AFSCME

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The 24/7 Solidarity Vigil Continues Thursday 2/24! See the schedule below and join us when you can.

Posted by odellcampbell on February 23, 2011
Posted in: Activities, Current Issues, Events, Labor Movement, News, Resources, Take Action!, UIUC Coalitions. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The solidarity vigil will temporarily be relocated to the *Illini Union* from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow (Thursday, February 24).

9 a.m.- 2 p.m.  Illini Union: Solidarity Teach-In, Grade-In, Meet-In, Drink-Coffee-In

Show your solidarity with workers in Madison and throughout the Midwest.

12 noon – 12:50 p.m. Publics, Unions, Movements: discussion with Monica Bielski Boris of the Labor Education Program

University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, Lower Level

(SEIU supporters can head for FAR/PAR before the 1pm picket).

Join YMCA vigil participants and community members for a discussion on the legal, social and regional dimensions of unions and union building. Have questions about collective bargaining, public resources, or solidarity tools—-then this is the place for you and your allies. Professor Monica Bielski Boris (http://www.ler.illinois.edu/faculty/fp_bielski.html), from the School of Labor and Employment Relations, will introduce a series of topics and questions, including…

* What are public sector unions? How and why do they differ from state to state?

* What competing myths and realities are at work in labor and opposition movements ?

* How are organizing tactics nurtured and altered?

* What types of political strategies are either at work or stifled in the Midwest?

* What is the state of labor and social movement education on our campus and in our communities?

1-2 p.m. SEIU Picket at the FAR (Florida Avenue Residence Hall)

On College Court near the intersection of Lincoln and Florida Residence Hall —support SEIU in their contract struggle, practice your chanting, and support workers’ rights right here in Champaign-Urbana

7 p.m., Patricio Guzman’s sterling, epic documentary The Battle of Chile, parts 1 (“The Insurrection of the Bourgeoisie”, 96 minutes) and 2 (“The Coup D’Etat”, 88 minutes)

Covering workers, politics in Chile, and events leading to the coup of Salvator Allende in 1973.    We will have the opportunity to think about workers’ protests in an international context, both historically and in our present moment.

Champaign News-Gazette: Cuts likely for UI’s union, civil service employees

Posted by richpotter on January 9, 2010
Posted in: Current Issues, News, Press Coverage, UIUC Coalitions. Tagged: , , , . Leave a Comment

The GEO contract prevents bargaining unit members from being furloughed. The administration may seek to furlough other unionized campus workers, however, including academic professionals and civil service employees. Julie Wurth’s full article is available from the News-Gazette. The following excerpt includes a statement from GEO Communications Officer Peter Campbell:

Union officials also raised questions about the need for furloughs and the university’s budget priorities.

“I’m still not totally sure that the university is in as dire straits as they let on,” Miller said.

McGuire said the university’s budget actually grew by $500 million this year, from $4.2 billion to $4.7 billion, though not from state sources.

He noted that the governor hasn’t asked for a budget rescission yet.

“I’m not saying there isn’t an issue here, but I think they’re getting a little ahead of themselves,” McGuire said.

Miller wondered what the UI will do if and when the state catches up on its payments. Ikenberry indicated employees could be reimbursed if the UI receives its full appropriation, but he expressed doubt that that will happen.

Peter Campbell, communications officer for the Graduate Employees’ Organization, said the furlough policy is an improvement on earlier proposals. But he said furloughs aren’t necessarily “the best way to respond to this crisis.”

He’d like to see more efforts to shift funding away from administrative units to academic programs.