GEO Walk-Out GEO Walk-Out Wrap-Up

December 7, 2001

Walk-Out Rocks Campus; GEO Simply Rocks
Hearings Are Red Herring
GEO Chicago Allies Take Action
Fightin' Time is Organizin' Time!

Walk-Out Rocks Campus; GEO Simply Rocks

GEO members and their allies picket in front of Lincoln Hall during the 2-day GEO Walk Out.

The GEO concluded its most successful action ever with its two-day, targeted Walk-Out on November 28-29. Nearly 400 people joined picket lines and rallies on both days, causing the cancellation of close to 70% of TA-run classes in the five targeted buildings. Many faculty also cancelled or relocated classes in solidarity with the GEO.

Activities began on Monday, Nov. 26 with a "48-hours to Bargain" table outside of Swanlund Administration Building. At 8 a.m. on Wednesday about a hundred graduate students, undergraduates, faculty, and community supporters formed picket lines on the Quad. Despite dropping temperatures, wind, and rain, picket lines remained energized from the constant outpouring of new picketers taking the place of the weary and the wet.

Grad employees and allies shut down five buildings with their picket lines. Allies supported the GEO in terrific numbers throughout the work stoppage. Lines were lengthened and chants and songs were strengthened by faculty, undergraduates, local teachers, representatives from the IFT and AFT, local clergy, and many others.

Picketers took their marching and chanting through both the Henry and Swanlund administration buildings. And on day two, between rousing choruses of "Who let the grads out!?" barked across the quad, picket lines forced Cantor and the Dean of Communications to cancel a meeting in Gregory Hall in the early afternoon. To thank the chancellor for honoring their picket lines, the GEO reprised its march through Swanlund while delivered a boisterous and heartfelt rendition of the "GEO Jingle Bells." Cantor, who happened to be in at the time, tried to look stern but couldn't help breaking into smiles at the sight and sound of the GEO singing for recognition and democracy.

The walk-out culminated in a rally at the Alma Mater, featuring polemic statements of support from GEO allies, including Illinois Student Government President Bob Morgan .

"I enjoyed working with the graduate union when I was provost at Michigan, but now the U of I pays me over $300,000 each year to try to bust the union. Sorry kids, but I really need the money!" —U of I Chancellor Nancy Re-Cantor

The rally was capped by the inspirational labor tunes of local band Sassparilla, who led the nearly 200 assembled grads and allies in a chorus of "Solidarity Forever."

In addition to nation-wide media coverage, the GEO received strong statements of support from across the country (and even some from Canada). Professors and public school teachers in the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) also coordinated a successful campaign to get the Illinois House of Representatives to pass a resolution in support of GEO's organizing effort! The resolution called on the administration to respect graduate employee union rights.

Judging by other graduate employee strikes around the country, the U of I administration has responded by the book claiming that it was "business as usual" during the work stoppage and refusing to negotiate over working conditions. But their rhetoric seems to ring hollow amidst rumors of impending health care improvements and other increased benefits in response to the pressure of our successful walk out and possible springtime strike. Stay tuned to see what else the administration tries in their attempt to buy off graduate employees.

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Hearings Are Red Herring

When an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) appointed by the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) held hearings in Springfield on November 30, the U of I administration and local press attempted to portray this as a decisive event. However, those hearings were never meant to decide anything. That perception was a mistake that some reporter made (inflamed by the administration's emphasis on the legal case as the only important aspect of this struggle).

Like all the other hearings that the GEO has had before the ALJ over the last several months, the primary purpose of the most recent hearings was to interpret and apply the Labor Board's ruling of March 2001. Remember, this decision would effectively cut out all but 5% of graduate employees from an officially recognized bargaining unit.

Clearly, this is all part of an administration attempt to delay justice and divert attention from their anti-democratic stance. They could legally recognize our union at any time outside of this process or agree to abide by the results of an election that we could mutually arrange. The lesson: We need to keep the activist pressure up!

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GEO Chicago Allies Take Action

On Wednesday, November 28, graduate employees at the University of Illinois at Chicago showed their solidarity by taking over the UIC Chancellor's office. This coordinated action was meant to show the Board of Trustees that it cannot contain the GEO's drive for recognition.

"Psst! Did you hear the Illinois House of Representatives passed a resolution in support of the GEO's organization effort! The resolution called on the administration to respect graduate employee union rights."

At 9:00 a.m. twenty members of the UIC Graduate Employees Organization took position on the 28th floor of University Hall. Their demand was simple: They wanted a meeting with the Chancellor. Not surprisingly, no meeting took place.

Supporters, some carrying bail money in case things turned nasty, rallied outside. But as the March 2000 sit-in here in Urbana taught us all, there was nothing to worry about. This Board of Trustees operates by a simple law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite inaction.

On the second day of the work stoppage, many of the UIC grads who took over their chancellor's office made the trip down to Chambana to join our lines. They know that our struggle is their struggle, and that we will all benefit when the administration is finally forced to recognize the right of its graduate employees to form a union. Thank you, UIC GEO!

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Fightin' Time is Organizin' Time!

After our work stoppage the Administration knows that they're in for a serious fight. You can bet that item one on the agenda this week was union busting. The Administration clearly has the upper hand in terms of money and political power, and they think they've got a strategy for defeating the GEO.

Here's the news: No matter what strategy the Administration employs to bust the union, it can't succeed if every graduate employee who wants recognition works to make recognition happen. Money can't stop us. Threats can't stop us. Legalistic maneuvers can't stop us. Dirty tricks can't stop us. The Daily Illini can't stop us. Nothing can stop us as long as we're willing to do the work.
But the work has to get done. That work may again include walking the picket line and withholding your labor. But it definitely includes going door to door and talking to other grads about the GEO.

Right now we have enough organizers to pull off a limited work stoppage in five buildings. That's impressive, and it speaks well of our organizers and of the grads whose participation made the action a success. But we aren't going to win recognition with a targeted two-day work stoppage.

We need more organizers. An open ended strike can make our union or it can break it. Success won't be determined on the picket line -- it will be determined by the groundwork we lay in the months between then and now. You know you want a contract. The question is, are you willing to do what's necessary to get it?

To help, contact the GEO office via e-mail at geo@shout.net or at 344-8283.

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