Statement in Support of UIC United Faculty Union

Monday, January 23, 2023
Graduate Employees Organization Local 6300

GEO Statement in Support of UIC United Faculty Union

The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) at UIUC, IFT/AFT Local 6300 congratulates our colleagues at UIC United Faculty Union (UIC UF) for reaching a tentative agreement after bargaining with university administrators for nearly 10 months and working under an expired contract since August. After contract negotiations failed to reach an agreement in the union's struggle, UIC UF authorized a strike on January 16, 2023 and reached a tentative agreement on January 22.

Faculty have come to dozens of bargaining sessions with thoughtful and creative proposals. Throughout, faculty have insisted on a contract that provides best possible learning conditions for UIC students, including protecting faculty from ever-increasing workloads so that they will have adequate time to meet student needs and providing competitive faculty salaries that allow faculty to stay at UIC. They are also demanding assurance that all UIC faculty, students and staff can access disability and mental health resources; strengthening job security and assuring adequate minimum compensation for non-tenure track faculty who teach a majority of courses at UIC; and more.

Like our colleagues at UIC UF, graduate workers at GEO Local 6300 have been negotiating with UIUC admin for a fair contract with wage increases above inflation, fee waivers, year-round healthcare coverage, access and justice for 10 months now. We stand united with UIC UF in fighting for accessible higher education and opposing the administration’s bad faith bargaining tactics. It is disgraceful that the University of Illinois administration has forced workers to strike or authorize a strike more than 25 times in the past 14 years! 

The future of higher education in Illinois, and across the nation, depends on solidarity. The GEO offers its unwavering support to our fellow academic workers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We are inspired and encouraged by your powerful strike and your commitment to protecting equitable higher education and supporting student health and wellness. 

Solidarity forever!
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org

The Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT/IFT Local 6300, AFL-CIO, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, represents approximately 3,000 Teaching and Graduate Assistants on the UIUC Campus. In November 2009 and in February 2018, over 1,000 GEO members and allies participated in a strike to secure a fair contract and more accessible UIUC campus. With an active presence in the community, the GEO continues to work for high-quality and accessible public education in Illinois.

For more information, please contact geo@uigeo.org. More information can also be found on GEO’s website at www.uiucgeo.org.

Twitter: @geo_uiuc
Facebook: @uigeo @geosolcomm
Instagram: @geo_uiuc