Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Network to Fight for Economic Justice on the struggle of the Graduate Employees Organization at the University of Illinois at Chicago to obtain a fair contract.

Tell UIC “Stop Stalling! We Want A Fair Contract Now!”

Network to Fight for Economic Justice (NFEJ)

The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), a union at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), is demanding a fair contract. While graduate employees teach many of today’s university classes, many live at or near the poverty level and chalk up great debts pursuing an education. UIC administrators are dithering about granting waivers for tuition and a controversial fee they call “tuition differentials”. Graduate employees are being asked to give a big chunk of their paycheck back to UIC by paying for tuition and hidden fees.

GEO at UIC, an affiliate of the Network to Fight for Economic Justice (NFEJ), is asking members and supporters to send emails demanding “Stop Stalling! We Want A Fair Contract Now!” to the UIC bosses at http://xrl.us/bgfowe.

Jes Cook, GEO Organizing Chair said, “We are at the one year mark in negotiations, and Monday will be our third federal mediation session. Last week, the administration told the campus community that our work is valued. Well, the time has come to show it. Give us job security and guarantee our tuition waivers. Settle this contract now.”

Joe Iosbaker, chief steward of SEIU Local 73 at UIC and a member of the NFEJ, said, “We support the GEO, and we are in the same boat as we prepare to take a strike vote next week. The bosses leave us only two choices: suffer or fight. Like the GEO, we will fight.”

The GEO is part of American Federation of Teachers Local 6297, representing 1400 teachers at UIC. Please visit GEO's website at http://www.uic-geo.net/ for more information and updates.

The final mediation session is Monday, April 5th, 2010. The GEO invites you to rally at 8am, Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted, Chicago.

For more info contact the NFEJ at http://wesayfightback.com/wordpress/

#ChicagoIL #StudentMovement #NetworkToFightForEconomicJustice #GraduateEmployeesOrganization