Our Plan to Win a Strong Contract

To ensure that we can win these demands, we will:

• Make every effort to keep all grad workers informed throughout bargaining
• Create and emphasize opportunities for the majority of grad workers to participate in the process of winning a strong contract

We hope UIUC admin will not push back on grad workers’ key priorities as they and some other institutions have. Either way, to win the strongest possible contract we need a decisive majority of grad workers to actively participate in the bargaining process. Our collective power comes from our numbers. Grad workers uniting around our contract campaign is what gives us the strength and leverage at the bargaining table to achieve a fair agreement with UIUC.

We will use strategies from our own and other campaigns to build the power we need to win the comprehensive contract we all deserve. These strategies include:

• Strong organizing through majority participation We will continue to have regular conversations with our coworkers to keep each other updated, informed, and provide lines of ongoing communication with the Bargaining Team. If you want to get involved in organizing please let us know here! barg@uigeo.org
• Bargaining updates We will provide regular and timely updates on bargaining sessions through our Bargaining Portal, social media, and GEO-Ls to keep our coworkers informed of which proposals are being passed, as well as any progress or challenges in the negotiations.
• Open email communication We remain committed to being responsive to the priorities and needs of UIUC grad workers by answering any emails that you send to barg@uigeo.org with specific concerns in a timely manner. Such concerns include, but are not limited to, reports of Unfair Labor Practices and Violations of our Current Contract. The Bargaining Committee will keep these reports confidential and will work with you to help find immediate solutions. Identifying unfair practices also helps us to make sure that the contract will prevent these practices in the future.
• Open negotiation sessions While the conversations and actual exchange of proposals in bargaining sessions will be between our Bargaining Team and UIUC’s administrative team, the bargaining sessions are open to all members. GEO encourages every member to come to the sessions. Bargaining session dates will be shared when scheduled.
• Petitions We are gathering petition signatures to demonstrate to admin that graduate workers demand Dignity through Financial Wellbeing, Protections, and Respect. As many grad workers as possible collectively making our voices heard will be critical in moving the admin.
• Contract Action Research Team (CART) A team consisting of rank-and-file members, stewards, and officers formed to conduct research on possible actions that can be taken to help win the best contract possible, including through pressure campaigns, rallies, and if necessary withholding labor. The work of this team involves studying recent contract campaigns of other grad worker unions and talking to leaders from these unions to identify lessons and strategies from their campaigns that are relevant to us.

With these strategies and tools, together we can win a contract that significantly improves the lives of all graduate workers at UIUC. We look forward to organizing together!