12 Jun Bargaining Update #1: First Session Scheduled, Follow for Updates
One month ago, on May 9th, UIC United Faculty presented UIC Administration with our demand to bargain over what will become our third contract since the union was founded in 2012. Last week, the university responded with proposed meeting times, and we have mutually agreed to several dates for our opening negotiating sessions. We can now announce that our first session will take place on Wednesday, June 20th, from 2pm-5pm. We will announce the location when confirmed.
While the bargaining process has just begun, the bargaining team has been meeting regularly since Fall of last year to prepare. We have spent that time surveying the membership on bargaining priorities, crafting contract proposals, and preparing for the challenges of meeting our administration at the negotiating table. We hope our efforts will facilitate an efficient and productive bargaining process. However, we are ready to stand our ground, if need be, to win the human capital our university needs to thrive, dignified salaries that allow members to reside in the Chicagoland communities that we serve, and shared governance processes that empower all faculty.
As ever, the willingness of our members and our communities to be active observers and participants in this process are what we need in order to achieve the best outcomes possible. Therefore, for the duration of the bargaining process, we will be issuing periodic updates via email, facebook, twitter, and here on our website. We strongly encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media, and consider supporting the bargaining team by attending a rally, 30 minutes prior to the first session. Details for the rally will be announced shortly. With your support, we can make UIC an even better place to work and learn!
In Solidarity,
UIC United Faculty Bargaining Team
Aaron Krall [Co-Chair], Senior Lecturer, English | Kevin Whyte [Co-Chair], Professor, Math, Statistics and Computer Science | Kheir Al-Kodmany, Professor, Urban Planning and Policy | Xochitl Bada, Associate Professor, Latin American and Latino Studies | Joaquin Chavez, Associate Professor, History | Jim Drown, Senior Lecturer, English | Chris Kanich, Assistant Professor, Computer Science | Scott McFarland, Lecturer, English | Paul Pieper, Associate Professor, Economics | Paul Preissner, Associate Professor, Architecture | Laurie Quinn, Clinical Professor, Biobehavioral Science | Jeffrey Sklansky, Associate Professor, History | Charitianne Williams, Senior Lecturer, English | Milos Zefran, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering