The University of Illinois Chicago and UIC Graduate Employees Organization have been in bargaining since April 2021. Grad workers at UIC have been working without a contract since August 2021. The university has been entirely intransigent:

• They will not pay us a living wage: "I would never promise you that the university would pay you enough to pay for all your financial needs." -UIC's Chief Negotiator
• By their own admission, the wages they're offering would see us "losing money" as they don't keep up with inflation.
• The university wants to increase the fees they charge grad workers--we believe no one should have to pay to work.
• The university will not expand the protections for workers who experience discrimination, harassment, workplace bullying, and sexual assault, nor will they involve the union in the accommodations process for survivors.
• The university still "reserves the right" to lock grad workers out of their offices, labs, and classrooms.

GEO's steering committee has called for a strike. We believe this is the only way to make the university bargain in good faith and give grad workers the contract they deserve. We need your help too. Please join us in this email campaign and show university admin that the whole UIC community wants a fair contract for grad workers now!