CHICAGO — A tentative agreement was reached between Eastern Illinois University and union-represented faculty and staff Thursday evening after almost a year of bargaining and a six-day strike.
The union — EIU University Professionals of Illinois — said although the offer was not endorsed by the bargaining team, members decided to suspend the strike to officially consider the administration’s offer and return to work Friday morning.
“I am heartened by the unified strength and care that our members showed throughout this process, despite the administration’s various attempts to derail and delay,” EIU UPI President Jennifer Stringfellow said in a statement. “We know our cause is just, and we stood up, together, for the entire campus to demand that this administration prioritize our students and the educators and staff who teach and support them.”
According to the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the EIU UPI bargaining team could not endorse the administration’s package at the membership meeting Thursday because the administration didn’t offer union members a chance to do work that was missed during the strike. As part of a return-to-work agreement, employers typically agree to make up pay for the days missed while on strike.
“Employers expect the employees to catch up on missed work, therefore employees expect to be paid for that work,” said IFT officials. Examples include grading assignments that students did during the strike and scheduling makeup office hours.
EIU UPI members said they still decided to move toward ratification in hopes of a timely resolution.
“We always act with our students in mind, and we make decisions with transparency and by involving all of our members because we are a democratic organization that is only strengthened by the participation of everyone,” lead negotiator and microbiology professor Billy Hung said in a statement. “I am tremendously proud of our members and so thoroughly grateful to our supportive students and community members. Because of their support, we have gained a contract in which working conditions are significantly improved for all our members.”
Hung said the financial offer remains in effect a pay cut, but “members knew that we had to consider this package despite the cost to our own financial well-being because we know that improving conditions for our advisers, counselors and faculty means improving the learning environment for all of our students.”
The full membership will vote to ratify the agreement next week.
“EIU thanks all parties for their commitment to our students and willingness to collaboratively chart a pathway forward as the University and its UPI partners work together to advance EIU’s mission,” university officials said in a statement.
Meanwhile, faculty and staff at Chicago State University have been on strike since April 3, and at Governors State University since Tuesday. UPI members at Northeastern Illinois University filed their intent to strike vote Thursday and could go on strike as early as April 24.
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