After 22 failed negotiating sessions, graduate student employees at University of Illinois Chicago are on strike. Five of those sessions involved a federal mediator. Not surprisingly, UIC has insisted faculty may not strike in sympathy of the graduate student employees. Furthermore, the university expects its faculty to cover for any reduced work output due to the strike. For perspective, UIC is a large university with over 1,500 graduate student employees.
Fortunately, the strike timing isn’t all bad. Next week is spring break. Consequently, the university and the union have an extra week to iron out their differences.
A UIC statement announced, “All members of the university community will be expected to meet for classes as usual. During a strike, the university is committed to continuing normal operations to the fullest extent possible. Students and parents can be assured that educational objectives will be fulfilled, and grades should not be affected.”
