UIUC Non-tenure Faculty Coalition (NTFC Local 6546) calls 2-day strike for April 19 & 20

Our non-tenure track colleagues will strike starting tomorrow, Tuesday April 19, at 7:45am. GEO supports the right of any workers to collectively withhold their labor to achieve fair working conditions. Our non-tenure faculty have worked hard for 18 months to negotiate a fair first contract with the university administration. We call on all members of the campus community to support NTFC.

NTFC main contract goals are non-economic. They are asking for language securing multi-year contracts and on-time appointment letters (similar to the arbitration GEO won this year). The administration says these are and should stay a matter of policy. Under current policies about 300 of the 500 non-tenure track faculty should have a multi-year contract; this year 19 faculty were given a multi-year contract. They are asking for identical language to the contract given to University of Illinois-Chicago non-tenure track faculty.

Important information for graduate employees

If you are currently under contract (TAs and GAs) you cannot legally withhold your labor in solidarity. GEO asks members to continue doing their work as usual. However, you can legally support a work action. This means: you can move your labor out of picketed buildings, you can join picket lines and otherwise publicly support NTFC without retaliation, and you cannot be compelled to do work that non-tenure track faculty normally do. If you are being asked to do someone else’s work you can stop a meeting and request union representation (these are your Weingarten Rights). GEO representatives can help you (geo@uigeo.org).

The results of this work action have great implications for GEO’s next bargaining cycle, which begins next year. Now is the time to show the administration that workers make this university run and we will stick together when they try to exploit us.

How can I support NTFC?

The most important thing you can do to support NTFC is to walk the picket line, even if only for an hour or two. Picketing will be Tuesday, April 19th and Wednesday, April 20th.

Location: English Building, Main Quad

Timeline:

7:45am-4:30pm: Picketing around English building
12pm: Rally (both days)
4:30pm: March from English to Swanlund Administration Building (both days)
5pm: Rally at Swanlund Administration Building (both days)

Peak hours will be 8am on Tuesday, the 12pm rally (English Building) and 5pm rally (Swanlund Administration Building).

Other forms of support:

Spread the word about our struggle. Share NTFC’s social media posts on Facebook and Twitter (NTFC Local 6546). Use #faircontractnow and #westandwithntfc6546
Want to share a solidarity picture, but don’t have social media? Email it to GEO and we’ll share it for you!
Here is a poster you can print or post on social media.
Sign and share this petition to show you stand with us.
Donate to the strike fund to support members that may lose wages as a result of participating in the strike.