U of I Graduate Employees Vote to Unionize

Urbana-Champaign, IL - Graduate employees have spoken: they want the G.E.O. to be their union. In a union election held April 15th and 16th, 64% of graduate employees voting chose the G.E.O. to be their representative in employment matters. The election turnout was exceptional, with almost 50% (2,539) of 5,446 graduate employees voting. These statistics are comparable to some, but better than most percentages in any state or national election. By comparison, recent University of Illinois Student Senate election turnout was only 5%, and Champaign county election turnout was 23%.

The Religious Workers Association of Champaign-Urbana, who conducted the election have officially announced the results. 1,633 voted for the Graduate Employees' Organization - IFT/AFT and 906 voted for "No Representative."

Last year, 3,226 graduate employees signed our petition requesting an election for union representation. This week's election was the fulfillment of that request in spite of the University's refusal to sanction the election up front.

Now, with the solid backing of graduate employees, the GEO has called on the administration to:

recognize and abide by the results of this election
drop their unnecessary lawsuit
begin an open discussion with the GEO on employment issues
The G.E.O. is ready to represent graduate employees, but will the University administration recognize the wishes of the majority? With this mandate from the majority, failure to recognize the graduate employees' chosen bargaining agent would be a flagrant attack on graduate employees democratic right to negotiate and a demonstration of the administration's anti-union stance. Regardless of the response, the Graduate Employees' Organization will continue to fight for the rights of graduate employees.