Bargaining Session #7 - Summary

At Thursday’s bargaining session, the university’s bargaining team (BT) started by apologizing for the wage offers that were clawed back in MCB, GWS, Chemistry, and AIS. Still, the university’s spokesperson confirmed that the original, signed offer letters that promised raises would not be honored. Despite their anger at admin’s “apology,” the GEO BT soldiered on by passing a package proposal with Disciplinary Procedure, Grievance Procedure, and Dues Deduction articles. The admin’s BT then passed a version of Appointment terms, Distribution of Information, Use of University Resources, and Health and Safety. Admin’s proposal revisited a section that the two parties had previously come to a tentative agreement on.

After a long caucus, the administration brought back a package proposal in response to GEO’s package on Disciplinary Procedure, Grievance Procedure, and Dues Deduction articles. Instead of responding to these packages in session, GEO’s BT pivoted to highlighting the inadequacy of the administration’s economic package.

From there, two members shared moving testimonials, which were met with a rather disappointing lack of response from the admin’s BT. The first member, an international worker, described how they suffered financially after having a medical emergency the year before. Spending $3000 on a necessary emergency surgery was a major strain for them, effectively cutting their annual wages by 12%. "Lowering the out-of-pocket maximum matters to me because my choice was between my existential security, and my life. I chose my life."

The second testimonial came from a grad worker who is mother of two who described the strain of raising two children on a grad worker salary. She said that her time at UIUC has drained her and her husband’s savings, and she was rushing her way through her program because she couldn’t afford to remain a grad worker much longer. She condemned that the university’s poor wages pushed parents, particularly mothers, out of academia. "Pushing parents and, by a large proportion, mothers out of the graduate workforce would be a grave mistake. The work ethic, empathy, and intellectual frameworks I have cultivated as a graduate parent have made me a better worker in every position I’ve held."

As the session wrapped up, the 91 angry and disappointed members in attendance left the session to rally outside Burrill Hall to demand an end to the administration’s wage theft and a fair wage proposal. While the admin's attempt to divide grad workers and turn them against each other in addition to the admin’s lackluster response was disappointing, GEO’s BT will continue to fight for the contract grad workers deserve on Fair Contract Friday, 8/28, 1-4, with YOUR presence. Mark your calendars, wear your GEO gear, and bring your co-workers!