUC mask mandate past February 28.”]
Solidarity Committee Open House and Virtual Happy Hour - Wednesday, March 2nd 2022 at 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM (Happy Hour at 8:00 PM)
GEO’s Solidarity Committee invites you to our annual Open House on March 2nd! Join us to learn about all of the amazing work our team has been up to this past year - from supporting IL union picket lines to building international solidarity! Do you have ideas for what solcomm should focus on next? Or want to be more involved in building community but don't know how? We would love to chat and hope to see you at our Open House and/or our 8:00pm Virtual Happy Hour! RSVP for the Open House here: bit.ly/SOLCOMMGMM and the Happy Hour here: bit.ly/SolcommHappyHour.
[Mustard colored Flyer advertising G-E-O's Solcomm open house on March 2nd at 12:00pm and 6:00pm (R-S-V-P link: bit.ly/SOLCOMMGMM), and a virtual happy hour at 8:00pm in Gathertown (Join link: bit.ly/SolcommHappyHour). Pictured are four cartoon individuals holding protest signs that read National Strike, S-E-I-U Local 73, Anti-racism, and Stand with Women.]
In Solidarity,
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org