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Monday, April 15, 2018 - Vol. 118 Issue 78
UPI to hold strike authorization vote Faculty to vote Wednesday following prolonged negotiations
BECCA LANGYS/PHOTO EDITOR
By Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief
The University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100 intend to hold a strike authorization vote on April 18 after contract negotiations have continued to drag on for over a year. Negotiations began in December of 2016 between UPI and the Western Illinois University administration and have continued through the present following numerous mediated and unmediated negotiation sessions. According to a statement to Tri States Public Radio, UPI president Bill Thompson
By William Turkington courier staff
A rainy and foggy afternoon hindered the Western Illinois University’s Horn Environmental Learning Project’s annual Earthfest celebration in Chandler Park on Saturday. The event didn’t get off to a smooth start, with the drum circle being cancelled for fear
said that the vote is the move the union needs to make. “Given the information that we have received from the other side, taking all that into account, we decided that this was the time to ask our members to consider taking this step,” Thompson said. The announcement comes after 65 percent of voting faculty members stated that they had no confidence in Western’s administration. The university’s Board of Trustees released a statement in support of the administration following the vote. Should UPI members approve a strike authorization, a 10-day cooling period is
established before members would be allowed to strike. Following that, a one day filing period would be in place
“”
to inform the university of the intent to strike, meaning that the soonest a strike could occur would be late April or early May. If the strike authorization
vote passes, the members would have the ability to strike until a contract agreement is reached. Western Contract Administrator Russ Morgan released a statement on behalf of the university in response to the announcement of the vote. “We urge our faculty to vote against an authorization to strike, remain in the classroom, and remain committed to our students,” Morgan said. “Our students have entrusted their education to Western Illinois University. They deserve the education for which they have paid. With approximately four weeks remaining in the
Spring 2018 semester, we need to live up to our commitment to our students.” Even if UPI authorizes a strike, one may not occur. An additional mediation session has been scheduled following the most recent mediation session on April 5. “Our commitment to our students is matched by our commitment to the mediation process,” continues Morgan’s statement. “An additional mediation session has been scheduled for April 23. The administration's goal from the beginning has been to reach a sustainable and fiscally responsible agreement with UPI Local 4100.”
of the moisture damaging the drums. The weather was looking up in Macomb during the week, with temperatures into the 70s, but the unpredictable Illinois weather reared its ugly head at the worst possible time for the Macomb community. The festival included tables showcasing charm bracelets and T-shirts, from groups
like Friends of Argyle Lake State Park and the Macomb Food Co-Op. The Macomb Food Co-Op is a small grocery store, owned by over 400 members of the local community, which specialize in local, sustainable, organic and fair trade food items. Professor Gordon Rands serves as the board chairman of the co-op, and was one of
two Western professors who delivered a speech at the shortened festival. “I feel very strongly about protecting the environment,” Rands said. “I hope to remind people that the choices we make about whether or not to vote, and about who to vote for, have real impacts.” Rands’ presentation talked about some accomplishments
from the environmental protection movement over the last 48 years since the first Earth Day in 1970, and also at some of the dismantling of those protections that have occurred in the last 15 months and the long-term dangers they might present.
“We decided this was the time to ask our members to take this step.” -Bill Thompson
University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100 President
Earthfest
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