Since May 2017, at least 10 unions at seven Illinois universities have staged a strike or threatened a walkout.
Here are some details:
University of Chicago graduate assistants
Group of graduate student instructors voted to unionize in October 2017
Union bypasses National Labor Relations Board; opts to negotiate directly with university for first contract
University refuses request to bargain with union in October 2018
Union votes overwhelmingly in May 2019 to authorize walkout
Union members start picket lines and demonstrations June 3
City Colleges of Chicago clerical and technical staff
Contract for full-time workers expired in June 2016, for part-timers in June 2017
Union went on strike for one day: May 2, 2019
Two sides announced tentative agreement May 3, ending strike.
Trustees expected to approve new contract in June.
University of Illinois at Chicago faculty
Contract expired in August 2018
Faculty authorized a strike in mid-April; walkout later scheduled for April 23
Administration and union reached agreement on April 22, averting walkout
New four-year contract signed in May
University of Illinois at Chicago graduate/teaching assistants
Negotiations began in March 2018
Contract expired in September 2018
Union and administration reached tentative agreement April 5
New contract finalized on April 23
Loyola University teaching/research assistants
Graduate students working as teaching and research assistants unionize in February 2017
Students stage sit-in at president’s office, demonstration to protest administration’s refusal to bargain
City Colleges faculty
Negotiations started April 2018
Contract expired July 2018
In January 2019, union announced strike set for Feb. 4.
Union and administration reached agreement Jan. 26, avoiding strike.
New contract ratified in March 2019
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign graduate/teaching assistants
Negotiations began in March 2017
Contract expired August 2017
Union went on strike February 2018
Two sides reached tentative agreement March 2018, after two-week walkout
New five-year contract ratified in April 2018.
Loyola non-tenure track/adjunct faculty
Union includes faculty in College of Arts and Sciences, and English Language Learners Program
Negotiations started June 2016
Faculty staged one-day strike April 4, 2018.
Tentative agreements reached April 16, 2018.
New three-year contract went into effect June 2018
Columbia College part-time faculty
Previous contract expired August 2017
Bargaining started September 2017
Union staged two-day strike in November 2017, in protest of a university proposal it said “removes all protections for job security, seniority, a paid sick day and academic freedom.”
Union threatened strike November 2018, but walkout did not occur.
Both sides requested federal mediator in December 2018
Tentative agreement reached in April 2019
University of Illinois at Springfield faculty
Union representing tenure and tenure-track professors certified in February 2015
Union went on strike May 2, 2017; walkout fell on last week of spring semester classes
Administration and union reached agreement on May 7, ending strike
Four-year contract finalized in August 2017
drhodes@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @rhodes_dawn
