GEO-L (Spooky Edition): General Membership Survey, Vaccine Boosters, and November GMM
Table of Contents:
Announcements:
Events:
Announcements
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.”
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
Where’s the reimbursement for my dependent’s health insurance premium?
If you purchased Student Health Insurance for a dependent partner or child, you should receive $225.50 via direct deposit by the end of the week. Our Collective Bargaining Agreement guarantees that the University will cover 25% of the $902 premium for one dependent. If you have not been reimbursed for your dependent’s health insurance premium by October 29, contact grievance@uigeo.org.
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot Info
The GEO strongly recommends that all eligible graduate workers receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, especially for those who are teaching in person and have underlying conditions. According to the university, employees may receive a booster shot during work hours without the use of accrued vacation or sick leave. Click here for booster shot eligibility requirements from the CDC.
Here are some local options:
1900 S. First Street, Champaign (east wing of the I Hotel and Conference Center)
Oct. 26-27, Nov. 2-4, Nov. 10-11
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Walk-in: no appointment necessary
1901 N. Market St., Champaign (Kohl’s Plaza)
Pfizer and Moderna boosters available
Oct. 30-31: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Nov. 6-7, Nov. 13-14, Nov. 20-21, Nov. 27-28: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Appointments are required. Scheduling will be available soon through MyCarle.
Area pharmacies
Visit vaccinefinder.org for available appointments at local pharmacies.
Free over-the-counter meds, flu shots, and other health supplies!
Did you know that you can get free over-the-counter drugs and health supplies through the McKinley Health Resource Centers? See locations, hours, and list of supplies offered here. Students are also eligible for free flu shots through McKinley. Make an appointment through the MyMcKinley Portal or stop by the Flu Outreach Clinics (no appointment needed).
Events
November GMM: Wednesday, November 10 at 12 PM (in-person) and 6PM (virtual)
Another steamy poster that could make you blush with its fall colored border of yellow, brown, and orange triangles. Beneath a black GEO logo, the content switches off between orange text and black text with a yellow drop shadow. It reads: “Wednesday, November 10th, General Membership Meeting, 12-1 pm in person, Channing Murray Foundation, 1209 w oregon st urbana il, 61801. coffee and bagels will be provided! 6-7 pm virtual, scan the QR code to register or go to tinyurl.com/november2021gmm. Topics: Bargaining Survey and Membership participation. Email: geo@uigeo.org, accessibility requests? email efujimoto5@gmail.com.
GEO will be having our next monthly General Membership Meeting (GMM) on Wednesday, November 10th. The tentative agenda includes preparing to bargain the new contract. The same topics will be discussed at both meetings.
We will be holding an in-person meeting from 12:00-1:00pm at the Channing Murray Foundation located at 1209 W Oregon St., Urbana, 61801 (right behind Davenport Hall on the main quad). Safety precautions will include checking building access at the door, requiring masks, and socially distanced chairs. A wheelchair-accessible entrance is located on the south side of the building. Coffee and bagels will be provided!
We will also meet online at 6:00-7:00pm via Google Meets. Register to attend at https://tinyurl.com/November2021GMM and you will receive the meeting link shortly before the meeting.
Please contact Ellie at efujimoto5@gmail.com for accessibility requests, additions to the agenda, and to volunteer to help with the GMM!
People First, Cancel Debt Committee’s General Meeting: 11/02/21 6:30pm Hybrid
Picture of GEO organizers at the Quad on a sunny day. One of the members is carrying a paper mache head of a monopoly main. To the left there’s a blue square that reads The GEO's People First Cancel Debt Committee, below a text in all caps reading New Members Meeting in yellow text Tuesday, November 2nd 6:30pm Hybrid GEO Office (809 S 5th St) and Virtual RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/CancelDebtForm. To the right corner in a white background and black font Would you like build a University that puts People First so that education is no longer a debt sentence? Join our new members meeting and RSVP below! This will be a hybrid meeting open to any student, worker or community member at UIUC. In the right corner there’s a purple GEO logo and a QR code.
Have you or your loved ones been affected by debt? Would you like to be part of a People First University that is radically diverse, with free tuition and accessible resources? Join the People First, Cancel Debt Committee of the GEO for our next meeting on Tuesday, November 2nd from 6:30pm-7:30pm both virtually and in person at the GEO Office (809 S 5th St Geneva Room, McKinley Foundation). RSVP with our interest form here. For those of you that attended our Halloween Meet and Hang last Tuesday, October 19th we hope to see you in our meeting next week!
“The People First Cancel Debt” was founded in the summer of 2020, inspired by the student strike at the University of Puerto Rico in 2017 and a need to organize against the current economic system that is leaving us indebted, precarious and impoverished beyond the pandemic. We believe in creating a People First University by divesting from institutional and student indebtment to have a University run by their workers with free tuition, subsidized resources and democratic community participation.
Racism Hurts Us All Event w/ Author Heather McGhee, Nov. 15, 6 pm
Image of Heather McGhee on the left, smiling next to her book cover for The Sum of Us on the right.
GEO is co-sponsoring an event with the Missouri Workers Center! Join Heather McGhee, author of New York Times best-seller The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, and Stand Up KC leaders Terrence Wise and Bridget Hughes for a discussion about how racism hurts us all and our path to an economy that works for everyone!
Date: Monday, November 15
Time: 6pm CT
Location: Zoom
REGISTER HERE
Join the Facebook event here
In Solidarity,
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org