Graduate Employees' Organization at UIUC
GEO Local 6300 IFT/AFT AFL-CIO at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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News and GEO-L

Member Communications

Second Wage Bargaining Session and Recent Immigration Legislation

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Table of Contents:

  • Second Bargaining Session on Monday, March 9th

  • Changes to the Public Charge Rule

  • JOIN A GEO COMMITTEE!

  • CONNECT WITH GEO! 

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Second Bargaining Session on Monday, March 9th

Thanks so much to all of you who came to the bargaining room for our first bargaining session and to those who showed your support through social media, GMMs, and in other ways! Our work has only just begun, though, and we will need to continue to bring that kind of solidarity to the bargaining room throughout this cycle. We’re emailing to let you know that our second wage bargaining session has been scheduled for next Monday, March 9th, 2020! Our Bargaining Team will meet with the Administration at The Illini Union (1401 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801) Rooms 405 and 407 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. All members are welcome - BT wants you in the bargaining room standing behind them, and your input in the caucus room will be invaluable!! Here are some notes and reminders, from BT, for members who want to come to bargaining:

Bargaining Session attendees: We will provide information on site, but keep in mind:

  • Bring work if you want to — your mere presence in the room is powerful!

  • If you can arrive 15-30 minutes early (10:30-45) to learn the bargaining room ground rules and get situated, that would be great. However:

  • You may attend whenever you’re free, even if you can’t stay for the entire session or have to come late.

  • Do not speak to University Administration negotiators out of turn. All communications will be coordinated through a point person on the Bargaining Team (BT).

  • Do not feel pressured to disclose anything about yourself to the admin team.

  • Do not take photographs, audio or video record the session.

As a reminder, we presented our proposal to administration at the first meeting, and based our request for the campus minimum (for a 50% appointment) on the MIT Living Wage Calculator’s calculation of a living wage in Champaign County for a single adult with no dependents. This graphic shows both what we’re asking for in terms of our current wage situation and in terms of what it would cost the administration:

GRAD WORKERS DESERVE A LIVING WAGE update.png

Here is a link to our contract; and if you have more questions about how contract negotiations work or are interested in getting involved (thank you!) feel free to drop by our office (809 S 5th St., Champaign, IL, 61820) or send us an email at geo@uigeo.org. 

The Facebook event is linked here!

Changes to the Public Charge Rule

On January 27, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to lift preliminary injunctions brought in various state courts to block the Department of Homeland Security’s changes to the Public Charge Rule. At that time, an injunction was still in effect for the state of Illinois. As of the court’s February 21 ruling, the Illinois injunction has also been lifted.

A “public charge” is someone who currently depends on or is likely to depend on the US government for subsistence. To be admitted to the US, one of the things Immigrations officers consider is whether the person is likely to become a public charge. This is a major factor in determining admission to the US. Under the DHS’s new rules, it defines a public charge as someone who receives one or more “public benefits” for more than 12 aggregated months within any 36-month period (in other words, receiving two benefits in one month counts as two months). The DHS also allows immigration officers to deny applications based on public benefits received below this threshold if combined with other supposedly “negative” factors.

Previously, the definition of “public benefit” applied mainly to cash assistance (TANF, SSI, GA) and long term care institutional care funded by Medicaid. Effective February 24, the public benefit definition has been expanded to include cash benefits for income maintenance, SNAP, most forms of Medicaid, Section 8 Housing Assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, and certain other forms of subsidized housing. Additional changes have been made regarding income levels, forms, and sponsor requirements. If someone is found to be a public charge, their green card/visa application will be denied.

This could affect the types of public assistance international and immigrant GEO members can access, as well as their visas and ability to apply for legal permanent residency. For more details on the complete changes please read here. You can also visit the National Immigration Law Center's website or read the full text of the updated rule here.

Additional Resources: 

Know Your Rights Resource Page from protectingimmigrantfamilies.org 

February 21 NYT article with information about updated IL ruling

SC Justice Neil Gorsuch’s concurring opinion on the January 27 ruling

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JOIN A GEO COMMITTEE!

We are a member-run union; we depend on the commitment of our members to stay as strong as possible. You can find details about what each committee does and how to contact them on our website. No special knowledge is required. You can also follow the calendar of events on our website for the date and time of upcoming meetings: http://uiucgeo.org/calendar. Meetings are open to membership, and coming to a meeting does not commit you to joining a committee. 

Upcoming meetings:

Healthcare Working Group (health@uigeo.org) - Contact email for more 

Stewards’ Council (sc@uigeo.org) - Contact email for more

Finance Committee (treasurer@uigeo.org) - Contact email for more

Solidarity Committee (solcomm@uigeo.org) - Tuesday March 10, 4:30-6pm

Grievance Committee (grievance@uigeo.org) - Thursday March 12, 9-10am 

Communications Committee (commcomm@uigeo.org) - Thursday March 12, 4:30-5:30pm

Coordinating Committee (cc@uigeo.org) - Monday March 30, 4-5:30pm

RA/PGA Working Group (geo@uigeo.org) - Thursday March 5th, 6-7pm

Bargaining Team/Bargaining Research Team (barg@uigeo.org) - Contact email for more

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CONNECT WITH GEO!

Have comments about the GMM? Other kinds of feedback for us? We want to hear it! Reply to this email or use our anonymous google form. You can also get in touch through our website and social media:

Website: www.uiucgeo.org

Twitter: @geo_uiuc

Facebook: @uigeo @geosolcomm

Instagram: @geo_uiuc

In Solidarity,

Graduate Employees’ Organization

809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room

Champaign, IL 61820

Email: geo@uigeo.org

Communications Committee