SOLIDARITY! VICTORY! The striking graduate students at the U fo Illinois have won!

[fishwax]

Earlier this week I posted that the Graduate Employees Organization was going on strike at the University of Illinois this week. Yesterday was rainy and cold, but there were 700 or so grad students and supporters out on the quad at 8 in the morning, making their voices heard. Among the marchers were supporters from the faculty; from the undergraduate population; from other unions on campus, in town, and around the state; and from other grad student organizations in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa (as well as Illinois). It was quite a sight.

The picketers were back out today, even though it was colder and still rainy; and while a few hundred strikers and supporters were marching on the quad, the administration was back at the bargaining table. By one p.m. we learned that the union and the administration reached a tentative agreement on a contract, with the administration meeting our demands to protect tuition waivers. Ironically, the wording is apparently very similar to what the union proposed way back in April, and is actually *stronger protection* than what the union proposed (and the university rejected) at Saturday's 6 hour bargaining session.

It has been an interesting couple of days on the U of I campus, and it's not official yet -- there will be an official ratification vote sometime later this week. But for now the pickets have been suspended and everyone who spent most or part of the last two days marching in the cold and the rain is feeling pretty good! :)

I know some people here expressed their (much appreciated) support for the striking workers, and so I wanted to be sure to let you all know how it turned out!

:party::woohoo::party::woohoo::party:

[Luciferous]

1. Good to hear... thanks for the update nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. WOOHOOO once for the workers!

Nos this needs to spread.

[Writer]

3. From one graduate student to another...

I am very happy to hear the good news. Access to higher education must be preserved at all costs, and I'm so glad that the graduate students will be able to continue their studies and work.

:woohoo:

[Oceansaway]

4. TOUCHE !!..n/t

[Nikki Stone1]

5. Excellent!

:)

[PDJane]

6. EXCELLENT!!!

Truly wonderful news, thank you.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. As a former graduate student myself...

:woohoo: for the grad students at Illinois!

[Odin2005]

8. YAY!!!

:party:

[justabob]

9. good work!!

That is great to hear.

[Brickbat]

10. Solidarity forever!

[skorpo]

11. Great news.

[EFerrari]

12. Yes!

[fishwax]

13. Here's a video summary of Monday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kmDPXJwEGA

(Note: I'm the one in the poncho making noise :))

[davsand]

14. Kevsand was on the line with you all for couple of hours yesterday.

He was at Davenport Hall for a couple of hours around mid-day. He was worn out and cold when he got home, but he was feeling god about it.

Congrats to you all! What happy news!



Laura

[Starry Messenger]

15. Excellent news fishwax!

Thanks for the link to video, too. Very inspiring. Nice job everyone!

[Greyhound]

16. Yay! Thanks for the follow up. n/t

[freddie mertz]

17. Hooray!

Grad students at other universities should take heart, and get out there and get it DONE.

[fishwax]

18. One more kick, with thanks to all for their

congrats and thoughts of solidarity!

As we chanted on the line the last couple of days: This is what democracy looks like!