"We want to get an agreement done and the administration should too."
SPRINGFIELD – The non-tenure track faculty who are members of the University of Illinois-Springfield Instructors United (UISIU) officially filed an Intent to Strike notice with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. The action comes on the heels of an overwhelming vote by the membership to authorize a strike, which was announced on February 26, and insufficient progress at the bargaining table since. Now that the required 10-day notice has been filed, members may go on strike as early as March 18.
“We love our students and the work we do to make a difference in their futures," said Scott Fenton, UIS English instructor. "But after a year of bargaining and multiple sessions with a federal mediator, Chancellor Gooch and her administration have clearly not heard us as faculty and still refuse to make reasonable movement on job security and workload issues that are critical to our members. We hope the filing of this notice will serve as a wake up call. It's time to take us seriously."
UISIU members teach more than 130 classes per semester at the U of I's Springfield campus. Their instruction and guidance is critical to the academic success of the nearly 5,000 students enrolled at UIS.
“Chancellor Gooch and her administration should be ashamed that it has come to this,” said UPI President John Miller. “The University of Illinois system is respected statewide and across the country, primarily due to its world-class faculty, including at UIS. It is unacceptable that these incredible instructors have been forced to take this action simply to be treated respectfully. We urge the administration to finally fulfill their responsibilities to be good stewards of UIS for students and those who teach them by getting an agreement done."
“A strike will be our last resort," added Fenton, "but we are prepared to withhold our labor if necessary to ensure that, in the long term, we can continue to give our students the high-quality education they deserve. A strike can still be avoided if this administration will finally show that they value our work and prioritize students' needs. We want to get an agreement done and the administration should too."
The next bargaining session is scheduled for March 14.
UISIU represents 40 full time, non-tenure track (NTT) faculty at the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS). The NTT faculty organized in January 2024 and are among the newest members of the University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100.
The University Professionals of Illinois (UPI Local 4100) and represents more than 3,000 education professionals at seven of Illinois' 12 public universities. UPI is affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
The Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) represents 103,000 teachers and paraprofessionals in PreK-12 school districts throughout Illinois, faculty and staff at Illinois’ community colleges and universities, public employees under every statewide elected constitutional officer, and retirees. IFT and our local unions are affiliated with the 1.8-million member American Federation of Teachers.
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