
As part of a press release announcing the strike, Union leaders explained their decision to engage in a work stoppage this way:
�This is a fight to force the administration to recognize the valuable work that non-tenure-track faculty have done at the University of Illinois for decades�work that needs to be supported through a union contract,� stated Union President Shawn Gilmore, a lecturer in the English Department.
Dennis Dullea, a senior instructor in English, and Vice-President of NTFC Local #6546, added, �Currently most of our members exist on temporary, nine-month contracts. Many of us have been �temporary� faculty for over twenty years! It�s time to prioritize our students� learning experience. Multi-year contracts mean faculty are able to focus on teaching and preparing their courses rather than on wondering if they will have a job in the fall. These contracts will bring stability to the faculty, to our students, and to the campus community at large.�
After more than eighteen months of attempting to resolve these issues at the bargaining table, the union has decided that a strike is necessary. �Our door is always open,� said lead negotiator Kay Emmert, �but after twenty-nine negotiating sessions, with little to show for our efforts, our members are telling the administration: Enough is enough!�
�We have continually tried to negotiate a contract that would support our work as educators,� said Christina De Angelo, instructor in Spanish and Portuguese and chair of the NTFC Strike Committee. �Having a fair evaluation system in our contract would allow us to expand our teaching strengths to make sure that all of our students receive the quality education they deserve. We say �Education First,� and the administration�s only response is �No�. Their constant refusal to act on these important issues has forced us to take these steps and to demonstrate how serious we are about improving campus life at UIUC.�
You can get more information on the strike at the Union's website.
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