“Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses.”
Champaign, IL – As contract negotiations progress with several campus unions, workers are standing together on Thursday to demand that administration do better by those who serve students and the institution.
Inadequate wages, bare minimum raises, ever-increasing workloads, and staffing crises plague UIUC – a world class institution that should set the standard for students and workers. It’s long past time to recognize these workers, bargain fair contracts, and do right by the people who power this institution.
Together, workers are standing up to demand fair contracts that attract and retain high-quality workers who serve this preeminent institution and its students.
WHAT: Rally for Bread and Roses
WHO: Campus workers including non-tenured faculty (NTFC Local 6546), building and food service workers (SEIU Local 73), technicians and specialists (AFSCME Local 698), and clerical and administrative workers (AFSCME Local 3700)
WHEN: Thursday, May 2, at NOON
WHERE: Illini Union, 1401 W Green, Urbana, IL.
Workers and supporters will gather here to begin the rally, then march around the quad. They will be carrying signs and chanting. The march will return to the starting point, where the group will clap AFSCME 3700 into their bargaining session at the Illini Union, and the rally will continue with additional speeches.
Metered parking is available nearby on Wright Street, John Street, and Daniel Street.
The UIUC Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition (NTFC, Local 6546) represents more than 600 full-time faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who are not on the tenure track or tenured. They are affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
SEIU Local 73 represents more than 35,000 workers, primarily in public service and publicly funded positions in school districts, municipalities, social service agencies, universities and more in Illinois and Indiana, including UIUC building and food service workers.
AFSCME Local 698 currently represents a diverse group of University of Illinois employees working across campus, at Allerton Park, and Dixon Springs. Employees include instrument makers, laboratory mechanics, animal caretakers, library specialists, theatrical stitchers, veterinary technicians, storekeepers, aircraft mechanics, crash rescue specialists, nurses, nurse practitioners, medical technicians, histologists and radiographers, and many more.
AFSCME Local 3700 represents clerical and administrative workers who serve students and staff at UIUC.
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