Graduate Student Workers Preparing to Strike at the University of Illinois

[fishwax]

After several months of negotiations (most of it not particularly serious on the part of the university administration) and almost three months of working without a contract, the Graduate Employees Organization (which represents Graduate Assistants and Teaching Assistants at the University of Illinois main campus in Champaign-Urbana) voted last week to authorize a strike. I thought some folks here might be interested. :)

From the union's press release:

Over the course of a three day vote, an overwhelming 92% of participating GEO members chose to authorize a strike against the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. With the vote, GEO members have given the strike committee of the GEO a clear mandate to call a strike at any time. The Graduate Employee’s Organization, American Federation of Teachers/Illinois Federation of Teachers Local 6300, AFL-CIO, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is a labor union representing all teaching and graduate assistants (TAs and GAs) on the UIUC campus. With over 2600 GEO members, and over 2600 graduate employees represented in the bargaining unit, the GEO is one of the largest higher education union locals in the United States.

The GEO has been negotiating with UIUC administrators for over six months. The GEO seeks a contract that will set the minimum salary for a 50% nine month appointment at the University’s estimate of a living wage for a graduate student in Urbana-Champaign and protect tuition waivers for TAs and GAs. While the GEO presented the administration with a full contract proposal on the first day of negotiations, the UIUC administration declined to offer a counterproposal until August 11th, just four days before the GEO’s previous contract expired. The UIUC administration’s initial contract proposal sought to freeze GEO wages for three years, reserve the right to furlough and layoff graduate employees in good standing, and to count “in-kind” compensation such as housing or meal vouchers toward the minimum salary mandated in the contract.

(more at link)

[Bonobo]

1. I'm an Illini.

They used to work grad students to death even 20 years ago. It must be much worse now.

[fishwax]

4. I've heard (can't confirm personally) that there are TAs in the music dept teaching 4 classes

per semester for 25% appointments, which would amount to b/w 7-9k a year. I don't know if that particular rumor is true, but I do know there are a lot of folks working very hard.

If you're an alum and you can sympathize with the grad students on this, the Board of Trustees might benefit from a quick email ([e-mail]) or phone call (217-333-1920) encouraging them to deal with the students fairly, if you're so inclined :) (Also the provost ([e-mail]; 217.333.6677)

[Bonobo]

7. Thanks, Fishwax. I will do so. nt

[fishwax]

8. Very cool -- and a hearty thanks back at ya, Bonobo :)

:hi:

[Captain Hilts]

2. I did it. Twice. In Toronto. In February. Really. nt

[fishwax]

5. I hope they had a good budget for hot coffee and hot chocolate

:)

[BadgerKid]

3. FWIW, here's the provost's version

I got from friends who work there (phone number therein redacted just in case):

The GEO membership has voted to authorize its strike committee to call a
strike at any time. The GEO made a formal press release today. Unofficial
reports indicate that the strike would begin on Monday, November 16, 2009.
Although we continue to believe that a strike is not in the best interests
of either the GEO or the University, we recognize the GEO's legal right to
take a strike action.

Our goal always has been, and continues to be, to provide the best
possible contract within the budget constraints we face.

It is not news that the State of Illinois, and consequently the University
of Illinois, face severe budget problems and an uncertain financial
future. As Presidents White and Ikenberry shared recently, immediate
challenges include the State's lack of capacity to provide the funding for
this fiscal year that we are to have received but have not received. More
serious yet is the negative effect that State budget shortfalls will have
on funding appropriated for the duration of this academic year. Still more
serious are the projected effects on the University budget for fiscal year
2011 of the disappearance of federal recovery dollars from our State
budget and the further erosion of the State's tax base. Financial planning
is now focused on meeting and coping with financial stresses exceeding any
the University has encountered for many, many years. Although we have seen
welcome increases in research funding, and there have been successes in
the advancement campaign, it must be understood that funds from those
sources cannot be used for TA salaries.

For these reasons, the GEO's request for a nearly 20% raise in the minimum
stipend is untenable. As you know, other employees of the University did
not receive raises this year, and the state's economic situation may yet
require furloughs and other cost-saving measures before the end of the
fiscal year.

The University has been working very hard with the GEO to reach an
agreement on a new contract, and we have made substantial progress. We
have held 18 negotiating sessions and have reached tentative agreement on
several key items.

For example, the University and GEO have agreed to a substantial increase
in the health insurance fee subsidy provided by the University, increasing
the University's current contribution of 50% to 75% in years two and three
of the contract. Additionally, we have agreed on a parental accommodation
period for the birth or initial placement or adoption of a child.

We value the contributions graduate students make to the University, and
we know we are competing nationally and internationally to attract and
retain the best and brightest students. The total compensation package
offered by the University, which encompasses wages, waiver of most fees,
the tuition waiver, and a University of Illinois education, reflects our
recognition of the value brought to the University by our excellent
graduate students.

Nearly 60% of GEO members have 50% appointments, which means they are
required to work part-time, 20 hours a week for nine months each year. The
average salary for those employees is $16,222 or $20.80 an hour.

Our commitment to our students and employees has not changed. We remain
committed to providing a quality education for our students and being a
fair employer to all employee groups. We continue to seek ways we can
provide the most beneficial employment to all. But we must not make
concessions to the extraordinary demands of one group while respecting the
University's severe budgetary constraints in dealing with all others.

I remind you again that we have an obligation to our students and their
families to provide the education which they have sacrificed to attain.
Only GEO members have a legal right to strike; all other employees have an
obligation to meet the responsibilities of their positions.

Employees who choose not to cross a picket line must request and receive
approval (in advance) for vacation time. As always, vacation approval is
based on operational need; a unit is not required to approve a vacation
request if there are operational needs that would be unmet if the request
is approved. Sick leave cannot be utilized to cover strike-related
absences. If staff not covered by the GEO contract have unapproved
absences during the strike, normal discpline procedures will apply. As
with any union-initiated strike action, GEO members who elect to strike
rather than meet their job obligations will not be paid for strike
absences.

It is important to remember that a work stoppage will do nothing to
improve the financial situation that constrains what the University can do
in this round of negotiations, and it will not change what the University
can offer in these negotiations. The campus remains committed to
fulfilling our educational mission. Our students are entitled to the
education they have come to Illinois to receive, many with substantial
sacrifice by them and their families. We hope assistants will respect
their instructional obligations and not impair students' progress in their
current courses. The campus will monitor the situation closely and assess
options for dealing with any disruption that might occur to minimize the
harm which a work stoppage would cause.

Instructors are expected to alert students in advance about any changes in
class assignments or arrangements made because of a strike. The office
staff in the department or college offering a specific course also will be
available to respond to questions or problems that might arise in the
event of a work stoppage, and staff in the Dean of Students office also
will be available at 217-***-**** to respond to questions or concerns of
students or their parents. Some notes on the GEO negotiations are
available through this link:
http://www.provost.illinois.edu/geo_negotiation_notes.html.


This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

[fishwax]

6. kick

:kick:

[nemo137]

9. I'm a current Illini

The TA salary is way below the U-C cost of living, and they do a huge chunk of the work of actually day-to-day educating students on campus. We found money to build a new x-million dollar alumni center and a giant, idiotic bell-tower and pay the university president an extravagant salary, but we insist on paying the TA's less than they need to live? Disgusting.

[fishwax]

10. Thanks for your post and support, nemo137

Hopefully, if the administration and the board of trustees hears from enough people in the community who support the cause (particularly students who are upset about the interruption of their education) that will put enough pressure on the administration to get them to bargain in good faith.

:hi: