After an eight-day strike, building and food-service employees at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have reached a tentative agreement with the university administration. The employees, represented by SEIU Local 73, were seeking improved wages and working conditions.

The proposed agreement includes a wage increase of $1 per hour in the first year, followed by a 90-cent raise in the second year and an 85-cent raise in the third year. Additionally, a $300 sign-on bonus has been offered to make employment more attractive to job candidates.

Union strikes on university campuses have broader effects beyond employee wages, as they also impact the services provided to students and staff. With 763 food service and building workers involved in the strike, the disruption affected many aspects of daily campus life.

Understaffing, increased workloads, and rising inflation were key factors that motivated the union to push for better wages.

Negotiations between SEIU Local 73 and the university had been ongoing for seven months before the strike was called. The ratification process for the new contract is set to begin on Tuesday, October 1, with updates available through UIUC’s labor and employee relations website.

Strikes have also been an issue at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) in recent years. In 2022, the UIS United Faculty filed a Notice of Intent to Strike with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. After negotiations, UIS and the union agreed to a four-year labor contract, which is set to run through August 2025. The University Professionals of Illinois Support Staff, Local 4100, represents UIS service workers, and contract negotiations are expected to resume next year.

This tentative agreement at UIUC marks a crucial step forward in resolving the labor dispute, as the ratification process will determine the future for the university’s employees and services.