News

 – July 28th, 2022 – Our strike last Spring was an incredible success. We won what we won together, as grad workers standing in solidarity. We could never have achieved what we did without the efforts of every GEO member, but that is especially true of Matt DeVilbiss. Matt was a steward in the math …Read More →

Wages: AY 2022-2023: $22,590 (9.58% raise) AY 2023-2024: $23,440 (3.76% raise) AY 2024-2025: $24,200 (3.24% raise) Retro Pay: $2000 lump sum for those who worked Fall & Spring $1000 lump sum for those who worked Spring Strike Pay: Stream-lined process to ensure no one loses pay from going on strike Tuition & Fees: Tuition waiver …Read More →

– April 26th, 2022 – At midnight last night we settled the outstanding issues on the table. More details to come soon, but for now, it’s time to get back to work!

 – April 24, 2022 – The Honorable J.B. Pritzker James R. Thompson Center 100 W. Randolph, 16-100 Chicago, IL 60601 Dear Governor Pritzker, I am the organizing chair of the UIC Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), the union representing over 1500 Teaching and Graduate Assistants at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We have been on …Read More →

– April 13th, 2022 – GEO has now been in contract negotiations with UIC administration for over a year. We have made progress on some topics and GEO is committed to finding compromises, but the university’s bargaining team still refuses to address some of the union’s most pressing concerns. UIC is proposing salaries of $3000/yr …Read More →

– April 1st, 2022 – Voting closed earlier today and the results were decisive. A larger percentage of members came out to vote to authorize a strike than in 2019 and 97% of voters voted to authorize. The message was loud and clear–GEO is ready to strike, and we will win. Read the letter from …Read More →

– March 9th, 2022 – In a letter to the membership today, GEO’s steering committee called for a vote to authorize a strike. Read the letter below: Dear graduate worker, We’ve been hearing recently from faculty allies that the university is telling them to prepare for a GEO strike. This can only mean one thing: …Read More →

We wanted to update you on what we collectively have won as workplace protections and security in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since we began impact bargaining last month, we have won: All expenses related to the testing and treating of COVID-19 for employees who utilize Campus Care or who go to an Emergency Room …Read More →

Open letter to UIC administration on behalf of GEO International Caucus April 3, 2020 Dear Chancellor Amiridis, President Killeen, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Poser, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Barish, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tolliver, Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs Coronado, Associate Vice Provost for Global Engagement and OIS Executive Director …Read More →

This week, we received a response from the University to our bargaining proposals that we passed over last Friday. You can find them attached to this email. The biggest win was a commitment to a 14-day paid sick leave for any member who contracts COVID-19 or for any member who needs to help a dependent who …Read More →

GEO is dedicated to ensuring that COVID-19 is properly contained and that graduate workers are treated fairly, but strongly believes those obligations are impossible under the current contract language. While the GEO respects the current terms of our contract with the UIC, it is clear that the conditions in which that contract was agreed upon …Read More →

Download a PDF of our statement. Last Thursday, three days after Governor Pritzker declared a state of emergency in Illinois due to the coronavirus pandemic, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees made the unconscionable decision to increase student health insurance premiums. At the Urbana-Champaign campus, premiums will increase by an outrageous 33% beginning in …Read More →

Join GEO for our Spring General Membership Meeting where we’ll have an open dialogue about concerns members are facing in workplace, ideas for blitzes to increase membership and awareness, updates on activities of the international caucus, and info on a variety of upcoming ways you can get involved. As always, there is FREE pizza and …Read More →

GEO stands in solidarity with Harvard Graduate Students Union – UAW, whose members have been on strike since December 3rd. Read our statement of support, then spread the word about their efforts: https://www.facebook.com/hgsuuaw/

Friends! Summer is almost over (boo), and GEO is gearing up for a busy fall on behalf of members and the larger UIC community (yay). Know this: we have an important meeting with the Office of Access and Equity (OAE) on Monday, September 9 from 10:30am to 11:30am, at which time we’ll be providing input …Read More →

GEO and the administration met today for the 31st time since March 1, 2018. After reaching a tentative contract agreement last night, today we reached a settlement to end the strike. The settlement forbids retaliation for participation in the strike, and it allows TAs and GAs the opportunity to make up any work hours they …Read More →

According to UIC Administration, graduate workers earn more than enough money to lead healthy lives, but the reality couldn’t be more different. Not one graduate worker reported earning more than $40,000 on their 2018 W2 from UIC, and 90% of respondents reported earning less than $25,000–just 200% above the federal poverty line, and far below the $66,000 recommended to …Read More →

The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) is the union representing over 1500 Teaching Assistants and Graduate Assistants at UIC. We have been negotiating a new labor contract with University administration since March 1, 2018. As of Tuesday, March 19th we have gone on strike and will continue to do so until we settle a fair contract. We will …Read More →

As we near our strike, our undergraduate students ask us: How can we help? The most direct way is to tell the university administration that the work of their TAs and GAs is really important to them, and that they support the efforts of GEO to reach agreement on livable working conditions. Below is a …Read More →

Today’s Supreme Court Ruling Hurts UIC Grad Workers The Supreme Court decision today to roll back workers’ rights in Janus vs. AFSCME negatively affects all us who work and study here at UIC. The decision means only the people who sign union membership cards will be paying dues to GEO, even though our union will …Read More →

June 25, 2018 The Steering Committee of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, IFT/AFT Local 6297, strongly condemns the Trump Administration’s so-called “zero tolerance” immigration policy. We stand in solidarity with the unions, civil liberties organizations, public officials, community leaders, and activists who are fighting for a just and …Read More →

by Jeff Schuhrke The tax reform bill passed by House Republicans on November 16 wouldn’t just slash taxes for corporations and billionaires, it would also dramatically increase the tax burden for graduate student workers by counting their tuition waivers—which they receive in exchange for their labor as teaching and research assistants—as taxable income. Furthermore, by eliminating …Read More →

GEO (Graduate Employees Organization) invites you to our first membership meeting of the academic year. Not sure what a union is or how GEO makes your time at UIC better? This is the perfect place for you to find out! The union leadership will be presenting on the following topics: This year’s budget The process …Read More →

The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) is throwing our annual Fall Social and you’re invited! It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the important work GEO does, like the upcoming contract campaign. It’s also a fun way to meet the people already active in your union and see how you can be involved. Please join …Read More →

Monday, May 8, 2017   The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) of the University of Illinois at Chicago (IFT/AFT Local 6297) stands in solidarity with the teachers and staff at the Noble Network of Charter Schools who are organizing a union.   We support their efforts to form a union, because we understand just how necessary it …Read More →

GEO Leadership Election Voting will be held at the following locations: Tuesday 4/11 from 11-1: ERF and the College of Nursing Wednesday 4/12 from 11-1: ERF, the College of Nursing, and SEO *Nominations are open until the end of the day tomorrow! For more information visit: http://uic-geo.net/mainsite/?p=1970

UIC Graduate Employees Organization Local 6297 demands a fair budget for Illinois Picket against Governor Rauner: Thursday, March 30th at 5 pm at the Chicago Hilton, 720 S Michigan Ave. The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Local 6297, stands with unions, community groups, and social justice organizations from across …Read More →

It’s election time!  If you would like to run for one of the following GEO officer positions, please send your name and two-sentence candidate statement to staff@uic-geo.net by Wednesday, April 5th: –Bargaining Chair: Responsibilities include attending and facilitating contract negotiations, strategizing with the bargaining and organizing teams, and reporting back to membership. –Communications Chair: Responsibilities …Read More →

  In just a year’s time, GEO will begin the process of negotiating our labor contract with the UIC administration.  Before the bargaining committee sits down to negotiate with the administration, GEO will work together to articulate a common set of concerns regarding wages, working conditions, and the climate of UIC.  Please join in the …Read More →

GRADUATE EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION LOCAL 6297 Stands in Opposition to Executive Order Approved unanimously by the General Membership Meeting, February 2, 2017 The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Local 6297, is firmly opposed to President Trump’s recent Executive Order banning refugees as well as visitors and immigrants from seven predominantly …Read More →

University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC-GEO), IFT/AFT AFL-CIO Local 6297 Statement on the 2016 Election Dear GEO Members, Tuesday’s election brought many changes to our government, some we can already fathom and others that will only be revealed in the coming weeks and months. Based on the election results, it is almost …Read More →

Please join us for the first general meeting of Fall 2016 at Gallery 400 (400 S. Peoria) Wed. Oct. 26th Food and refreshments at 11:45 Meeting at 12:00 Agenda highlights: Budget/Dues Increase Vote Know Your Rights and Contract Review GEO Goals Discussion This past spring, we won a hard fought contract campaign to get the …Read More →

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GEO at UIC statement in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Nation. The University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC-GEO), IFT/AFT AFL-CIO Local 6297 stands in firm solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, and the over 200 other Indigenous Nations, that oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). It is …Read More →

The GEO Steering Committee recently signed in support of the Bluest Lie Campaign, a campaign against the potential introduction of the so-called Blue Lives Matter ordinance to the Chicago City Council. This proposed ordinance would categorize offenses committed against police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians as hate crimes. It distorts the purpose of hate …Read More →

It’s that time of year again, so drop your syllabus for a second and come meet your fellow union members for free drinks and snacks at Dugan’s Pub (128 S. Halsted) Thursday September 1st from 5-7pm. The GEO Welcome Back Social is a great way to learn about your union, ask questions, and get involved …Read More →

Thank you to all those who signed the petition below.  As a result of your help, GEO’s campaign to uphold the rights of José Herrera was a victory! On August 10, José had a formal meeting with UIC administrators, and all of our demands were met. The University agreed to immediately lift the hold on José’s …Read More →

Hello Family, It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today. Early yesterday morning the LGBTQ community suffered a great tragedy when a terrorist invaded one of the few safe spaces for LGBTQ individuals and enacted a mass murder of 50 people. People like me. As a queer individual I have used …Read More →

The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) of the University of Illinois at Chicago stands with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Non-Tenure Faculty who are striking for a fair contract. The Non-Tenure Faculty at UIUC have been bargaining for almost two school years—since October 2014—for their first contract. These full-time instructors, lecturers, teaching associates, clinical assistant …Read More →

Have you been asked to teach a summer course but haven’t received an appointment letter yet? Please get in touch with us at staff@uic-geo.net.

Our contract was ratified and to celebrate we will be throwing a social at Dugan’s (128 S. Halsted) on April 20th from 5-8pm. Food and drink will be provided.   While you are there celebrating you can also vote on the GEO Chair elections. Current chairs up for vote are: -Two Co-Presidents -Treasurer -Secretary -Grievance Chair …Read More →

Just a reminder that the ratification vote begins Monday Feb. 29th and will last until Wed. March 2nd. Locations of polling stations: Lobbies of University Hall (at Harrison St and Morgan St), School of Public Health and Psychiatric Institute (Taylor St and Ashland Ave) and Engineering Research Facility (Halsted St and Taylor St) We will …Read More →

Good news, fellow GEO members, the University and the Union came to a tentative agreement on a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement (CBA) last Wednesday, February 10th! We made some important gains and we want to let you know what they are: Wages: The minimum wage will be raised $700 in 2015-16 (raising the minimum to …Read More →

Things at GEO are heating up! We held a successful “Work In” at University Hall to give visibility to our labor. We packed the room and held a silent protest at the Board of Trustees meeting where we let the board know we are serious about a fair contract! GEO members have been attending bargaining …Read More →

Past updates on bargaining are here. Bargaining sessions are on Wednesdays in University Hall (UH) 650. Next session: Feb. 1, 1-4pm. On Wednesday January 20th, 2016 the University and GEO restarted negotiations which had been on hold since before Thanksgiving due to the holidays and the University Team’s vacation schedule. However, the tone of negotiations was …Read More →

Contract negotiations are heating up! Now is a crucial time to get active with your union and plan our possible upcoming strike. Wednesday Jan. 27th UIC-GEO Bargaining Session  12-5pm (You don’t have to stay the entire session) UH 650 Wednesday Jan. 27th Grievance Committee Meeting 6pm at GEO Offices 815 W. VanBuren Suite 203 Thursday …Read More →

Contract negotiations resume on Wednesday January 20th at UH 650. 12-1 will be updates from our GEO negotiation team 1-5 will be contract negotiations The administration’s last offer included: -Union busting language -A proposal to leave tuition waivers at the discretion of each department -A minimal raise that is no where near what we have requested …Read More →

To kick off our contract campaign, UIC GEO is hosting a work-in at University Hall on December 2 to remind the University about all the work that GAs and TAs do. Bring your work, wear a GEO shirt (or wear red) and help show that our work powers the university! Come any time between 10 …Read More →

At last week’s membership meeting we voted to begin planning for a strike on campus if negotiations continue on the current course. We had a planning session last Saturday and have created a calendar full of events and activities for you to get active in! Tonight Monday Nov. 16th is our Strike Planning Meeting. 5pm …Read More →

Graduate Employees Organization Newsletter Tuesday, October 20, 2015 1. General Membership Meeting (November 11 at 6 pm) 2. Elections for GEO Leadership Positions 3. Staff Transition 4. Grievance Tip 5. Meetings and Announcements 1. General Membership Meeting: Wed. Nov. 11th 6 – 7:30 pm at the Gallery 400 Lecture Room (400 S. Peoria St) GEO …Read More →

Organizing meeting today (4-5:30) at our office- 815 W. VanBuren St. Suite 203 Come hear about negotiations and help plan our next steps!

The Graduate Employees Organization (Local 6297, IFT/AFT, AFL-CIO) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC GEO) stands in solidarity with the East St. Louis Federation of Teachers, Local 1220 in their strike for a fair contract. Members voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest contract proposal from the school board, which would decrease the pay …Read More →

The Graduate Employees Organization (Local 6297, IFT/AFT, AFL-CIO) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC GEO) stands in solidarity with the parents and community members who are now on a hunger strike to protest the closing of Walter H. Dyett High School. We demand that Chicago Public Schools accept the coalition’s proposal to establish …Read More →

For all the new TAs and GAs who are starting work this week, or for returning TAs and GAs that want to get more involved, the GEO Bargaining session is a great way to become more engaged with your union! The member-run bargaining team has been steadily meeting with the university through out summer, actively …Read More →

The University of Illinois Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC-GEO), American Federation of Teachers Local 6297, is a fair share labor union representing approximately 1400 Teaching Assistants and Graduate Assistants across 59 departments at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We have been recognized by the University of Illinois system since 2004, winning our first contract …Read More →

Dear colleagues at UIC, Our names are Daniel Vergara and Alicia Luque and we are PhD students at UIC. We are writing this post with the hope that we can raise awareness about the significant increase in the International Student Fee that will be applied to us by the Office of International Students (OIS) for …Read More →

Are you bilingual? Your union needs your help! The GEO seeks members to help translate information into a variety of languages for our international student worker members. We are especially looking for members fluent in the following languages: Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, and Spanish. If you would like to help please contact …Read More →

If you’re an international student and worker at UIC, then the announcement about the newly implemented International Student Fee increasing from $80 to $130 must have felt like a huge, unwelcome surprise. But what is this fee used for and does the Office of International Students really need all of this money? In an effort …Read More →

As a union member, you know that collective bargaining gives you a voice on the job and the ability to negotiate over your salary, working conditions, and other issues that benefit both union and non-union workers and your community. But this Wednesday, May 27 at 2:00pm, the Senate Executive Committee will hold a hearing on …Read More →

Congratulations to the 2015-2016 GEO Steering Committee! The results of the Steering Committee election are as follows: Co-Presidents: Sarah Moberg and Hale Thompson Treasurer: Karen Cralli Secretary: Chris Perez Outreach Chair: Lydia Hou Bargaining Chair: Cloie McClellan Communications Chair: Mik Czerwinski Grievance Co-Chairs: Marissa Baker and Jen Phillis Chief Steward: Andrea Craft Organizing Chair: Alyssa …Read More →

The UIC Graduate Employees Organization calls for the University to reinstate the cancelled searches for the Diaspora, Social Justice and Human Rights, and Middle East and Muslim Societies cluster positions to demonstrate its commitment to increase diversity and interdisciplinary hiring. We reject a budget crisis that only affects the educational mission of the University yet …Read More →

Join us for Steering Committee elections and End of the Semester social on Wednesday, April 29 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m at Dugan’s on Halsted (128 S. Halsted St. Chicago IL 60661)! Help select the officers who chair specific committees and run caucuses. Hear candidates’ ideas concerning the direction of our organization as we prepare …Read More →

If you believe in a $15 minimum wage for all workers, join the GEO in supporting the Fight for $15 on UIC Campus (601 S. Mogran st.) this Wednesday, April 15: On April 15, we will be standing up, speaking out and fighting for fair pay at the MASSIVE rallies around the globe for the …Read More →

GEO Files Intent to Bargain With the University  Today, March 16th, the GEO will file its Intent to Bargain letter with the University!  What does this mean?  It means that, since the current contract expires in August of this year, we’re demanding the University meet with us to bargain a new contract.  For several months, …Read More →

Just over a week ago, we posted about Executive Order 15-13, which attempted to move all fair-share dues for public sector employees directly under the Governor’s control into an escrow account until the courts decide whether or not fair share violates the First Amendment rights of non-card-signing workers. On Friday, Comptroller Leslie Munger, backed by …Read More →

Yesterday, Governor Bruce Rauner signed Executive Order 15-13, which makes it illegal for public sector unions to collect dues from fair share members. Executive Order 15-13 covers workers employed by state agencies directly under Rauner’s control, such as correctional officers, child protective service workers, and those who care for veterans and the disabled. Executive Order …Read More →

Harris v. Quinn: the Beginning of the End of Public Sector Unions? Last summer, the Supreme Court issued a decision in favor of the plaintiff in Harris v. Quinn, a case that originated in Illinois but could have massive implications for unions across the nation. This article in the Sun-Times (written before the decision) gives …Read More →

Join your fellow GEO colleagues for the first General Membership Meeting of the Spring 2015 semester on Wednesday, February 4th from 5-7 pm (Cardinal Room, Room 329 of Student Center East).  Discuss what you’d like to work on in your union for this upcoming semester and help elect a new Secretary (the former GEO Secretary, …Read More →

Tomorrow at 6PM a coalition led by youth of color will hold a rally and march to reclaim the radical legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. The rally will be held at 1001 W. Roosevelt (Roosevelt and Morgan–a short five minute walk from most of East Campus); we will then march to the Cook County Juvenile …Read More →

The University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (Local 6297) stands in solidarity with the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation at the University of Oregon as they strike for a fair contract.  The items that GTFF is requesting, such as two weeks of paid sick leave, are not unreasonable demands; rather, they are an important …Read More →

The UIC Graduate Employees Organization (Local 6297, IFT/AFT, AFL-CIO) stands in solidarity with fast food workers across the nation who have called for a strike on December 4, 2014 to demand higher wages and the right to unionize. Along with home health care workers, airport workers, and Walmart workers, fast food workers are organizing to …Read More →

As legislators debate raising our minimum wage, workers all over Chicagoland are trying to figure out how to cover their expenses on poor wages. Jobs with Justice and Fight for 15 are having too big events over the next two weeks. Phone Banks: There will be phone banks at the JwJ offices all next week …Read More →

James Kilgore was recently dismissed from the faculty position he held for five years at the Center for African Studies at UIUC. Why? Because an alumnus resurrected James’ old criminal conviction apropos of nothing and the News-Gazette, Urbana’s newspaper, was all too eager to report (for the second time!) on another “radical elite” working for UIUC. (James …Read More →

There are a number of labor actions either happening or ongoing this week. We are also nearing the election, which will have serious consequences on Illinois unions. Here’s a brief list of what’s happening and where you can learn more UIC Nurses on Strike The INA reached a tentative agreement with the University last night, …Read More →

The UIC Graduate Employees Organization (Local 6297, IFT/AFT, AFL-CIO) calls on the Waukegan Board of Education to negotiate in good faith with the Waukegan Teachers’ Council to come to a quick resolution of their on-going contract negotiations. Waukegan teachers have been without a contract since June and this is the fourth year in a row …Read More →

GEO members who want to join in actions, gatherings, and workshops in Ferguson, MO this weekend and contribute to the fight for justice for Mike Brown and larger fight for racial justice, go to http://fergusonoctober.com/ for information and for carpooling/housing information. The AFL-CIO is sponsoring two buses of labor activists to go down the Ferguson …Read More →

Hourly RA position in fMRI and Neuroscience Research at the University of Illinois, Chicago. An hourly Research Assistant position (approximately 10-15 hours a week) is available at the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Dept. of Psychiatry, UIC. Bachelor’s Degree preferred in computer science or a related discipline, neuroscience or psychology. Graduate students, advanced or Honors level undergraduates …Read More →

We have just received word that, on advice from his counsel, Professor Salaita will not be speaking at UIC. Although we regret we won’t be able to support him in person, the GEO stands in solidarity with Professor Salaita. His case has revealed our University’s failure to abide by the standards of academic freedom and shared …Read More →

Join fellow GEO and United Faculty members for a joint meeting this Wednesday, September 10th at 4:30 pm at the IFT Office (850 W. Jackson, Suite 220–bring your ID to enter the building).  We’ll be joined by Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery as he discusses the upcoming elections season.  If you’re interested in knowing …Read More →

Fill out the GEO’s new survey and tell us about your experiences at work! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=SMKagQ4WtAWqOrdjL0W7ng%3d%3d   The GEO will begin bargaining for a new contract in early 2015. Tell us about your working conditions, health care, and financial hardship—you can fight for a stronger contract that addresses your concerns!    Your answers will be kept anonymous and confidential. If you …Read More →

Join your fellow GEO members for a discussion of and vote on the annual GEO budget during this General Membership meeting. We will look at the proposed discretionary budget for the 2014-2015 year and then vote on the planned budget.  It’s an important vote since this will direct what your union should focus monetary resources …Read More →

The Graduate Employees Organization, Local 6297, AFT-IFT, is deeply dismayed to learn of the horrifying racial discrimination that Chuck Conner, a fellow University of Illinois-Chicago employee, has faced on the job. All workers on campus deserve safe, fair working conditions, and a just and swift grievance process. It is utterly unacceptable that Mr. Conner has …Read More →

Welcome to the Graduate Employees Organization!  We represent around 1500 Graduate Assistants and Teaching Assistants at UIC and are a member-run, volunteer-run, democratic labor union.  We’re holding a series of GEO 101 events in the next two weeks. These will be basic introductions to the union, describing what we do and how you can get involved in more depth than …Read More →

Summer isn’t over until we say it is! Join the GEO for a Welcome Back Block Party on 28 August, from 3-7 PM. It will take place on Green Street, south of Van Buren (behind the GEO office). We’ll have tacos from Big Star, beer, and games. Stop by to catch up with colleagues you haven’t seen in …Read More →

UIC announced this past week that they will eliminate 250 full-time employees at the Medical Center starting August 15th but have been vague about where those cuts will come and whether or not they will affect patient care areas.  In order to protest these cuts, SEIU will be joining with the Illinois Nurses Association at a rally outside …Read More →

Dear GEO members,   The GEO is launching a campaign for a stronger contract, and we invite you to join us as we fight for better wages, working conditions, and fewer fees for graduate workers. We plan to officially begin contract negotiations with the University in the Spring of 2015.   You can get involved …Read More →

The GEO is a proud co-sponsor of the Workers Memorial Day, happening today from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Uri-Eichen Gallery (2101 S. Halsted).  Come discuss plans for how we as consumers and a community can address issues such as unsafe working conditions and unfair labor practices  around the world.  Hope to see you there!   …Read More →

2014 GEO Officer Election Results Co-President: Jen Phillis (English) and Karen Cralli (Hispanic and Italian Studies) Secretary: Ben Linder (Anthropology) Treasurer: Dan Ingebretson (Math) Organizing Chair: Andrea Herrera (Latin American and Latino Studies) Communications Chair: Neri Sandoval (English) Bargaining Chair: Becky Bivens (Art History) Grievance Chair: Marissa Baker (Art History) Chief Steward: Outreach Chair: Jes …Read More →

The following questions were submitted from the GEO membership to David Wurster, Director of Campus Care, for the February 25th General Membership Meeting in which he answered the questions in person.  Some questions were not covered due to Wurster needing to leave the meeting. We hope to address the remaining questions in the upcoming Labor …Read More →

GEO Elections and General Membership Meeting On Tuesday, April 22 from 4-5:30 pm in room 140 of Behavioral Sciences Building (BSB) the GEO is holding a general membership meeting to review the year’s activities and elect our new Steering Committee. The GMM is open to all members; the elections are open to card-signing members.    The Steering …Read More →

Yesterday, United Faculty reached a tentative agreement for both the tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty contracts. Details will be discussed at membership meetings (times TBD) and will be released to the public after the members vote. As a result, the strike has been averted. Congratulations to all of the United Faculty members! http://uicunitedfaculty.org/2014/04/strike-averted-uic-united-faculty-uic-administration-reach-tentative-agreement-first-contracts/

Being a Department Steward for the GEO presents a unique set of tensions and challenges. On the one hand, stewards are tasked with collecting and reporting on the various concerns of colleagues in the department. Simultaneously, however, stewards also impart critical information in the other direction—namely, from the GEO leadership to the general membership in …Read More →

Yesterday, April 11th, our union brothers and sisters in Service Employees International United (SEIU) Local 73 at UIC officially filed a notice of their Intent to Strike. They have been working without a contract for almost two years yet the University has constantly stalled negotiations and have bargained unprofessionally. We are calling on all GEO …Read More →

President Janet Napolitano University of California Office of the President 1111 Franklin Street Oakland, CA 94607 April 7, 2014 Dear President Napolitano, The University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC GEO) is writing on behalf of its 1500 members to demand that you end the continuous Unfair Labor Practices against the workers of …Read More →

On Tuesday, April 22 from 4-5:30 pm in room 140 of Behavioral Sciences Building (BSB) the GEO is holding a general membership meeting to review the year’s activities and elect our new Steering Committee. The GMM is open to all members; the elections are open to card-signing members. The Steering Committee is a member-run governing …Read More →

The UIC Institute for Research on Race & Public Policy’s Race, Sexuality and Violence Series and the Gender and Sexuality Center present TRANS*HEALTH @ UIC A Community Forum to Celebrate, Educate, and Create Alliances Wed April 9, 3-5pm Student Center East, Room 613 750 S. Halsted Street A forum to discuss gender identity, race and …Read More →

GEO stands in support of the 3000 members of SEIU Local 73 who have gone without a contract or raise for over a year and are currently bargaining with the University. According to Fight Back News, the members will take a strike vote next week. You can read more here: http://www.fightbacknews.org/2014/3/27/campus-workers-chicago-will-take-strike-vote

Graduate Assistant Positions are available in Student Leadership Development and Volunteer Services and the Commuter Student Resource Center for 2014-2015 All positions are 50% and include a tuition waiver and stipend. Attached are descriptions for the open positions and contact information. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis. The final deadline for materials is …Read More →

Graduate Assistant Positions are available in Student Leadership Development and Volunteer Services for 2014-2015 All positions are 50% and include a tuition waiver and stipend. Attached are descriptions for the open positions and contact information. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis. The final deadline for materials is Wednesday, March 19, 2014. See below …Read More →

Tuition Differentials: Frequently Asked Questions What is a Tuition Differential (TD)? Tuition differentials are not tuition at all; they are a fee charged to undergraduate and graduate students in addition to the base tuition rate. TDs are implemented according to degree program. TDs are not covered by tuition waivers. Why do only some departments have …Read More →

Fellow Graduate Employees, The United Faculty strike is here. After months of negotiations the administration continues its stand against better wages and working conditions for its faculty. While GEO employees cannot legally sympathy strike, we do encourage everyone to join the faculty and show support in whatever way they can. Here is some useful information …Read More →

On February 18, the tenure track and non-tenure track faculty who make up the University of Illinois-Chicago faculty union UICUF Local 6456 will walk out of the classroom and onto the picket line for a two-day strike. Barring a dramatic change-of-heart by university administrators at the bargaining table the weekend, it will be the first …Read More →

Dear GEO Members: United Faculty, which represents all full-time UIC faculty (tenure and non-tenure), is planning a two-day walkout for Tuesday, February 18th and Wednesday, February 19th. This is an exciting opportunity for graduate employees and other campus workers to show our solidarity with the faculty in their contract negotiations. Faculty members cannot prohibit you …Read More →

Join your fellow GEO members for a General Membership Meeting and Q&A with the director of Campus Care, David Wurster on Tuesday, February 25th from 5-7 pm in the library of the African-American Cultural Center (Addams Hall, room 200). Members will be able to ask questions and submit comments regarding their experiences with Campus Care …Read More →

Due to the impending United Faculty walkout planned for February 18th and 19th, we have posted a general FAQ for all GEO members here. Additionally, we will be holding “office hours” next week to answer questions, address concerns, and be generally supportive of all GEO members, in addition to supporting faculty in their fight for a fair …Read More →

At the Board of Trustees retreat on Wednesday, January 22, both President Easter and Trustee Pam Strobel explained that the purpose of their retreats was to ensure that the U of I system fulfilled the promises of the land grant college mission. (For those of you not versed in the history of land grant colleges, …Read More →

The struggle to secure the rights of workers and a fair wage are affecting nearly everyone on the UIC campus. Which is why in a local, concrete, sense there is very good reason for union solidarity. The faculty’s fight to win a fair contract hinges on two key factors. The first is wages. UIC has …Read More →

The GEO has printed Proud Union posters designed to show solidarity with other campus unions. You can view them below. If you would like to display one of these or help distribute them please give us a shout: stewards@uic-geo.net. We will rush them over.  ProudUnionOffice_MK1 ProudUnionLAB_MK1

The Office of Sustainability to looking to hire a GA for the spring 2014 term. Please see the below solicitation for more information; the position is also posted online at: http://blog.sustainability.uic.edu/2014/01/position-available-graduate-assistant.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Office of Sustainability is piloting a structured internship that will place students in various campus units to assist in advancing the campus’ …Read More →

The University is currently in negotiations with two other campus unions: SEIU, which represents Service and Maintenance, Clerical and Administration, and Technical workers, and UF, which represents tenure and non-tenure faculty. This post will give you a sense of the stakes of SEIU’s contract negotiation; a post to follow soon will cover UF. SEIU members …Read More →

The Asian American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) invites applications for a 25% time Graduate Assistantship (G.A.) for the Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters 2014-2015. The stipend will be for 10 hours per week.  Students must meet the criteria outlined in the Policy on the Appointment of Graduate Assistants. To review criteria or for additional …Read More →

What is a tuition differential? It’s not tuition. It’s not a fee. It’s an insidious erosion of public education, which is the basis of an informed citizenry and a thriving democracy, not to mention the cornerstone for a viable workforce necessary for a healthy economy. First the basics: tuition differentials (TDs) at UIC are charged …Read More →

The Chancellor released this statement today regarding the weather situation on Monday, January 6th: unless you’re a critical employee (e.g. you remove snow or help care for patients) you shouldn’t report to work. For graduate assistants, it will be an excused, unpaid absence according to the University. You may want to contact your supervisor just …Read More →

Graphic Designer WANTED The UIC Latino Cultural Center is looking for a Graduate Assistant (GA) or an Undergraduate Student Worker for the Spring 2014. Project: Designing the LCC’s visuals, including posters and any advertising/promotional material for our public programs/event for the semester. GA or Student Worker will be responsible for following our design templates and …Read More →

Special Reminder for Graduate Assistants If you’re a Graduate Assistant with an appointment that runs through the UIC winter break, you do not have to make up your hours if they fall on the UIC-recognized holidays when the campus is closed.  According to the UIC Human Resources Calendar, the University will be officially closed on Wednesday, …Read More →

UIC Graduate Employees Organization The possibility of a walkout by UIC United Faculty may create a difficult situation for graduate workers who have professional relationships with faculty who are their advisors, supervisors, and/or committee members, as well as fellow union members. The following FAQ is meant to inform GEO members how they can support United …Read More →

Have Some Fun Before Finals! It’s the final week of the semester, so you deserve some time to relax. Free drinks and snacks will be provided so invite your friends and come on over. Click for more information.   

Dear Members and Supporters, Our IFT representative Andrew has reached out to us with a call to action. On December 3rd–no coincidence that the state legislature picked a date that is after their election petitions are due and in the midst of the busy holiday season–they will vote on a bill that will gut pensions …Read More →

November 22, 2013 Will County Board, The University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC GEO) is writing on behalf of its 1,500 members to demand that you respect the collective bargaining process and immediately reach an agreement with AFSCME Local 1028. It is our understanding that Will County Board has engaged in bargaining …Read More →

November 20, 2013 Alderman Tom Tunney 44th Ward, City of Chicago 3223 N. Sheffield Ave Chicago, IL, 60657 Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals 121 N LaSalle St #905 Chicago, IL 60602 Dear Alderman Tunney and the Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals: We are writing this letter to express our support for the youth and homeless …Read More →

October 16, 2013 Dear Chancellor Allen-Meares and the Board of Trustees, The University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC GEO) is writing on behalf of its 1,500 members to demand that you respect the collective bargaining process and immediately reach an agreement with the United Faculty Local 6456. It is our understanding that …Read More →

The University recently mailed a letter entitled “Health Insurance Marketplace Coverage Options and State of Illinois Employee Health Coverage” to all University employees, which includes Graduate Assistants and Teaching Assistants. The purpose of the letter is mainly to address the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and provide information for finding affordable health care coverage …Read More →

In advance of Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares’ five-year review, the UIC Graduate Student Council is looking for input from UIC graduate students regarding their quality of life and education at UIC. The answers are confidential and will be used to address any questions or issues UIC students have and how UIC can be improved. You can …Read More →

The Student Money Management Center and the Graduate College will be hosting two informational workshops on UIC taxation withholding for Graduate Assistants (not Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants). These sessions will be only pertinent to UIC Graduate Assistants (GA’s). Both sessions will cover the same material. Option I When: Thursday, September 26, 2013 Where: 650 …Read More →

RESEARCH ASSISTANT TO WRITE ABOUT HEALTH RESEARCH “The UIC Institute for Health Research and Policy seeks a graduate research assistant with strong writing skills to support communications about federally funded public health research. The successful candidate will implement an established communications strategy, curating content and writing messages for Twitter and Facebook; maintain and update a WordPress website; track audience benchmarks (Web traffic and social …Read More →

Opening for a Teaching Assistant for Abnormal Psychology “We are in need of a Visiting Teaching Assistant (TA) for Abnormal Psychology. TA duties include grading (exams, assignments, and  papers), assisting students with the development of their papers, holding office hours, and attending TA meetings. The TA must also attend class. The class meets from 2-3:15 on Tuesdays …Read More →

For more information click on our Upcoming Events Page or check out the event on Facebook .  

Pride At Work has launched a Chicago branch! On Tuesday July 30th, representatives from UIC’s GEO attended a Pride At Work meeting. The Pride At Work national website states, “Pride At Work is a nonprofit organization and an officially recognized constituency group of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations.) We organize mutual support between …Read More →

As graduate employees for the University of Illinois at Chicago we are in a unique position. We are not only responsible for our own knowledge acquisition, but also the erudition of others. Many of us interact with undergraduate students; we hold office hours, answer student emails, teach courses, grade assignments, recruit and advise students on …Read More →

To: President Barack Obama To: John Morton, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement CC: Corrections Corporation of America We represent more than 1400 graduate employees at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and write to ask you to intervene immediately to secure the release on humanitarian parole for the Dream 9, the undocumented youth …Read More →

  The GEO Steering Committee spent the day reflecting on last year’s contact campaign- recognizing major victories and areas for improvement. The GEO leaders are collaborating on a vision for next year, what is important to you?  

The Elections Committee thanks all GEO members who voted in this week’s Steering Committee Election and congratulations to the newest members of the GEO Steering Committee! All members were voted in unanimously by the membership and the results are as follows: Co-Presidents Marissa Baker and Gina Gemmel Secretary Lydia Hou Treasurer Daniel Ingebretson Communications Co-Chairs …Read More →

NEXT BARGAINING SESSION MONDAY, APRIL 22, SSB CONFERENCE ROOM C We need the biggest turnout ever if we are going to settle the contract on Monday! Join us in Student Services Building (Racine & Harrison), Conference Room C from 9:00am to 5:00pm (possibly later: check Facebook and Twitter on Monday for updates). This is our last …Read More →

For Immediate Release: UIC GEO Calls for a Strike Authorization Vote April 18, 2013 Last night at the General Membership Meeting, the GEO voted to begin a Strike Authorization Vote. If passed, the vote would authorize an elected Strike Committee to call for a strike of Teaching and Graduate Assistants at UIC. The vote was …Read More →

To: Indiana University Students, Staff, and Faculty The UIC GEO stands in solidarity with the IU students, staff and faculty in their pursuit of fair and equal treatment under University guidelines. It has come to the attention of the UIC GEO that individuals at IU have come together to fight for educational justice, a struggle …Read More →

The members of UIC United Faculty Local 6456 stand in solidarity with the members of the UIC Graduate Employees Organization Local 6297 as they fight for a fair contract. We demand that the University recognizes the vital work that graduate assistants perform on campus and provide a reasonable proposal with a living wage. The University’s …Read More →

Chicago, IL- On Friday, April 5th, the 1,500 member Graduate Employee’s Organization at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a labor union representing graduate student employees at UIC, filed a notice of intent to strike with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board after ten months of acrimonious, sometimes explosive, bargaining. The nearly unanimous vote authorizing this move came …Read More →

The Intent to Strike vote passed almost unanimously at tonight’s general membership meeting. This means that GEO will file a notice of intent to strike with the state labor board tomorrow. The membership also elected a strike committee, who will present one or more strike plans at the next GMM. Meanwhile, organizing for a possible …Read More →

The members of GEO received a major message of support yesterday from none other than Dr. Cornel West, well-known social justice activist, author, and professor. He says: “I wholeheartedly support my brothers and sisters of the UIC GEO! Stay strong and stand tall! Love, Cornel West” Thanks, Dr. West, for the message of solidarity!

During the last mediation session, the University implied they are getting close to their last, best, and final offer. Unfortunately, the University has been making very little movement in their proposals: they’ve proposed a minimum wage of $15,190 (the current minimum is $14,565), a four-year contract, and no additional fees waived other than what is …Read More →

March 12, 2013   Dear Chancellor Wise and the Board of Trustees,   The University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC GEO) is writing on behalf of its 1500 members to demand that you respect the collective bargaining process and immediately reach an agreement with Service Employees International United Local 73 (SEIU). It …Read More →

The Steering Committee voted unanimously to endorse Ponnu Padiyara for Student Trustee.  With her experience on the Undergraduate Student Council as well as the Student Fee Advisory Committee, she has dealt with a wide variety of issues that are important to GEO members, including Campus Care and increased health care coverage for members.  As Student …Read More →

For Immediate Release Contact: Jessi Holzman Telephone: 224-645-9700 Email: jessi.holzman@gmail.com UIC GRAD EMPLOYEES RAMP UP THE PRESSURE “WORK WITH US! DON’T MAKE US STRIKE!” Chicago— At 1:30pm on Wednesday, March 13th, the Graduate Employees’ Organization, a labor union representing graduate student employees at UIC, will hold their second rally in the UIC Quad as a response to …Read More →

UIC Graduate Employees Make Their Voices Heard Chicago— At noon on Tuesday, February 26th, the Graduate Employees’ Organization, a labor union representing graduate student employees at UIC, called their members to action. Graduate employees, faculty, students and community supporters showed their solidarity- amidst blistering winds and snow blown faces- and demanded that the University present their graduate employees …Read More →

  Momentum has been building with the “Quit Playing Games With Our Hearts, UIC” Valentine’s Day Action, the Rally for Grad Employee Rights, and the Solidarity Letters to the Chancellor and Board of Trustees President. But now isn’t the time to lay down at the bargaining table. We’ve still got fees, wages, and health care …Read More →

Yesterday’s rally was covered by graduate student journalists from Northwestern University! The weather unfortunately prevented them from making it in time to get good footage of the 70+ of us at the snowy rally, but they were able to interview several of our amazing members, including Piere Washington, Michael Muñiz, and Greg Sutliff. Check out …Read More →

Check out our video from the wildly successful “Show Us Some Love, UIC” Valentine’s Day event!  Available on our Facebook page (facebook.com/uicgeo) or YouTube http://youtu.be/311y3KrVExI )!

UIC Graduate Employees Show Their Strength Chicago— At noon on Tuesday, February 26th, the Graduate Employees’ Organization, a labor union representing graduate student employees at UIC, will be rallying in the UIC Quad urging the administration to be more reasonable at the bargaining table. Graduate employees have been without a contract for the past six …Read More →

At 12pm on Tuesday, February 26th, there will be a rally for graduate employee rights in the UIC Quad. We will be showing our strength to encourage the administration to be more reasonable at the bargaining table. Graduate employees are an essential part of UIC’s workforce. We spend countless hours teaching, grading, planning, and performing …Read More →

Are you a friend of the UIC GEO?  Want to see them receive a fair contract settled quickly?  Then send a letter of solidarity to the Chancellor and Board of Trustees!  You can use the letter below by signing it and mailing it on either via email or snail mail. In Solidarity with the University …Read More →

Chicago—The Graduate Employees’ Organization, a labor union representing graduate student employees at UIC, has been without a contract for the past six months. This has resulted in a wage freeze for their approximately 1,500 members. The primary points of contention include high healthcare premiums, low wages, and increasing fees. Graduate employees have demanded that their …Read More →

With a bargaining session coming up that deals directly with the remaining issues, including economics like wages, fees, and health care, it’s more important than ever that GEO members fill out the Strike Survey, located here:http://bit.ly/Ylf4Kj Your input is invaluable because it will help the bargaining team prioritize these very important remaining issues. Ultimately it’s …Read More →

Here we are: it’s the first bargaining session of the spring semester (due to the university cancelling the past two sessions) and after 7 months of bargaining with the university, we finally received an economic proposal from them only to find out they want to decrease the wages of graduate employees. Find out more from …Read More →

It’s the start of the spring semester and the GEO is in the midst of bargaining! So what better way to celebrate than having a GEO social from 5-7 p.m. on this Thursday, January 24th in the GEO office (815 W. Van Buren suite 203, on the corner of Halsted and Van Buren). Food and …Read More →

I am 6th year PhD student in the department of English at UIC. I work the equivalent of two full-time jobs. But I can’t make ends meet. When I began my PhD work here, I had already obtained a master’s degree – so I was no stranger to the rigors of academic work. It came as …Read More →

UPDATE:  Bargaining session has been cancelled by the university due to a member of their team having an ongoing family emergency. It’s the first bargaining session of the spring semester (due to the university cancelling Friday’s session) and after 7 months of bargaining with the university, we finally received an economic proposal from them only …Read More →

On December 17, 2012, the University’s representatives finally gave the GEO a comprehensive proposal on economic issues for the next graduate employee contract. As you may know, negotiations with the University began on May 16 when over 50 of us showed up to present a comprehensive proposal to the University. Almost 7 months to the …Read More →

Should the university provide affordable infant and child care for students and faculty? This is precisely the question the Office of the Provost asked in 2007 when it commissioned a study to determine the child care needs of UIC students and faculty. At first glance, it may not seem so obvious that a lack of …Read More →

By Colin Smalley One of the first things I had to do when I got my admission letter to a graduate program at UIC was to figure out if my wife and I could afford for me to go to grad school.  I’m sure almost all of my colleagues have been in this situation. For …Read More →

With the mediator in place, we’re on to our second session with the university from 10 am-4 pm in University Hall room 650! This means going over some of the items we’ve previously tabled (such as Additional Employment, Leaves and Holidays, and No Strike clauses) in addition to working our way towards financial issues (slowly …Read More →

The Stewards’ Council and the Direct Action Working Group (DAWG) will be holding an important joint meeting in University Hall 2028 on Tuesday, November 27 at 4:00pm. All GEO stewards and any other interested members are strongly encouraged to attend. We will be further developing our plans for the strike drive, departmental organizing, and a …Read More →

By: Karen Cralli, Teaching Assistant (Department of Hispanic and Italian Studies) For my 26th birthday, Campus Care gave me a choice: death or medical debt. I suffer from a rare, life-threatening blood disorder called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Left untreated, TTP claims a 95% mortality rate. With treatment, the survival rate is roughly 80%, though a …Read More →

At the last General Membership Meeting, GEO members voted to begin a strike drive, in preparation for and with the hope to avoid a strike. Part of the organizing effort that any member can participate in is going office door to office door to talk with fellow members about their experiences as graduate employees and …Read More →

The GEO was originally scheduled to meet with the university for mediation on Halloween, but the university cancelled that morning due to illness. The GEO then quickly gave multiple alternative dates only to have the university agree to one. Don’t let them drag this out; come to the mediation session on Thursday, November 15th from …Read More →

Are you ready to strike for your contract? IMPORTANT General Membership Meeting to discuss a possible strike drive on Monday, October 29. We have been in bargaining for almost six months and we still haven’t received a single economic proposal (wages, health care, fee waivers, tuition waivers, etc.) from the university! It’s time to start …Read More →

Have you written a letter to the Board of Trustees yet, letting them know you’re dissatisfied with the current state of negotiations? As the GEO goes into mediation, let the Board of Trustees know what you’re most concerned about and why y ou feel the you and the rest of the graduate assistants and teaching …Read More →

Show the administration that you want a contract now: bring your grading (or other work) to the lobby of University Hall this Thursday, October 18, from 12pm to 2pm. We’ll have brand new GEO t-shirts, free for all members! RSVP on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/events/368039749946940/

We will meet again with the administration on Wednesday, October 18 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm in 650 University Hall. Articles under discussion include Nondiscrimination and Employee Rights. We have proposed language that protects workers from sexual harassment, as well as discrimination on the basis of weight, height, gender identity or expression, and HIV antibody status. …Read More →

October 8, 2012 As of today, you have been working without a contract for 51 days. On Wednesday, October 3, after another long bargaining session during which little progress was made, the bargaining committee informed the University that GEO intends to file for mediation. The GEO bargaining committee has been meeting with the University since …Read More →

At the most recent General Membership Meeting for the GEO, members voted in favor of sending a resolution of support (attached below) to the striking Walmart Warehouse Workers in Elwood, IL who recently walked out of the warehouse due to intimidation and retaliation after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the workers by the …Read More →

Fellow grad students and GEO members, As of this morning, Monday 9/10, the Chicago Teachers’ Union (CTU) is on strike. That means that workers at 600+ public schools across the city will not be reporting to work. After decades of attacks on public schools in Chicago CTU is standing up and saying, “Enough is enough!” …Read More →

CTU Support Resolution Whereas all students deserve the right to a quality public education in their neighborhood school, and Whereas all students deserve smaller class sizes to receive adequate attention from teachers, and Whereas all students deserve access to a broad and diverse curriculum that includes art, world languages, computer literacy, and physical education, and …Read More →

Join your fellow graduate employees at a bargaining session between GEO and representatives the university administration. As the fall semester begins, UIC’s Teaching Assistants and Graduate Assistants are starting work without a contract. GEO’s last contract with the university expired on Aug. 16, and bargaining is still in progress. While employees in our bargaining unit …Read More →

Dear members, On behalf of the GEO Bargaining Committee, I would like to welcome any first time readers to the blog, especially those who are new to UIC this fall.  In the coming months it will be vital to have members who are informed and involved as we negotiate our new contract.  As you may …Read More →

All UIC graduate employees are urged to attend the first bargaining session of the academic year between GEO and the university administration. Our contract expired on Aug. 16. That means frozen wages and the possibility of higher fees and rising health care costs. We need to push for a settlement to negotiations and a fair …Read More →

Dear Colleagues, As many of you may know, our most recent bargaining session was on Tuesday, August 14. Greg Sutliff from the Philosophy Dept. represented the GEO. I am pleased to say the session went well, and that we were able to continue to make incremental progress toward a new contract. Most significantly, we reached …Read More →

Yesterday, the GEO met with the university administration for our eighth bargaining session. Much of our time was spent discussing matters pertaining to our grievance procedure (Article XXII) and the procedures for discipline and dismissal (Article XXI). Though we did not reach any formal agreements during the session, we will likely formally agree on the …Read More →

When: 2 p.m., Wednesday, July 18th Where: the Monarch and Prairie Rooms, Third Floor of SCE (above the food court) Join your colleagues for the sixth bargaining session for your contract! In the previous session we addressed late appointment letters, notice of open positions, and notification of GA taxation and provided the university with two …Read More →

This Wednesday, July 11th, is our fifth bargaining session with the university! To find out more from our members about how late appointments letters affect you, we set up a short survey which you can access here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dEktZTZVSzRxekRyMGV5SFgxQ2JpdUE6MQ Please take a moment to fill it out! The first two questions are totally anonymous and there …Read More →

When: Wednesday, July 11th, 2 p.m. Where: Room 713, Student Center East This session, we’re continuing the discussion of letters of appointment, including the problem of late appointments (which is rampant in certain departments) as well as notification of GA taxation. Have you consistently received late letters of appointment from your department or know colleagues …Read More →

When: Thursday, July 5th, 2 p.m. Where: Room 610 of Student Center East At this meeting, we will consider questions of special importance to Graduate Assistants: the notice of GA taxation and the taxation of GA tuition waivers according to IRS laws. While all UIC graduate students are welcome to attend, Graduate Assistants are especially …Read More →

Dear colleagues, Thanks for tuning in to this, our first weblog entry for the 2012 GEO contract campaign. As you know, the GEO is currently negotiating a new labor agreement for GAs and TAs at UIC. To kick off the campaign blog, I want to take some time to detail the platform from which the …Read More →

June 1, 2012 The University of Illinois at Chicago Graduate Employees Organization (UIC GEO, IFT/AFT Local 6297, AFL-CIO), the union of 1400 Teaching and Graduate Assistants at UIC, supports SEIU Local 73 and its efforts to attain a fair contract in recognition of the important work its members do at the university. The UIC administration …Read More →

With such a successful showing at our first bargaining session with the university, let’s keep the momentum going for our second session! Come see and be a part of the bargaining process, and all members have a right to vote in the caucus! Join us and invite your friends! When: Wednesday, June 6th at 1:00 …Read More →

What to Expect in Bargaining! All GEO members are welcome and encouraged to attend bargaining sessions with the university. Not only is it great to learn about how exactly bargaining functions, but it’s also helpful to know what we as a union are asking for and how the university will respond. So come and join …Read More →

The Stewards Council and the Steering Committee will have a joint meeting on Monday, May 7 at 10:00 am at the GEO office (815 W. Van Buren, Ste. 203). We’ll be developing an organizing plan for the first bargaining session. All members are welcome.

The University has finally responded to our demand to bargain by setting a date for the first bargaining session: Wednesday, May 16 at 1:00 pm in the Prairie and White Oak Rooms of Student Center East. All GEO members are encouraged to attend. Please join us, even if you can only make it for part …Read More →

From History Steward Tom Alter: Tuesday, May 1, 11:00 a.m. at the Haymarket Statue, Randolph and Des Plaines, the Illinois Labor History Society will be holding its annual commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs, their fight for the eight-hour day and workers’ rights. Benedicto Martinez Orozco, a leader of the Mexican union federation, Frente Autentico de …Read More →

Did you know that the minimum wage and hours of work specified in the GEO contract are valid all year? You should be paid at least as much as the contract minimum for Summer TA and GA appointments, and a 50% FTE appointment is still equivalent to 20 hours of work (on average) per week. …Read More →

While currently most GEO members do not pay into the state pension plan, it’s certainly possible that at some point in the near future members may find themselves part of the state system and will be adversely affected by Governor Quinn’s plan if it goes into effect.  With this plan, an increase in employee contribution, …Read More →

As you probably know, graduate students at private universities are not currently allowed to unionize, and Graduate Students United at the University of Chicago have been waging a campaign against the National Labor Relation Board’s (NLRB) 2005 Brown ruling in solidarity with New York University’s GSOC, asking the NLRB to reverse the 2005 ruling. The …Read More →

All GEO members and allies are encouraged to attend this important event.  Meet in the GEO office on Wednesday, April 18th from 5-7 p.m. to talk about what it means to organize your colleagues, what do these conversations look like, and what do we ask of our fellow graduate employees when it’s their contract that’s …Read More →

Come join your fellow GEO colleagues for an exciting afternoon of workplace visibility! It’s the start of the contract campaign and it’s also finals week, so bring your grading or other work to do and show the university that UIC works because we do. Wear your red GEO shirt for extra visibility and if you …Read More →

Come vote for the leadership positions in YOUR graduate employees’ union. All current members of the bargaining unit are entitled and encouraged to vote. We’ll be selecting members to serve in the following positions: President (or two Co-Presidents) Treasurer Secretary Grievance Chair Communications Chair Outreach Chair Organizing Chair Chief Steward For a description of each …Read More →

Join us on Wednesday, March 28th, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. for a General Membership Meeting in Lecture Center B1!  It’s designed for members to learn about the results of the bargaining survey, meet the Bargaining Committee, and discuss and vote on the bargaining platform.  Plus, we’ll discuss with other graduate employees about how we can best …Read More →

Join your fellow GEO members as we rally for a new contract and file our demand to bargain with the university!  Meet on the west side of University Hall at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, March 14th as we announce that it’s GEO contract time!  With member involvement and support, we can show the university that …Read More →

The UIC-GEO steering committee has voted to endorse Ken Thomas in the upcoming student trustee election.  Ken has demonstrated a willingess to listen to the needs of graduate employees at UIC and has worked together with GEO members to help advance those interests.  For example:  Ken agreed to set up a separate town hall meeting …Read More →

Recently, an email was sent out by the UIC administration that addressed the new, graduated rate of taxation for all graduate assistant tuition waivers.  Rather than continuing to tax the graduate assistant tuition waivers over the amount of $5250 at the flat federal rate of 25%, the university will now tax it at a graduated …Read More →

Updated Information Regarding Changes in GA Tuition Waiver Taxation   A university-wide email went out this week from University Payroll regarding the rate of taxation on tuition waivers for Graduate Assistants.  Rather than the tuition waiver being taxed at a federal rate of 25%, the amount of federal tax for GAs will be based on …Read More →

Do you want to talk to fellow graduate employees about the issues that concern them most but aren’t sure how to start those conversations?  Come to our Organizing Training on Wednesday, February 1st, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the GEO office (815 W. Van Buren Suite 203) to learn more about what issues are at stake, …Read More →

On Monday, January 23rd, there will be a General Membership Meeting from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in Student Center East, Fort Dearborn B.  The purpose will be to vote on Bargaining Committee members, who will be representing the GEO at the table with the university administration when we bargain our contract.  If you have a desire to …Read More →

Welcome back to the Spring 2012 semester!  It’s sure to be an exciting one as the GEO heads into a contract campaign, meaning we’ll be going back to the bargaining table to bargain a new contract with the administration.  In order to have a successful contract campaign, it’s vital to have as many members as …Read More →

As we continue into next semester, GEO will continue its work heading towards the bargaining table in the spring.  The contract expires in August of 2012 and, as a result, GEO will be bargaining a new contract with the university and the Board of Trustees.  There are plenty of ways to get involved: –Beginning in …Read More →

Since April 2010, New York University and the Graduate Student Organizing Committee/United Auto Workers have been waiting for a decision from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on whether or not graduate employees at a private university will have the right to collectively bargain with their employer.  Currently, Graduate Students United at the University of …Read More →

Due to taxation of their stipends, graduate students often lose out on hundreds of dollars per year.  Until the Tax Reform Act of 1986 these stipends were tax-exempt. Please see this petition below, calling on the Obama Administration to return stipends to their tax-exempt status. The petition requires you to create a whitehouse.gov account in …Read More →

Occupy Wall Street has put out a call for labor unions across the country to join in solidarity with the Occupy movement on Thursday, November 17th.  With unemployment rates remaining high, this national day of action will call for solidarity amongst the Occupy movements across the United States as we demand jobs, not cuts!  Join …Read More →

Do you want to know more about how your concerns are being addressed as a graduate employee and how you can get involved in implementing change? Join the GEO for a town hall meeting on Wednesday, November 16th at 5:00 p.m. in the GEO office (815 W. Van Buren, Suite 203) with the Student Trustee, …Read More →

Last Saturday, October 15th, over 200 people were arrested while assembling in Grant Park for a peaceful protest as part of the Occupy Chicago movement.  Several GEO members were arrested as well and as such, an open letter to Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, and the Chicago City Council has been drafted, asking them …Read More →

GEO Resolution to Support “Occupy Chicago”   Whereas, the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, the national parent union to the Graduate Employees’ Organization officially endorsed the national “occupation” movement “Occupy Wall Street.”   Whereas, Occupy Chicago’s mission statement states, “Occupy Chicago is here to fight corporate abuse of American democracy in solidarity with …Read More →

Put away your books and research for a little bit; you deserve a break, so come to the GEO social on Friday, October 21st from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Haymarket brewery (737 W. Randolph, corner of Halsted and Randolph).  Grab a ticket at the door and enjoy a free beer or soda …Read More →

Are you a GA concerned about waiver taxation?  Or are you studying in one of the departments that institutes tuition differentials (get a complete list here)?If you have questions or issues that you want to address, come with the GEO to voice your concerns at the Student Trustee’s Town Hall meeting on Monday, October 17th …Read More →

September 12th:  Know Your Contract (Lecture Center A6), 5-7 p.m. Are you wondering what the GEO contract covers and what your rights as a graduate employee are under the contract?  Come learn about how you are protected and how the contract affects things like workload, sick pay, and other aspects of your employment.  Be informed …Read More →

All GAs and TAs are invited to attend the first General Membership Meeting of the Fall 2011 semester on August 31st from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Room 713 of Student Center East.  We’ll be discussing the union’s plans for the upcoming semester and year, so come and join in the discussion about your union! …Read More →

By: Aleks Zarnitsyn Editor’s Note: This week’s post is by guest blogger Aleks Zarnitsyn of UIC’s Philosophy program. Aleks examines our current contract to discover what guarantees it secures for grad employees who are also parents, and assesses some of our options for improving working conditions for grad employee moms and dads. This post is …Read More →

Click Here to read the letter.

By: Molly McGown Editor’s Note: This week’s post is by guest blogger Molly McGown of UIC’s Anthropology program. Molly’s post is the first in a “What It’s Like” series we will be running in which members describe their experiences. Molly identifies some of the ways that graduate programs fail to adequately accommodate parents in our …Read More →

By: Gina Gemmel This is part four of a series explaining what a union is. For the first post,click here. For the second post, click here. For the third post, click here.  Lately, it seems that people are talking about “choice” a lot. Choice, some claim, is the basis of capitalism, and it’s what protects people …Read More →

By Gina Gemmel This is part three of a series explaining what a union is.  For the first post, click here For the second post, click here. Sometimes people feel suspicious about the decision unions make. They’re not sure how unions come to their decisions, and they worry that the union will negotiate working conditions for …Read More →

By Gina Gemmel Part 2 of a multi-part series This is part two of a series explaining what a union is.  For the first post, click here.  With all the talk of austerity going around these days, there are a lot of people who feel uncomfortable making demands of their employers.  We may think that …Read More →

By Gina Gemmel The history of the labor movement is not something that is typically taught in history courses in the US anymore, at least not those general courses that most of us are required to take.  As a result, there is a lot of misinformation about what unions are and what they do.  In …Read More →

By: Gina Gemmel In the coming weeks, I’ll be writing a series of posts on what exactly a union is and how a healthy, active union can benefit workers.  But today I want to start by discussing the concept of a “worker.” Is a graduate employee a worker?  Most graduate students who hold assistantships, whether they work …Read More →

February 21, 2011 To Whom It May Concern: As the many thousands of protesters in Madison, and around Wisconsin, the United States, and the world have been demonstrating for days, the bill currently up for consideration by the Wisconsin State Senate known as the “Budget Repair Bill” is not genuinely directed at repairing the state …Read More →

The front page story in today’s Chicago Flame is about Graduate Assistants being taxed on their tuition waivers!

Use this form to keep track of the number of hours that you work during a semester. Remember to include all of your work duties and to file your completed form for safekeeping. If you think your job requires you to work more hours per week than you are being paid for, please contact us …Read More →

International graduate employees have the right to participate in their union, and have the right to all legal forms of speech and association. The university may not retaliate against international students for participation in union activities, and union participation may not be used as a consideration when reviewing your visa application. Please see the attached …Read More →

The first pay day of the Fall semester is Thursday, September 16. To make sure that you will be paid on time, please check your NESSIE earnings statement immediately. You can access NESSIE at http://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu. If your September 16 paycheck does not appear in NESSIE today, please contact your department payroll administrator IMMEDIATELY to track …Read More →

Response to Chancellor Allen-Meares Statement on Negotiations By Joe Iosbaker, Chief Steward, UIC Clerical Unit, SEIU Local 73 On August 10th, the Chancellor sent a letter to every employee and student at UIC. While we won’t have the opportunity to get our response to every student and non-union employee, our members and supporters need to …Read More →

SEIU Local 73 workers at UIC filed an intent to strike notice on Friday, August 6 after a year of contract negotiation. Below is a letter of support UIC-GEO leadership sent to SEIU workers to show our solidarity with them. To SEIU Local 73 Workers: The UIC GEO would like to offer our full support …Read More →

After a marathon thirteen hour mediation session with the university’s bargaining team yesterday, the GEO bargaining team emerged with an agreement that will protect tuition waivers, increase job security, and made important gains on minimum stipends and the university contribution to health insurance. Because of your organizing, emails, letters of support, and attendance at Monday’s …Read More →

Courtesy of www.laborbeat.org: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrY9AtXLsqI

1. GEO Calendar 2. I’m in a hurry. What do I need to know? 3. RESULTS OF BARGAINING SIDE-BAR 4. YOUR RIGHT TO STRIKE   1. Calendar TODAY, April 1, 5:00 PM: GEO EMERGENCY STRIKE MEETING, room 302 SCE.TODAY AND TOMORROW, April 1-2: Online Voting. Details forthcoming.MONDAY, April 5, 8:00 AM: GEO TUITION WAIVER AND …Read More →

You may have seen the email this morning from John Loya, Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and R. Michael Tanner, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, regarding contract negotiations between the GEO and the UIC administration. We are writing to clarify some of their points. Through the use of federal mediation, the union and …Read More →

We’ve been asked a lot why it is so important to secure tuition waivers and put an end to increasing tuition differentials in our contract now. The reason is simple: if we don’t secure these things in the contract now, we will not have the ability to protect GEO members from any attempts to cut …Read More →

THE GRADUATE EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION HAS ESTABLISHED A $50,000 STRIKE FUND TO AID STRIKING GRADUATE EMPLOYEES. The GEO has set aside this significant amount of money in order to provide financial security for graduate employees in the event of a strike. Any card-signing member of the GEO would be eligible to benefit from the Strike Fund …Read More →