 |
| Source: Zbigniew Bzdak Chicago Tribune |
We share this report from David Johnson with our readers. This would be the time for these folks in education to link up with the teachers strike in West Virginia. RM
David Johnson
David Johnson
World
Labor Hour Radio
104.5
FM ( www.wrfu.net )
Urbana-
Champaign, IL.
I just arrived home from the University of Illinois Graduate Employees Union ( GEO ) strike rally in Urbana-Champaign IL.
They really know how to do a rally. Drums, horns, chanting, singing, and lots of great speakers.
I could hear them from over two blocks away as I approached.
This
is day 2 of their strike and when I picketed with them
yesterday, the university quad area where most of the
buildings where classes are held, was empty of the usual large
crowds of students going to and from classes. Only hundreds of
chanting graduate students picketing in front of various
buildings in groups of ten to fifteen and in excess of 50 in
front of some buildings.
This
strike is getting attention from all over the U.S. because of
what is at stake. The outcome of this strike will set a
precedent that will have repercussions not just for Graduate
students across the U.S., but also for other public sector
Unions at the University of Illinois and across the country as
well as all Unions nationwide.
The
main issue is tuition waivers. The U of I Admin. wants to have
sole discretion as to who gets tuition waivers as opposed to
being stipulated in the Union contract that requires it for
ALL graduate students, as has been the case since the founding
of the GEO Union in 2002. That is the big issue, but also a
raise in pay to slightly above the federal minimum wage and
more of their healthcare costs being paid by the University.
Last year their health insurance increased by 25 %.
This
strike may last longer than the 2009 strike that lasted only
2-days, since it appears that the U of I Admin is emboldened
by both the Trump Admin in D.C., Illinois Republican Governor
Bruce Rauner, and the upcoming Janus decision.
If
the U of I gets their way and tuition waivers will no longer
be specified in the Union contract, then the Union will
eventually die. In effect an attempt at Union busting.
The
Graduate Union members I spoke with are prepared for however
long it takes because they realize that not only will this
destroy their Union but it will also make the University
unaffordable for most of them, who are primarily from Working
class families.
If
any of you individually and/or your Union Local can donate to
their strike fund please do so at ;
http://www.uigeo.org/
As
soon as you pull up the web page the donate button is in the
right hand corner
Thanks
in Solidarity
David Johnson
World
Labor Hour Radio
104.5
FM ( www.wrfu.net )
Urbana-
Champaign, IL.
No comments:
Post a Comment