The UIS tenure/tenure-track faculty strike entered its fourth day on Monday, April 6 as the weekend bargaining session failed to produce a contract. A statement of the University’s bargaining website stated that one tentative agreement was reached during the three hour negotiation on Saturday, April 4 but that other issues remain unresolved. The next bargaining session is scheduled for later today, Monday April 6.

Monday’s strike activities include picketing around campus and a press conference at 2:30 p.m. with federal Illinois D-Congresswoman, Nikki Budzinski. This is a continuation of events from Friday, when D-Springfield Senator, Doris Turner, and three student supporters spoke on behalf of the union’s cause.

“We know that student support is a boon to our members and we will continue to welcome them and other community members to join us on the picket lines,” said Dathan Powell, the union president and an art, music and theater professor.

To express their appreciation for the support students have shown, the union plans to host a free pizza party at the Brookens Overhang on April 7 at 11:30 a.m. The announcement notes that the pizza party will still occur even if a contract is reached before that time.

This event highlights the union’s efforts to reach out to the wider UIS community and established a sense of solidarity with students.

“The university’s administration has lost sight of what its priorities should be, namely the students. They do right by them when they do right by the faculty because faculty working conditions are student learning conditions,” Powell said.

The administration expresses a different perspective on how the strike relates to students. An announcement from the University on Sunday, April 5 made it clear that the administration views the strike as negatively impacting the student experience.

“The University calls upon the union to prioritize students and return to the classroom,” said the announcement.

The University announcement also includes instructions for students on how to conduct themselves during the strike:

• Students should keep attending all scheduled classes unless notified by the professor that it is canceled. The strike only affects tenure/tenure-track professors, not instructors or adjuncts. In addition, some tenure/tenure-track professors may choose to participate in the work stoppage.
• Students whose classes are canceled should follow and complete assignments as detailed in their course syllabi.
• Students in classes that have required hours to complete as part of an internship or clinical experience should continue to report to that experience.
• Graduate assistants supervised by striking faculty should continue their work and reach out to their respective dean’s office for guidance with supervisory questions.
• Students with questions or concerns about canceled course or other changes brought on by the strike should contact the Dean of Students’ Office.

As the strike reaches its fourth day, both the University and union members reflect on the proceedings thus far.

“We had an excellent turnout on the first day and expect that our message will continue to be amplified now that more of the Springfield and regional community is aware of the strike that that UIS administration has forced,” said Powell.

The University holds a different view of the efficacy of the strike.

“As we have consistently communicated, the University does not view a strike as necessary, nor does it change the financial constraints that guide what can be achieved in a new contract,” a statement from the University said.

One of the Union’s key issues is salary increases. Administrators are offering a 1% boost to salary but no retroactive raises. The union’s previous four-year contract included annual raises between 2% and 3.5%, plus additional increases to address pay inequalities across ranks of professors.

The union has criticized this offer as the chancellor and other administrators receive more substantial raises that compensate for the rising cost-of-living. This comes at the same time that the University will enter the new budget year with an estimated annual deficit of $19 million.

The UIS Support Staff union, which also voted to authorize a strike in March, has its next bargaining meeting with UIS administration scheduled for Friday, April 10.

Service and support employees at Illinois State University (ISU) are also on the brink of strike. They have been working for almost a year without a contract and have given ISU president, Aondover Tarhule, until Wednesday, April 8 to reach an agreement. If this deadline is not met, the union said it is prepared to strike.